ernok1923

a friend just made me a gift of origin8 pro-force cantilever brakes. these are my first cantilever brakes and they came without any instructions whatsoever. i'm a little confused. any help on how to install these? i can find a ton of information online on adjusting the brakes, but nothing on how to get them onto my bike. it can't be that hard, i know, but i could sure use some guidance.

thanks.

Retro Grouch 

So does your bike have the required studs on the fork and seat stays to recieve the canty brakes?

ernok1923

there are bosses brazed on each. unless...

.... are there differences in bosses for cantis and v-brakes?

SweetLou

They are the same. Will your cantis not go on the bosses? What is wrong, why won't they go on?

ernok1923

i guess the thing is i don't know how they are supposed to go on. there is a spring and i see where one side goes into the boss, but where does the other side go into? there doesn't appear to be any place for it. it also looks like the screws might be too wide for the bosses, but i know that i can replace those if need be. i've looked online for advice but all i find is for adjustments.

i guess, what might be helpful, if anyone who has cantis (especially these ones from origin8) could post a photo of the back of the brake, then i could see what is going on. i know its kind of an odd request, so i'm not going to expect a dozen photos, but i think that i'm probably not far off the mark; i'm just waiting for that 'eureka moment.'

Wordbiker

Now you know why cantis are "old school".

https://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-adjustment.html

ernok1923

as you may notice, this article (which will BECOME helpful, i'm sure) deals with ADJUSTING cantilevers. i need help INSTALLING cantilevers. seems like a close but no cigar sort of deal.

maybe this will help. this is what i am dealing with.

Wordbiker

Having never installed that particular canti, two things strike me:

The long arm of the spring is designed to hook onto the body of the canti.

Did your friend perhaps not give you all the parts? It looks to me like a sleeve and/or washer may be missing.

ernok1923

this is supposedly everything.

bikeman715

the short pin of the spring goes into a hole in the frame/fork and the longer one goes around the body of the canti . is there a hole in the body of the canti for the longer one ? if there is then it goes there. the bolt should fit just fine.

Retro Grouch 

AHA! You're missing a piece - 4 pieces actually.

There is a stud, that isn't normally supplied with the brake, that threads into your frame mounts. They aren't too expensive but you probably need to take your bike frame to the LBS when you order them (they'll almost surely be a special order item) because there are different sizes and threads. Once you have the parts, I think everything else will make a lot more sense.

Wordbiker

Good eye RG.

I missed the brake post not being there due to the angle of the pic, thought I was looking at the end of it.

It could very well be that they are still on the brakes that were removed from the frame. Sometimes the bolts seize in the post and they come off even though they're meant to stay with the frame. If that's the way the frame came you should find an overflowing drawer of them at almost any LBS.

ernok1923

is this what you mean?

https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=12345

could i just take the fork and have them match it up? theoretically, should the same stud that goes on the fork also be the same as the ones that go on the rear brake brazes?

ernok1923

maybe this is a better photo of the fork.

Wordbiker

Mmmkay...so you do have posts.

All right, have you tried installing them yet and at what point are you hung up?

Most all cantis have a similar coil spring. The shorter bend goes in the hole in the boss, the larger end holds the arm sprung away from the wheel, resisting the pull of the lever and cable. Take a close look at the spring and assemble it lightly on the brake stud. Once you've hooked the long end on the brake arm, spring pressure should increase as you move the arm and pad closer to the wheel. Also, the spring should be coiling tighter, not expanding. There will be a Left and a Right spring, and if they're mixed up, the coil will expand, not coil tighter. On cantis with a plastic shroud protecting the spring from dirt, reversed springs can break the shroud. Swap them if they're wrong.

I really wish I had a set of those in front of me. No doubt any missing parts would be apparent and I and others could talk you through it. Don't get frustrated, there's only one way they'll go together and work right. Keep at it and you'll either get it or discover something is preventing it from working correctly.

Mr. Underbridge

The long end on that spring has to hook onto something on the canti arm. Maybe on the other side of the arm from what's in the photo?

ernok1923

there doesn't appear to be any shroud that keeps dirt off of the spring. i see how the small hook fits onto the stud. my problem is the long hook. there is no place for it to securely go into. it looks like in could only rest on top of the arm. like so:



can this really be correct? is it secure enough? i feel like it could just slip off. it's just resting there.

alecw35

there nice brakes
Are you fitting them on a Cyclo cross bike.
Could look into sites about that.

Looks like the brakes are complete. Maybe some 6mm washers under the bolt head.
A little smear of grease on the frame pivots. Copper grease if youve got it..normal is ok
The spring will hook over the brake arm.
I ussually fit the spring in the middle frame hole. Then fit the brake arm.
Loosely assemble the pad.
Then set up the brake cable with the frame hanger.
Then the straddle wire on the brake
Get it so the brake arms look at the correct angle
Then Tighten the brake lever cable adjuster a bit.
Then hold the pad with your fingers onto the rim and tighten it.
Then loosen of the adjuster
Should be set up.
Is way more fiddly than Vs or discs.

Also you need canti compatable levers

alecw35

That looks correct.
Maybe the spring is stainless steel.
So wont rust.

There may have been plastic covers.
Maybe get a scrap bike and take the covers of that

ernok1923

its actually a touring bike.

i think i have the hang of it now.

thanks for all of the info, everyone.