Probably a dumb question, but why is my noodle boot so shrivelled?
11-04-11, 12:10 PM
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Probably a dumb question, but why is my noodle boot so shrivelled?
I installed V brakes on a vintage Specialized Hard Rock, brakes work great but the boot on the front brake is scrunched, haven't seen this before. There is only one hole for the v brake spring so I can't set the arms back further or anything.
Are there different sized boots?
Is this normal and I should trim it?
Am I overlooking something and this is going to end in catastrophic failure of the brake and my poor Dad who I built this for is going to go flying into a ditch and not be found for days until his barely audible calls for help alert a passing dog walker who just robs his wallet and takes off? (Damn OCD).
Here's pics.
Are there different sized boots?
Is this normal and I should trim it?
Am I overlooking something and this is going to end in catastrophic failure of the brake and my poor Dad who I built this for is going to go flying into a ditch and not be found for days until his barely audible calls for help alert a passing dog walker who just robs his wallet and takes off? (Damn OCD).
Here's pics.
11-04-11, 12:36 PM
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The boot looks fine, but there looks to be too little cable between the brake bodies, dependant on the moel of brakes you have, you can adjust the spacer on the brake pad to give more clearance, this can be seen by looking at the tech docs for Shimano's version of the v-brake https://techdocs.shimano.com/media/te...9830611886.pdf
11-04-11, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by jimc101
The boot looks fine, but there looks to be too little cable between the brake bodies, dependant on the moel of brakes you have, you can adjust the spacer on the brake pad to give more clearance, this can be seen by looking at the tech docs for Shimano's version of the v-brake https://techdocs.shimano.com/media/te...9830611886.pdf
11-04-11, 03:12 PM
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The boot looks fine to me. The boot is only there to keep water out. Keeping water out prevents the cable from rusting and causing poor braking performance. You could probably go without the boot and it would be alright.
11-04-11, 05:05 PM
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Aquakitty: I wouldn't fret about the boot, most of them make such a poor seal that they are pretty much useless anyway. With high quality stainless or galvanized cables and lined housings rust shouldn't be much of a concern.
11-04-11, 08:00 PM
#7
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Your only real concern is that you trimmed the excess cable a bit short and now it is too short to hook around the arm spring pin so it's tucked nicely out of the way. As it sits now and without an end cap it'll be highly prone to both fraying and stabbing the witless operator in the hand or leg.
11-06-11, 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by BCRider
Your only real concern is that you trimmed the excess cable a bit short and now it is too short to hook around the arm spring pin so it's tucked nicely out of the way. As it sits now and without an end cap it'll be highly prone to both fraying and stabbing the witless operator in the hand or leg.
I never do that, I just solder the ends nicely (my personal preference) or use a cap if lazy.... and I don't do that until it's fully adjusted. Thanks in the future I will consider that, though I hate the look of excess bent cable.
11-06-11, 12:22 PM
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As others said the boot is well within the normal range and looks fine. As far as the amount that the brakes are open or closed here's a bit of general guidance. The shoe travels in an arc as the brake opens and closes. The brake will perform best if the arm is vertical when the shoe hits the rim. In that position the shoe is moving horizontally, not shearing up or down on the rim surface. Many mechanics prefer to set the brake so the brake is outside of the vertical position slightly so it won't pass vertical as the shoes wear.
Where the arm is at the critical moment is a function of the separation of the brake bosses, the rims width and the distance from the shoe surface to the brake arm. Obviously the first two cannot be changed (you could change wheels) so you only option for optimizing performance is by adding a spacer between the shoe and rim. This will push the arms back so they close to vertical and don't pass it.
None of this has anything to do with the noodle boot, which doesn't care either way.
Where the arm is at the critical moment is a function of the separation of the brake bosses, the rims width and the distance from the shoe surface to the brake arm. Obviously the first two cannot be changed (you could change wheels) so you only option for optimizing performance is by adding a spacer between the shoe and rim. This will push the arms back so they close to vertical and don't pass it.
None of this has anything to do with the noodle boot, which doesn't care either way.
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11-06-11, 10:33 PM
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"why is my noodle boot so shrivelled? "
I ask myself that every day!
I ask myself that every day!
11-06-11, 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Chief
"why is my noodle boot so shrivelled? "
I ask myself that every day!
I ask myself that every day!
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
11-06-11, 10:47 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by FBinNY
your noodle has a boot?, or are you talking about the noodle itself?
11-06-11, 10:53 PM
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What kind of lubricant have you been getting on your noodle? 
Seriously, some solvents/carriers for spray lubes can degrade rubber like parts.
Seriously, some solvents/carriers for spray lubes can degrade rubber like parts.
11-07-11, 02:04 PM
#15
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It's functionally a bellows, so wheel sprayed crud wont clog up the cable-housing.
it functions by scrunching then rebounding ..
methinks that the worry is just greatly entertaining, though..
it functions by scrunching then rebounding ..
methinks that the worry is just greatly entertaining, though..
Last edited by fietsbob; 11-07-11 at 02:12 PM.
11-07-11, 02:22 PM
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If your noodle boot gets too scrunched it can interfere with the brake arm action. This can be a problem with spacer assembly, pad wear, or both. The problem will get worse as the pads wear and the noodle boot gets more scrunched. Srry to use all this technical language, but sometimes there is no other way 
