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-   -   Rear Cantilever calipers stuck! (https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/505841-rear-cantilever-calipers-stuck.html)

mesasone 01-27-09 12:00 AM

Rear Cantilever calipers stuck!
 
So, as I was on my way into work today, I came to a stop light and pulled on my brake levers and found that my right brake had NO resistance in it. Yikes. As the light was red, I turned around to take a look and found that my brake cable had come unhooked. I tried connecting it again, but was difficult given my gloves and the limited time I had before the light turns green. Anyway, I just rode it to work and back home like this.

Now that I'm home, I've been able to take a closer look at my brakes, and it appears my rear calipers are stuck and won't spring back open. I can manually pull them into the open position, although it is somewhat difficult. Any suggestions on what to do? The brakes are the Tekro Onyx that come on the LHT complete.

I am going to take them apart and try to clean and lube them tomorrow morning, and see if that helps. I'm thinking that perhaps it's just all the grit from the winter riding conditions, but not really sure. Any words of wisdom before I start?

Mondoman 01-27-09 01:10 AM

Perhaps some water got into the pivot mechanism and froze there? In any case, take apart only one side at a time, so you have an assembled side still in place for reference when you forget how it all goes back together. In particular, pay attention to which small hole the anchor end of the spring goes into. It wouldn't hurt to take a lot of digital photos at each step of the disassembly and assembly. Put plenty of grease on the outside of the braze-on post that the brake pivots around, and very lightly grease the mounting bolt to simplify removal next time.

dabac 01-27-09 03:42 AM


Originally Posted by Mondoman (Post 8254778)
Put plenty of grease on the outside of the braze-on post that the brake pivots around, and very lightly grease the mounting bolt to simplify removal next time.

Brake arms don't slide against the posts. There's a bushing(assembly) pressed into the brake arm, and it's around this that the movement occurs. The bushing gets pinched into place by the mounting bolt and doesn't move in relation to the post.
A dab of grease will protect against corrosion and make removal easier though.

Sixty Fiver 01-27-09 03:51 AM

It sounds like a lubrication issue... I see a lot of this here in the winteras the road crud and moisture can really bugger up one's brakes.

Disassebly and lubrication will usually cure this and while you are at it it would hurt to clean and lube your cable housings which may also be contaminated with water / dirt.

Mr. Underbridge 01-27-09 01:50 PM

You haven't worn a lip on the bottom of your brake pad, have you? Sometimes those can latch onto the rim pretty good.

Mondoman 01-27-09 03:14 PM

dab, sorry, I should have been more precise in my wording -- thanks!

mesasone 01-27-09 03:15 PM

They became "unstuck" as soon as I loosened the bolt a bit. Anyway, I pulled the calipers off, clean them up a bit and lubed them, they are opening/closing great now. Didn't get a chance to do anything with the cables due to time constraints, but I appreciate the suggestion... I might take a look at it this week end.

Thanks for the input guys.


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