Another Question About Brakes

Muskie said:

My brake levers are the XT 750 integrated units. I have LX
V-brakes on the bike because I have read several places
that XT brakes suck. A question about the XT brake levers.
I notice that where the cable connects into the brake
lever (you can see it when the brake lever is depressed),
there are what look like little shims held in place by
screws. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of these
little guys is and how, if I change them around, I will
affect the braking? Thanks.

Those are there to prevent REALLY BAD STUFF from
happening. Do not, ever, remove them. If you do, REALLY
BAD STUFF will happen.

miles

Quoted message said:

I have read several places that XT brakes suck.

Hardly. It's the pad material that sucks.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Muskie said:

My brake levers are the XT 750 integrated units. I have LX
V-brakes on the bike because I have read several places
that XT brakes suck. A question about the XT brake levers.
I notice that where the cable connects into the brake
lever (you can see it when the brake lever is depressed),
there are what look like little shims held in place by
screws. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of these
little guys is and how, if I change them around, I will
affect the braking? Thanks.

If you're on about the bit I think you're on about, it's
called something like the "Ajustable Servo assist" or some
[censored]. Basically altering them is meant to give you more or
less cable pull for the same travel. Get the PDF from
Shimano and read up on it before you do any messing though.

Yeah, thanks Doki, that's what it is -- adjustable servo
shift. I've read through all of the Shimano .pdf stuff and
there is no mention anywhere of how to adjust them or
their purpose. Right now I have the little blocks behind
the cable connection. If I take one or both out from
behind the connector and place them in front, what effect
will that have?

Thanks again.

- Noel

Doki said:

Muskie said:

My brake levers are the XT 750 integrated units. I have LX
V-brakes on the bike because I have read several places
that XT brakes suck. A question about the XT brake levers.
I notice that where the cable connects into the brake
lever (you can see it when the brake lever is depressed),
there are what look like little shims held in place by
screws. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of these
little guys is and how, if I change them around, I will
affect the braking? Thanks.

If you're on about the bit I think you're on about,
it's called something like the "Ajustable Servo assist"
or some [censored]. Basically altering them is meant to give
you more or less cable pull for the same travel. Get
the PDF from Shimano and read up on it before you do
any messing though.

Muskie <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My brake levers are the XT 750 integrated units. I have LX
V-brakes on the bike because I have read several places
that XT brakes suck. A question about the XT brake levers.
I notice that where the cable connects into the brake
lever (you can see it when the brake lever is depressed),
there are what look like little shims held in place by
screws. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of these
little guys is and how, if I change them around, I will
affect the braking? Thanks.

We (this group) had a discussion about this not long ago.

Those plastic spacers are "pitch adjusting blocks,"
According to Shimano (Jed Hazen), with all of the blocks out
the rider gets "an ample degree of braking force from a
minimal amount of brake lever input." The line is, that the
beginner setup is with all the blocks in place, and the most
advanced is with all the blocks removed. The M951 XTR levers
had a similar setup, only they used a block and screw so the
pitch was micro adjustable.

R(epeating myself)

Muskie said:

Yeah, thanks Doki, that's what it is -- adjustable servo
shift. I've read through all of the Shimano .pdf stuff and
there is no mention anywhere of how to adjust them or
their purpose. Right now I have the little blocks behind
the cable connection. If I take one or both out from
behind the connector and place them in front, what effect
will that have?

It alters the cable pull ratio. It will make the brakes
softer, but you'll get less modulation.

--
a.m-b FAQ: j-harris.netambfaq.htmOpen ↗

b.bmx FAQ: t-online.debmx faq.htmOpen ↗

So I just remove the blocks altogether and don't place them
in front (as opposed to where they are now, behind). Won't
that allow the little connecting thing to just play around
in the brake lever freely?

- Noel

Reco Diver said:

Muskie <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My brake levers are the XT 750 integrated units. I have LX
V-brakes on the bike because I have read several places
that XT brakes suck. A question about the XT brake levers.
I notice that where the cable connects into the brake
lever (you can see it when the brake lever is depressed),
there are what look like little shims held in place by
screws. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of these
little guys is and how, if I change them around, I will
affect the braking? Thanks.

We (this group) had a discussion about this not long ago.

Those plastic spacers are "pitch adjusting blocks,"
According to Shimano (Jed Hazen), with all of the blocks
out the rider gets "an ample degree of braking force from
a minimal amount of brake lever input." The line is, that
the beginner setup is with all the blocks in place, and
the most advanced is with all the blocks removed. The M951
XTR levers had a similar setup, only they used a block and
screw so the pitch was micro adjustable.

R(epeating myself)

Muskie <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

So I just remove the blocks altogether and don't place
them in front (as opposed to where they are now, behind).

I don't think that you can remount the blocks in front, the
mounts won't line up.

Quoted message said:

Won't that allow the little connecting thing to just play
around in the brake lever freely?

Yes.

R

Reco,

Thanks for fielding my questions here. One more though. You
answered "Yes" on the last one. Is that play supposed to be
there just flopping around in the brake lever? Is that not a
bad thing? That would mean that when I release my lever, the
cable will just go completely slack with no tension at all.
That doesn't seem quite right to me.

- Noel

Reco Diver said:

Muskie <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

So I just remove the blocks altogether and don't place
them in front (as opposed to where they are now, behind).

I don't think that you can remount the blocks in front,
the mounts won't line up.

Quoted message said:

Won't that allow the little connecting thing to just play
around in the brake lever freely?

Yes.

R

Muskie <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Reco,

Thanks for fielding my questions here. One more though.
You answered "Yes" on the last one. Is that play supposed
to be there just flopping around in the brake lever? Is
that not a bad thing? That would mean that when I release
my lever, the cable will just go completely slack with no
tension at all. That doesn't seem quite right to me.

You probably need to re-tension the cable. Take a close look
at the "wire hooking unit" this is the piece that the cable
attaches to. With the adjusting blocks removed you should
see that the end that rides in the adjusting slot has a
simple roller, that allows it to slide smothly in the slot.

If the calble is loose when you release the lever,it is
because the cable tension is not adjusted. Note that whith
the lever closed, the wire hooking unit returns to the
same possition as it would be if the adjusting blocks were
in. It is only when you actuate the lever, that the wire
hookin unit slides down into the possition opened by
removing the blocks.

R