Mountain Biking - what am i doing wrong? install help...

Hey, working on getting my front disc brake and front fork setup, i did something wrong, though i'm not quite sure what it is... I'm not a bike mechanic but it's not like i'm doing something that can't be easily fixed ;) I've included some pics and what i think is wrong. Lemme explain it real quick like, I put the rotor on my hub the right way i'm assuming, attached the brake system to the fork, and when i try to line em up the brake pads are like diagonal. So when you line up the fork straight and look at it fromt straight on it looks like the brake pad slot is shooting off to the right, not straight. DO i need an adaptor or something?

See how the brake pads and rotor don't line up right.
http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake1.jpg

My hub setup w/ rotor on.
http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake2.jpg

It's kinda hard to see here, but it's not lining up at all, see how right leg of fork is off to the front right side.
http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake3.jpg

My brake setup that i screwed into the fork.
http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake4.jpg

Another brake setup shot, you can kinda see how it's not line up right or something.
http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake5.jpg

Well any help or suggestions would be great, luckily the weather sucks here right now so i'm not in any big hurry to get out and ride, but i really want to ;) Thanks to all.

You have the wrong adapter. Is that an 8" rotor?

No it's 160mm which is what like 6.25" or something?

I know that with Avids just one side of the caliper pulls up and in causing the rotor to move into the other pad and thus you slow down so maby its that you have it set up right. Is there rubbing when you spin the wheel with the rotor and the caliper?

Originally posted by PeterG1185
I know that with Avids just one side of the caliper pulls up and in causing the rotor to move into the other pad and thus you slow down so maby its that you have it set up right. Is there rubbing when you spin the wheel with the rotor and the caliper?

i can't even GET the wheel on properly with the brake setup on, w/o the brake system the wheel goes on just fine.

If you could get some side shots of how the wheels sits when the caliper is on that would help...those are weird angles, and I can tell something isn't right, but having a hard time telling what it is from the angles you showed. I'm wondering if you have the adapter on backwards. I haven't done a ton of avid setups in my shop, I usually get people to do hydros.

I'll try and help you if I can

:beer:

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake9.jpg

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake12.jpg

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake11.jpg

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake10.jpg

man you are quick, here... i was going to ask you for a side pic of the caliper on the fork...but look at this and see if your setup looks similar

http://www.bikeworld.com/product/avid/jpg/test3.jpg

I'm wondering if you might have the adapter upsidedown or something

Well first of all it looks like your brake pads aren't all the way inside the caliper, but I could be wrong. Make sure they click into place. Secondly, I think you need to adjust the lateral position of the caliper. There are a couple screws on the back that you can loosen which will allow you do adjust the position of the caliper horizontally, which should solve your problem.

See I'm not sure exactly what is happening here, is the rotor bottoming out on the caliper when you put it in or is the whole thing just missaligned? I'm also wondering if you have the dial in adjustmen on the caliper turned in to much...that can give you issues too. Just throwing out thoughts here.

Oh, and check to see that you haven't put the rear caliper on the front, or vice versa.

It's definately the front caliper

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake9.jpg

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake12.jpg

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake11.jpg

http://ehw.noisehose.com/brake/brake10.jpg

Also try loosening everything on the adapter and the mount and the caliper...jsut so it's a bit slopy and see if you can get the wheel in that way, if you can cool....then start to tighten it all down and it will get you close to how it should be aligned. Then it's just fine tuning after that.

Either something is bent, or Jim has it dead on.

Originally posted by danka24
Either something is bent, or Jim has it dead on.

What none of my ideas where good enough? :(

HAHAHA....

Seriously though, what is exactly happening? Is the rotor bottomig out in the rotor before the wheel is in? or is it just not lining up right? My brain has started to shut down now, so I need some more details....

Take it to your LBS and ask what the problem is, I'm sure they'll offer their advice, and it could just be an easy fix :)

yea, you haven't said what is wrong.

My guess is that you need to back the pads all the way back (dial each knob left while looking at it) and try again.

I need more info though.

the problem is that i can't get the fork on the wheel with the caliper on because of the way it's attached to the fork puts it off at an angle while the rotor stays straight. I probably will it take it to my lbs tommorow, i don't know any of em so hopefully i won't get charged to much.


WOW I just had an idea, and it worked duh! The way the brakes are with the mounting bracket it allows for a little movement so i was able to line it up right and voila, caliper is on and working great. My new frontend is built. THanks all

so you DID get it working ok bro?

I was gunna say.. it almost appeared as though the adapter was on backwards... it's easy to do...

Originally posted by DrGonzo
the problem is that i can't get the fork on the wheel with the caliper on because of the way it's attached to the fork puts it off at an angle while the rotor stays straight. I probably will it take it to my lbs tommorow, i don't know any of em so hopefully i won't get charged to much.


WOW I just had an idea, and it worked duh! The way the brakes are with the mounting bracket it allows for a little movement so i was able to line it up right and voila, caliper is on and working great. My new frontend is built. THanks all


That's what I was trying to tell you to do, but I guess I didn't say it clearly enough.

Gonzo, Ill give you 50 bucks for the bomber :D what kind you you have? Looks like one of the DJ series.

Originally posted by Jim311
That's what I was trying to tell you to do, but I guess I didn't say it clearly enough.

Everybody knew that the caliper was crooked and it didnt look like it would solve anything if he moved it straight. In one of the pics I did notice it looked like he was holding the caliper too far off the rotor, but wasnt sure. It was obvious that the caliper was off center, but it still didnt look like it would work just because of the way he was holding it on.