Bicycle Mechanics - Finally...the "how do i adjust my Hayes" thread !

:D Told ya it would be coming.:D

Well, they're pre-bled and ready to bolt on....so i did. According to the manual you're supposed to leave the caliper slightly loose and pull the lever, then while holding the lever you tighten the caliper. I understand the theory behind this, but once finished i spun the wheel and it dragged like crazy. So the manual tells you if this happens to remove the pads and push the pistons all the way back. I'm familiar with this proceedure having replaced pads in cars many times. However, after doing that and then doing the correct caliper centering proceedure as i described above, it still drags like mad. Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks...

PS:more to come i'm sure:D

Hi Dazco, when you say rub, is it a centering problem or is it that the pads are self adjusting to tightly?

Check if it is the pads that the rotor is rubbing and not the caliper. Is it happening with both wheels or just one?

Be sure that the rotor is on correctly, facing the right direction. With most hydros you will get some drag but you should still be able to spin the wheel freely.

when you say rub, is it a centering problem or is it that the pads are self adjusting to tightly?

I think it is a centering problem, but the only way i know of doing it is as i said i did.......pull the lever, then tighten the bolts on the caliper. Didn't work tho. Even tried to manually move the caliper around as the tire is spinning to see if i could find a position that worked.


Be sure that the rotor is on correctly, facing the right direction. With most hydros you will get some drag but you should still be able to spin the wheel freely.

Theres only one way it can go....with the cable facing up. The wheel spins freely, but i can't imagine having to listen to this constantly while riding ! Itis the pads that are rubbing. And this is the front........havent gotten the rear on yet, tho i'm in the process.

Originally posted by dazco
I think it is a centering problem, but the only way i know of doing it is as i said i did.......pull the lever, then tighten the bolts on the caliper. Didn't work tho. Even tried to manually move the caliper around as the tire is spinning to see if i could find a position that worked.

If it's a centering problem then you might also want to check the facing on the tabs. Excess paint and such can throw things off. You might have to hit it with a metal file.

Thanks, i'll check that out. Of course there had to be one washer missing as i'm installing the rear............i hate Murphy !

Ok, i see what it is. The mounts are not at a perfect 45 degree angle to the discs. I need to add a spacer to one side of the mount. This sucks.

That may not be it, tho i'm not sure. In any case, i don't think it's possible to eliminate drag with these "world's greatest disc brakes". I suppose after 50 miles the pads will seat correctly, tho from what i hear, removing the front wheel throws it out of wack again. Ah, whatareyagonnado?:(

There should be plenty of adjustment in the slot adjustment in the caliper to adjust all of the rub out. Totally quiet, no drag at all.

Take a line of sight through the caliper and look at the relationship between the pads and the rotor. I sometimes have to put a white piece of paper below the caliper so I have enough change in color to actually see the pads and rotor clearance. You must see the clearance.

With an idea where it is rubbing, you can loosen and move the caliper to put the pads in a noiseless position, and if the rotor is slightly out of true, you can cautiously move (bend) the rotor to be noiseless.

Since you mentioned that the mounts aren't perfect, I most often correct that problem (not always of course) by reseating the front wheel. More than half of the problems I correct is from the front wheel not in the dropout all of the way and then adjustments are impossible. This simple check insures that the wheel goes to the same place every time so that when you remove and reinstall the front wheel there is no drag issue. It can't throw it out of wack unless someone pulls the brake lever with the wheel out.

Take your time, the brakes are awsome. Once you have this all done, all of your friends will want you to set up their brakes. (It's alot easier the second time)

Since you mentioned that the mounts aren't perfect, I most often correct that problem (not always of course) by reseating the front wheel. More than half of the problems I correct is from the front wheel not in the dropout all of the way and then adjustments are impossible. This simple check insures that the wheel goes to the same place every time so that when you remove and reinstall the front wheel there is no drag issue. It can't throw it out of wack unless someone pulls the brake lever with the wheel out.

Not quite sure what you mean by "not in the dropout all the way", but i'm thinking you mean the axel isn't all the way into the grooves in the fork (are those called dropouts?) before you tighten the wheel. If so, thats not the problem because i checked that already. I have also tried looking at the clearence of the pads, tho no with a pice of paper to clarify the view, but with a flashlight. I couldn't move the caliper around to ehere it wouldn't drag tho. I can get it to where it doesn't drag constantly, but only at once point along the wheel rotation. That tells me the disc may not be mounted perfectly. But what more can i do? I cleaned the surface of the mounting area. I guess tonite i'll take the disc off and inspect it for any flaws that may need to be filed off.

Theres only one way it can go....with the cable facing up.

Hey Daz. I was speaking about the rotor. The rotor is the disc that mounts on the wheel.

I see. Anyway, i finally got rid of the drag. But upon test riding it i found that these things howl unbelievably loud when braking. The front especially. It's literally unusable, and if this doesn't go away after a bit of break in you'll see them for sale soon. Seriously........so far these things are more trouble than any amount of braking is worth, and totally unusable as far as noise and power. I'll reserve my final judgement on how UN-powerful they are till they break in. (heard they get a lot better, and they better because right now they aren't even as good as my V brakes)

They'd better improve a rediculous amount or this is the worse buy i've made so far as bike things go.:(

Oh yea.........and they leaked on the lever housings and stripped the paint.......nice, eh !

(they were pre-bled and ready to bolt on, so it wasn't my fault)

Well, you're not going to like this one.

We're the pre-bled brakes shipped in plastic bags? If so, then the brake fluid got on the pads and they will squeal until replaced.

Also, most disc brakes have a short break-in period, Hayes brakes usually faster than most.

Yep. Why does that cause them to leak? Will sanding and cleaning them with alcohol help? There doesn't seem to be any leaking at the calipers, just at the levers.

Well, i sanded them and clean them (the pads) and living on a hill, i rode a few hundred yards up the street and came down fast to test them as i did before. This time the noise was gone except when i pegged the brakes really hard. So i don't think they're contaminated. I think they were just very rough....they sure looked it till i sanded them. Power is still lousy tho. But many reviews i read say they improve greatly once broken in, so hopefully they'll be ok. I really don't like the feel compared to V's tho. They feel rough and crude by comparison. I guess thats the difference between rubber against metal and metallic disc pads(or whatever that hard material is) against metal.

Anyway, assuming they get considerably more powerful once broken in, and lose all the noise, i'll be ok with them. I guess all this cr@p is the price i'll have to pay to be able to run downhill fast without my hands falling off. (assuming the develpo some power)