Mountain Biking - Follow Up: Juicy 3 & 5

After my last thread on my new brakes was shut down, I decided to start a new one to give some follow up and ask for some more advice.

I ended up with Juicy 3s on the front, and Juicy 5s on the back (I got good deals on eBay, $50 each). They're new and factory bled. I got them installed and went about trying to adjust them, doing the 5-6 pumps of the lever, holding it, then tightening the CPS bolts up. The front brake seemed to be both dragging the rotor (pads too close) while simultaneously being unable to stop me (pads too far). After reading the Sram setup guide and following it to the best of my ability, I got nowhere. Someone suggested taking the wheel off and pumping the levers a couple times to inch the pads closer. I did this, and the brakes finally slowed me down properly, but were rubbing worse than ever.

I haven't started on the 5s yet, but I bet I won't have much luck there either because my brake-fu is weak. So this is what I'm thinking about doing. Seeing as the front brake has more than enough power to stop me, I might take the bike around my local trail and hammer the brakes at every opportunity. Hopefully, the brakes will auto-adjust themselves after the 3.5 mile jaunt and leave me happy. Does this sound like a really bad idea? Will anything change, do you think? I'm confident in the front brake's ability to haul me in quick, so I figure I'm not going to come to a perilous end.

The other option is to give up more money to the LBS to do it, and not have my bike over the weekend. Advice?

Get some BB7's;)

No, Ed. You're wrong. Contact point adjustment doesn't move the pads at all. I can't believe the lies and misinformation you're spreading.

But seriously, will a 3.5 mile ride help the calipers to position themselves more or less properly?

I have avid juicy 7 ultimate set up on my stumpy. I wouldn't slam on the brakes. Stopping too hard can warp your rotors, and then you'll even have more brake rub. It might adjust themselves through some regular use. Did you reset the calipers by wedging something in between them with the wheel off. Don't squeeze the brake levers when you have the wheel off.

You can try bleeding the brake lines and put some new brake fluid in.

No, Ed. You're wrong. Contact point adjustment doesn't move the pads at all. I can't believe the lies and misinformation you're spreading.

But seriously, will a 3.5 mile ride help the calipers to position themselves more or less properly?

I think Ed was, in jest and facetiously, , referring to your original thread where BB7's were also brought into the discussion (read: fray) and then bombed the thread. :lol:

My only experience is with Hayes Nines, but when I first was tweaking them I inserted a business card between each rotor and pad, then squeezed. It eliminated the slight drag for my brakes.

And, if I were you, I wouldn't have any hesitation about burning those puppies in as you want to try, just as long as everything (including pads) is mounted correctly.

By the way, as far as I know, stopping too hard is not exactly the cause of rotor warp. Now, long extended descending with lots of braking can turn those boys red hot and, yeah, they will possibly warp. Also, holding the pads closed on a red hot hot rotor while stationary can also be cause for warp.

I think Ed was, in jest and facetiously, , referring to your original thread where BB7's were also brought into the discussion (read: fray) and then bombed the thread. :lol:

My only experience is with Hayes Nines, but when I first was tweaking them I inserted a business card between each rotor and pad, then squeezed. It eliminated the slight drag for my brakes.

And, if I were you, I wouldn't have any hesitation about burning those puppies in as you want to try, just as long as everything (including pads) is mounted correctly.

By the way, as far as I know, stopping too hard is not exactly the cause of rotor warp. Now, long extended descending with lots of braking can turn those boys red hot and, yeah, they will possibly warp. Also, holding the pads closed on a red hot hot rotor while stationary can also be cause for warp.

I was aware of Ed's sarcasm and got his reference to the old thread. The ride I'm considering is flattish singletrack, but twisty so I need brakes frequently, but never for long periods of time. I saw some people mentioned the cardboard-in-the-caliper trick to space the rotors properly. I'll give it a shot before I go out there.

I was aware of Ed's sarcasm and got his reference to the old thread. The ride I'm considering is flattish singletrack, but twisty so I need brakes frequently, but never for long periods of time. I saw some people mentioned the cardboard-in-the-caliper trick to space the rotors properly. I'll give it a shot before I go out there.

Good deal. A little more sustained downhill works even better/quicker, but just using the dang things will help ya get there.:thumb:

...I got them installed and went about trying to adjust them, doing the 5-6 pumps of the lever, holding it, then tightening the CPS bolts up. The front brake seemed to be both dragging the rotor (pads too close) while simultaneously being unable to stop me (pads too far).

Did the CPS washers possibly move a bit while you were tightening things down? That happens to me sometimes. I've learned to watch the caliper carefully while tightening.

Did the CPS washers possibly move a bit while you were tightening things down? That happens to me sometimes. I've learned to watch the caliper carefully while tightening.

I thought the purpose of the CPS bolts was to move when you tightened them to square the caliper to the rotor and compensate for any misalignments in your fork posts.

CPS squares when you clamp down the lever...sometimes they move when you tighten mounting bolts. (don't over tighten...you can make indentions on the washers)