Brake toe adjustment
10-17-08, 07:18 AM
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Brake toe adjustment
How to adjust the brake shoes to toe in? Thx,
10-17-08, 07:33 AM
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As I understand this modern road brake pads should toe themselves in properly. For mountain bike pads I like to take a zip tie and pull the end throw the catch of the tie to leave a small circle a bit bigger than the pad. Then place the circle over the back of the pad (the end facing the back of the bike). Then squeeze the brakes to the rim with the zip tie still on the back of pad (the front of the pad should be touching the rim and the zip tie should be touching the rim in the back), adjust the pad to follow the curve of the braking surface, adjust the height of the pad, adjust both brake pads till they are similarly aligned on both sides of the wheel and they should be aligned and toed in perfectly.
I also find it helpful to adjust the bolt holding the pad to working tension and then recheck that everything is correct then tighten down to the proper tension. If the pad moves when tightening it down it probably means the bolt (for v brakes) holding the brake wasn't cleaned and greased properly before installing the caliper.
I also find it helpful to adjust the bolt holding the pad to working tension and then recheck that everything is correct then tighten down to the proper tension. If the pad moves when tightening it down it probably means the bolt (for v brakes) holding the brake wasn't cleaned and greased properly before installing the caliper.
Last edited by jhaber; 10-17-08 at 07:38 AM.
10-17-08, 07:48 AM
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As I understand this modern road brake pads should toe themselves in properly. For mountain bike pads I like to take a zip tie and pull the end throw the catch of the tie to leave a small circle a bit bigger than the pad. Then place the circle over the back of the pad (the end facing the back of the bike). Then squeeze the brakes to the rim with the zip tie still on the back of pad (the front of the pad should be touching the rim and the zip tie should be touching the rim in the back), adjust the pad to follow the curve of the braking surface, adjust the height of the pad, adjust both brake pads till they are similarly aligned on both sides of the wheel and they should be aligned and toed in perfectly.
I also find it helpful to adjust the bolt holding the pad to working tension and then recheck that everything is correct then tighten down to the proper tension. If the pad moves when tightening it down it probably means the bolt (for v brakes) holding the brake wasn't cleaned and greased properly before installing the caliper.
I also find it helpful to adjust the bolt holding the pad to working tension and then recheck that everything is correct then tighten down to the proper tension. If the pad moves when tightening it down it probably means the bolt (for v brakes) holding the brake wasn't cleaned and greased properly before installing the caliper.
Park tools has a good writeup
https://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=21
If you're using dual pivot calipers you shouldn't need to adjust toe so far as I know
10-17-08, 09:24 AM
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elTwitcho - thanks for posting that link... pic is worth 1000 words.
Why would dual-pivot calipers negate the need/advantage of toe-in on your pads?
If you're using dual pivot calipers you shouldn't need to adjust toe so far as I know
10-17-08, 11:27 AM
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Loosen and lubricate threads of pad bolt/nut. Adjust height of right pad to strike lower edge of braking surface. Adjust height of left pad to strike the upper edge of braking surface. Most dual pivot pads adjust only for height and tangent. Vertical face and toe alignments are not typically adjustable on dual pivot calipers. Tighten pad-fixing bolts.
10-17-08, 11:52 AM
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Ah gotcha - thanks. I thought I recalled that my pads could be adjusted to add toe-in if desired when I was installing them - could be wrong though.
10-17-08, 01:21 PM
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My problem is on my dual pivot caliper I just installed, one of the pad is even toe out. So How can I fix this? Or can I? Thx,
