Figured out a better way to set up hydraulic brakes after 10 years

I used to just pull the lever and tighten the caliper bolts right away. That always left me with pads that rubbed a little no matter how careful I was. Then about 6 months ago a guy at the co-op showed me the trick: back off the pads, squeeze the lever hard, then tighten the bolts while holding the lever. The rotor centers itself perfectly that way. It took me maybe 3 or 4 tries to get the feel for it but now my brakes are silent every time. No more drivetrain drag from constant pad rub. Has anyone else found a simple adjustment that changed their whole workflow?

2 comments

2 Comments

hayden14412d ago

Oh man, I usually just tighten stuff and hope for the best.

the_mary12d ago

Oh goodness, I have to respectfully disagree with that. "Hope for the best" can lead to stripped bolts or worse, a broken part that costs a lot to fix. I learned this the hard way with an old lawn mower - I just cranked down on a bolt and ended up cracking the engine block. Now I always use a torque wrench for anything important, like wheel lugs or engine bolts. A small investment in a decent tool can save you from a much bigger headache later on. It's really worth taking the extra few minutes to do it right.