upgrading front calipers- easy?

rparedes said:

I'm looking at uprading my Giant OCR1 (07 model) front brakes to Ultegra- side pull dual pivot BR6500. I have two questions:
1) The seller has the brakes in two bolt sizes: 12mm and 10mm, the sales agent said it's probably 12mm but was not positive. Which one is it? (nothing on Giants's OR Shimano's site)
2) What is the degree of difficulty of this task. Should I try it myself? or just take my bike to the shop. I've looked everywhere on-line and just found the Shimano maintenance guide...
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

If you really have an option as to the length of the BOLT (or, RECESSED NUT), then for the front brake caliper, a longer BOLT is almost always the better option.

The degree of difficulty is VERY LOW ... 99% of the time, you simply need a 5mm Allen wrench + pliers to remove the aluminum end cap on the brake cable (you can re-use it 99.9% of the time UNLESS you are ham fisted OR work in a shop where you have access to thousands -- I generally wrap the ends of my cables with masking tape because it facilitates subsequent maintenance).

You may need a different size wrench to adjust the pads.

On some brakes, but not the 6500, the recessed nut that comes with the calipers use a TORX wrench (you can substitute a "normal" 5mm recessed nut if that ever occurs).

BTW. You will probably achieve better braking by simply lubing your brake cables & scuffing the brake pad surface. Shimano brakes are great, but a lot of the difference between how one brake feels & another is the pads AND NOT the calipers.

[quote="alfeng BTW. You will probably achieve better braking by simply lubing your brake cables & scuffing the brake pad surface.[/QUOTE"]

Well, A DUMB QUESTION, How do you lube the cables? I've only been able drop a little lube on the exposed end near the calipers. The cable housing goes into the STI levers I can barely see the cable end when a pull the rubber hood back. I am afraid to pull the whole cable assembly to lube the cables. Is there an on-line source for STI levers maintenance? Is this a job for the LBS?
Thanks for the answer regarding the Shimano calipers. I got them for $20 bucks on EBay so it seems like good move...

rparedes said:

How do you lube the cables? I've only been able drop a little lube on the exposed end near the calipers. The cable housing goes into the STI levers I can barely see the cable end when a pull the rubber hood back. I am afraid to pull the whole cable assembly to lube the cables. Is there an on-line source for STI levers maintenance? Is this a job for the LBS?
Thanks for the answer regarding the Shimano calipers. I got them for $20 bucks on EBay so it seems like good move...

Sorry for the tardy reply ...

GREAT price on those brake calipers!

Now, to state the obvious, it is MUCH EASIER to lube any cable when it is not encased by the housing ...

Presuming the cable end is not frayed, you want to disconnect the cable from the brake caliper (or, derailleur), pull it out of the housing AND THEN simply apply a very thin coat of grease (ANY type will do -- from VASELINE to heavy duty RED grease) to the cable -- put a dab of grease between your index finger & thumb and then run the cable between/through your greased fingers.

Another way (depending on the grease & its container) is to squeeze some grease into the housing AND THEN push the cable back through.

If you are in a situation which doesn't readily allow the cable to be removed (e.g., frayed ends), then spray some of the dreaded-by-many WD-40 (or, other light, spray OIL) into the housing OR let some HOUSEHOLD OIL (e.g., 3-in-1) wick toward the end ... hold the bike in a way that will allow the WD-40/whatever to flow with the aid of gravity toward the furthest end of the housing ... less is more ... don't over do it ... it is easier to add a few drops (or, equivalent "spray"😉 & repeat rather than clean up the excess later.

BE CAREFUL that whatever you use isn't spread helter-skelter on your frame & components.

I agree that most of the time braking isnt improved as much by "better" brakes as it is by using better pads. koolstop are supposed to be great, my personal MTB wears avid rim wrangler 2 pads, and even with cheapie brakes i noticed a VERY large improvement in braking feel and performance.

i need to upgrade my road pads too, they dont stop very quick at all...

sounds like you got a good deal, though! ive never lubed my cables...ever...modern cables housing has a plastic liner that helps the cable slide through good. if your cables stick, its probably easier to just replace them than to keep oiling all the time (cleaner too)

maybe im just an over-achiever and like fresh cables every few years when they get sticky? 🙂

alfeng said:

Sorry for the tardy reply ...

GREAT price on those brake calipers!

Now, to state the obvious, it is MUCH EASIER to lube any cable when it is not encased by the housing ...
BE CAREFUL that whatever you use isn't spread helter-skelter on your frame & components.

Thanks for the input!

alfeng said:

Sorry for the tardy reply ...

GREAT price on those brake calipers!

Now, to state the obvious, it is MUCH EASIER to lube any cable when it is not encased by the housing ...

Presuming the cable end is not frayed, you want to disconnect the cable from the brake caliper (or, derailleur), pull it out of the housing AND THEN simply apply a very thin coat of grease (ANY type will do -- from VASELINE to heavy duty RED grease) to the cable -- put a dab of grease between your index finger & thumb and then run the cable between/through your greased fingers.

Another way (depending on the grease & its container) is to squeeze some grease into the housing AND THEN push the cable back through.

If you are in a situation which doesn't readily allow the cable to be removed (e.g., frayed ends), then spray some of the dreaded-by-many WD-40 (or, other light, spray OIL) into the housing OR let some HOUSEHOLD OIL (e.g., 3-in-1) wick toward the end ... hold the bike in a way that will allow the WD-40/whatever to flow with the aid of gravity toward the furthest end of the housing ... less is more ... don't over do it ... it is easier to add a few drops (or, equivalent "spray"😉 & repeat rather than clean up the excess later.

BE CAREFUL that whatever you use isn't spread helter-skelter on your frame & components.

I don't recommend 3-in-1 Oil. I used it a couple of times and it tended to gum up. I use a little grease on the cable and silicone spray lube in the housing. Also, once you get the cable length set and have trimmed the excess, get a soldering iron and a little bit of solder. Hold the soldering iron on the end of the cable to heat it up and to burn off any lube. Once it is hot enough, touch a little solder on the the cable and it should run in and around the cable strands. This is a little neater than cable ends, and you don't need to cut the cable each time you need to remove the cable.

I agree. No point in changing the caliper if the pads weren't reviewed. Try some Kool Stop Salmon pads. I have found them to be great both on dry and wet days.