Hi,
I have a pair of Weinmann 500 side pull breaks and the front set is twisted such that one pad is forward of the other. When pressed, the back of the left pad hits the rim first and the front of the right pad hits the rim first, so the surface area of the breaks is greatly reduced. I removed them and looked at the mounting bolt that runs through the brakes and fork and it appears to be straight. I tried by hand to twist them back into proper position, but no luck. So at this point, I would need to consider using more force to straighten them out, or look at replacing them. Any advice on whether I should try to twist them back into shape versus replacing them?
Thanks,
Jon

If they are bent a lot, you may need to replace them. Aluminum does not play well when bent back into position, as in crack or break.