Post by jbassman on Jan 8, 2020 19:25:45 GMT
As posted in slickdeals here by Martog
"Brake adjustment:
(Do this at your own risk. If anyone doesn't feel comfortable, or are not competent enough to do this work, maybe take it to a shop or get a friend to help out)
You'll need:
5mm hex key for caliper bolts and inside brake pad adjustment
2.5mm hex key for inside pad set screw
Flashlight
Lots of patience, possibly a relaxant of your choosing
First, realize that only the outboard pad moves when engaging the brake lever. The inside pad is stationary in use and is easily adjusted with a couple of hex tools.
In use, the outboard brake pads extends and pushes against the rotor (disk). The disk then flexes and rubs against the inside pad and thus both pads are now contributing to braking force. Yes, it's a crappy/cheap design but commonly used...
Before starting, screw the barrel adjusters at both ends of the brake cable in to take all the tension out of the brake cable, and loosen the cable at the caliper.
You will do all the initial adjustments without the brake cable engaged at all.
Now the trick is to get the outboard brake pad aligned as closely as you can to the disk (without significant rubbing) by moving the brake caliper itself toward the disk (as this pad has no other adjustment in relation to the disk).
One way of doing this is to loosen the caliber bolts, slip a business card or similar between the outboard pad and the disk, and then press the caliber into the disk, and then tighten the caliper bolts. This is the real fiddly part, as you want to align the caliper as straight as possible (and close to the disk) and the caliper will want to move on you when you tighten the bolts.
It may take a few tries to get this right. But the goal is to get that outboard pad nice and close to the disk without much (or any) rubbing.
Once you have the outboard pad well positioned and the caliper bolts tightened back up, you can move to the inside pad.
To adjust the inside pad, you must first loosen the set screw locking the inside pad in place. This set screw is barely reachable on the top of the caliber and is almost tucked inside the lip of the wheel at about the 11 o'clock position (when looking at the scooter from the left side).
Use a flashlight to find this little bugger. Loosen that up a few turns with your 2.5mm hex key and then you can adjust the inside pad. This is done by reaching through the wheel from the non-brake side using your 5mm hex tool and turning the pad itself which is screwed into the caliper. A long tool helps (insert obligatory "that's what she said" joke...).
Now screw the inside pad in to where it nearly touches the disk. Test the brake engagement by manually pulling up the caliber arm and checking for good brake pad engagement without rubbing.
Again, you may take a few tries to get things perfect.
Once done, tighten the set screw securing the inside pad gently. It presses against the threads on the brake pad itself so you don't to tighten too much and bung up those threads.
If everything is looking good, proceed to adjust the brake engagement point by pushing in the caliper arm slightly, remove the cable slack and then tightening the cable clamp.
Test and adjust as necessary. Double check all bolts and the cable clamp as you don't want anything coming loose while you're bombing down a hill.
You should now have brakes that engage earlier and with more force."
"Brake adjustment:
(Do this at your own risk. If anyone doesn't feel comfortable, or are not competent enough to do this work, maybe take it to a shop or get a friend to help out)
You'll need:
5mm hex key for caliper bolts and inside brake pad adjustment
2.5mm hex key for inside pad set screw
Flashlight
Lots of patience, possibly a relaxant of your choosing
First, realize that only the outboard pad moves when engaging the brake lever. The inside pad is stationary in use and is easily adjusted with a couple of hex tools.
In use, the outboard brake pads extends and pushes against the rotor (disk). The disk then flexes and rubs against the inside pad and thus both pads are now contributing to braking force. Yes, it's a crappy/cheap design but commonly used...
Before starting, screw the barrel adjusters at both ends of the brake cable in to take all the tension out of the brake cable, and loosen the cable at the caliper.
You will do all the initial adjustments without the brake cable engaged at all.
Now the trick is to get the outboard brake pad aligned as closely as you can to the disk (without significant rubbing) by moving the brake caliper itself toward the disk (as this pad has no other adjustment in relation to the disk).
One way of doing this is to loosen the caliber bolts, slip a business card or similar between the outboard pad and the disk, and then press the caliber into the disk, and then tighten the caliper bolts. This is the real fiddly part, as you want to align the caliper as straight as possible (and close to the disk) and the caliper will want to move on you when you tighten the bolts.
It may take a few tries to get this right. But the goal is to get that outboard pad nice and close to the disk without much (or any) rubbing.
Once you have the outboard pad well positioned and the caliper bolts tightened back up, you can move to the inside pad.
To adjust the inside pad, you must first loosen the set screw locking the inside pad in place. This set screw is barely reachable on the top of the caliber and is almost tucked inside the lip of the wheel at about the 11 o'clock position (when looking at the scooter from the left side).
Use a flashlight to find this little bugger. Loosen that up a few turns with your 2.5mm hex key and then you can adjust the inside pad. This is done by reaching through the wheel from the non-brake side using your 5mm hex tool and turning the pad itself which is screwed into the caliper. A long tool helps (insert obligatory "that's what she said" joke...).
Now screw the inside pad in to where it nearly touches the disk. Test the brake engagement by manually pulling up the caliber arm and checking for good brake pad engagement without rubbing.
Again, you may take a few tries to get things perfect.
Once done, tighten the set screw securing the inside pad gently. It presses against the threads on the brake pad itself so you don't to tighten too much and bung up those threads.
If everything is looking good, proceed to adjust the brake engagement point by pushing in the caliper arm slightly, remove the cable slack and then tightening the cable clamp.
Test and adjust as necessary. Double check all bolts and the cable clamp as you don't want anything coming loose while you're bombing down a hill.
You should now have brakes that engage earlier and with more force."
