V-Brake centering

In <[email hidden]>, "BarryG" <barryg at access4less.net> opined:

Quoted message said:

Never having worked on V-brakes before, would really appreciate help - is there any way to
"center" the brake or otherwise adjust the brakeshoe-to-rim spacing on one side independently of
the other side? These particular brakes are Avid single digit 7.

There are experts, and then there's me:

I believe this adjustment is done by turning the little screw that's below the pad and above where
the brake attaches to the boss. One screw per brake. Righty-tighty makes 'em pull back farther from
the rim, lefty-loosey lets 'em sink closer to the rim.

There's probably a "right" setting for these, but I don't know what it
is. I get good results from loosening them both screws and then tightening the one that's closest
to the rim until they're even. I also snap the lever a couple of times to make sure the pads
are in as neutral a position as they can get before I make judgements and adjustments.

This might not be what you're after, since it doesn't adjust each side independently -- but I think
it's as close as you'll get.

--
Dave Salovesh [email hidden]

Dave Salovesh said:

In <[email hidden]>, "BarryG" <barryg at access4less.net> opined:

Quoted message said:

Never having worked on V-brakes before, would really appreciate help
- is there any way to "center" the brake or otherwise adjust the brakeshoe-to-rim spacing on one
side independently of the other side? These particular brakes are Avid single digit 7.

There are experts, and then there's me:

I believe this adjustment is done by turning the little screw that's below the pad and above where
the brake attaches to the boss. One screw per brake. Righty-tighty makes 'em pull back farther
from the rim, lefty-loosey lets 'em sink closer to the rim.

There's probably a "right" setting for these, but I don't know what it
is. I get good results from loosening them both screws and then tightening the one that's closest
to the rim until they're even. I also snap the lever a couple of times to make sure the pads
are in as neutral a position as they can get before I make judgements and adjustments.

This might not be what you're after, since it doesn't adjust each side independently -- but I
think it's as close as you'll get.

It also helps if the cantilever bosses are nice and lubricated first. Then the springs (which are
tension-adjusted by those little screws) don't have to overcome so much friction.

Adam

Eureka. I spoke too soon in my previous message Dave. The right hand adjustment actually affected
both shoes and I've got it adjusted well now. Thanks very much for the info, it did the trick!

"Dave Salovesh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In <[email hidden]>, "BarryG" <barryg at access4less.net> opined:

Quoted message said:

Never having worked on V-brakes before, would really appreciate help -

is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

there any way to "center" the brake or otherwise adjust the

brakeshoe-to-rim

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

spacing on one side independently of the other side? These particular brakes are Avid single
digit 7.

There are experts, and then there's me:

I believe this adjustment is done by turning the little screw that's below the pad and above where
the brake attaches to the boss. One screw per brake. Righty-tighty makes 'em pull back farther
from the rim, lefty-loosey lets 'em sink closer to the rim.

There's probably a "right" setting for these, but I don't know what it
is. I get good results from loosening them both screws and then tightening the one that's closest
to the rim until they're even. I also snap the lever a couple of times to make sure the pads
are in as neutral a position as they can get before I make judgements and adjustments.

This might not be what you're after, since it doesn't adjust each side independently -- but I
think it's as close as you'll get.

--
Dave Salovesh [email hidden]

Barry-<< Never having worked on V-brakes before, would really appreciate help - is there any way to
"center" the brake or otherwise adjust the brakeshoe-to-rim

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

<BR><BR>

should be a little screw attached to a plate, where the spring goes and by the bolt that attaches it
to the frameset-Turning one clockwise will increase spring tension, moving pad away on that side,
moving pad closer on the other side-centering the brake. Turning both the same direction, the same
amount either increases or decreases amount of force to pull lever.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In <[email hidden]>, "BarryG" <barryg at access4less.net> opined:

Quoted message said:

Never having worked on V-brakes before, would really appreciate help -

is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

there any way to "center" the brake or otherwise adjust the

brakeshoe-to-rim

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

spacing on one side independently of the other side? These particular brakes are Avid single
digit 7.

Quoted message said:

"Dave Salovesh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I believe this adjustment is done by turning the little screw that's below the pad and above
where the brake attaches to the boss. One screw per brake. Righty-tighty makes 'em pull back
farther from the rim, lefty-loosey lets 'em sink closer to the rim.

There's probably a "right" setting for these, but I don't know what it
is. I get good results from loosening them both screws and then tightening the one that's
closest to the rim until they're even. I also snap the lever a couple of times to make sure
the pads are in as neutral a position as they can get before I make judgements and
adjustments.

"BarryG" <barryg at access4less.net> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thanks Dave. The right side adjustment you described seems to function properly but the left
adjustment does nothing. If I unscrew the left adjustment quite far, the straight section of the
spring just flops

loosely

Quoted message said:

and the caliper arm does not open up to catch that straight spring - I assume that is what should
happen? Could a too-tight boss attachment

screw

Quoted message said:

on the left side account for that? Ideas?

One might make a coarse adjustment by bending a spring to make it stiffer or slacker then fine
adjust with the screw. Yes as someone soul noted earlier, lubricate the boss itself ( remove arm
to do that) and any anchor threads, adjusters, and the spring peg where the spring slides
against the arm.

Some newer designs, and I believe Avid is among them, have a stationary sleeve inside the arm's
journal making true lubrication of the moving pivot difficult. Make an effort to get lubricant on
whatever the pivoting surface
is.
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971