Remembering the ordering and directions of brake pads' washers?
 

There are 6 washers around each brake pad on my bike (Tektro V-brakes). Each time I remove the pads for cleaning and replace them, I took great trouble in making sure to put the washers back the same way as they had been: the direction of each washer, the order of which washer comes after which, etc... So my question here is: does it matter if I mixed them up in the ordering or reversed the direction of some of them? Or maybe some day even losing 1 or 2?

domed ones go against the brake arm, the cupped ones go either under the nut, or against the pad
thicker or thinner is a choice of adjustment.

Bike shops will have extra washers left over from pad replacements as new ones come with a set.

Convex ones snuggle up against the concave ones, and these must be between the pad and the arm to allow for toe-in adjustments when needed. I like a flat one between the arm and the nut/bolt.

there are 2 pairs of convex/concave washers that act as ball joints allowing the shoe to be angled to align with the rim properly (or toe-in if you wish). As long as you have one pair on each side of the arm, the rest doesn't really matter.

Thanks! I found this picture. Is it universal (applies to Tektro-V, too)? Is the order of everything the following, from left to right (right-hand-side brake pad):

brake pad => washer 1 (flat-concave) => washer 2 (convex-concave) => brake arm => washer 3 (concave-convex) => washer 4 (concave-flat) => washer 5 (thinnest) => nut
?

According to your replies, I just need to remember that the two pairs of convex/concave washers' concave side should be facing the brake arm.

(Unlike the picture, on my bike the washer 4 is the thickest, thicker than washer 1 in the picture.)

The thinner and thicker pairs of washers can be swapped round when you first set up the brake, depending how far out from the rim you want the brake arms to end up.

which is really a function of how wide the brake pivot posts are relative to the rim width.

Thanks! I was wondering why so many washers. Now I see the reason.

Why do you take the pads off to clean them? If you need to get small things out of the pads, you can try just removing the wheel.

Seems odd that you seem to be doing the frequently. Can't you clean the pads by removing the wheel to access them, and replace them by sliding them out of their holders without removing the holder from the brake arms?

Some brake systems do not have slide in/out pads, they only have one piece bolted to the calipers. Typically the lower priced groups.

I have never taken the wheel off myself. I'm only a rider and have never tried to remove and replace major parts on the bike :p. I had to dissemble the brake pads after riding in rain, because the rim, brake pads, the washers and nuts all got muddy. I think brakes are very important for safety so I'd like to keep them in optimal working condition. It did take me a looong time to replace the pads in just the right positions.

On a clean cloth spray fantastic window cleaner. Then thread the cloth between the rim and the brake pad. Pull the cloth away from the wheel a little, and pull the cloth up and down to wipe the braking surface on a pad without taking the pad off. After a little practice you can use paper towels if you are careful. Be careful what cleaner/chemical you use. Some things will ruin the brakes. Water works too. I suggest asking here before using something else to clean with. Doing it dry works too. To get into the small places where the pads attach to the brake arm, try a soft brush, dry.

Thanks. I had tried paper towel before, but sometimes they tore apart. Now I get the sense that my diligent, thorough brake-pad cleaning is not very common among the professionals :D. I'm just concerned about the possibility of having a braking accident due to ill maintained brakes. Maybe the brakes are not so delicate as I feared?

it gets a lot easier with a little practice.

every rider should, IMHO, know how to change a tire, fix a flat, clean their chain, adjust their derailleurs or in-hub-shifting, and adjust their brakes.

Brakes are about the toughest parts on a bike. This is because maximum braking forces are much higher than anything a rider can generate for accelerating or climbing. It's also because a brake failure is likely to lead to injury and possible lawsuits, so makers err on the side of safety.

I'm not saying you should ignore dirt, especially because embedded grit can score rims, but don't bother taking them apart to clean mud off. Use a garden hose, or an old windex bottle and spray clean and rinse and you're good to go.

If grit does get embedded in the shoes, remove the wheel, (the brake should release open so you don't need to remove the shoes) and use an old file or rasp to clean the surface of the shoes while they're still mounted.

If you look at older bikes still on the road, you'll find that the brakes are probably the oldest original equipment (other than cables and shoes).

I cringe when I see the condition of many peoples brakes... frayed corroded cables, cracked/bent housings, hard ancient badly worn pads, brakes so loose they can barely reach the rims, pads aligned haphazardly with no toe-in. $10 and 5 minutes is usually all it takes to fix them, too (new cables, new pads).

I find it funny that you have never taken a wheel off, but while you aew over concerned about your brakes you don't mind taking them apart.

I would check with your LBS and get a style of pad/holder where you can simply slide new 'blocks' in. Something like this. Tehn you seldome have to worry about the washrs again.

http://www.ebikestop.com//prodimages/BR4601.jpg

BTW I can't stand adjusting/toeing Canti and V brakes but don't mind tackling a bottom bracket (BB) or a headset (HS)

trick is to lube the hardware and then use the 5mm allen key to steer the pad to where you want it. loosen the pad slightly with the allen and then steer it and tighten.