XTR disc brake pad retraction problems

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I am having problems installing XTR discs on my new bike. The rear went fine, but the pads on the
front seem to be unwilling to retract, and it is making the setup difficult. I have heard that
this is a common problem, and have seen comments to that effect in Bicycling magazine and on
Velonews.com (Zinn's column).

Is there a recommended solution to this problem? Changing brands is, at this point, not a solution
I am willing to undertake. I was sort of hoping that, since it is a common problem, someone out
there knows the cause and can help.

Thanks in advance, Bill _/)_

Push them back in manually with a screwdriver.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-online.comramsays-online.comOpen ↗

"Chris Phillipo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I am having problems installing XTR discs on my new bike. The rear went fine, but the pads on
the front seem to be unwilling to retract, and it

is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

making the setup difficult. I have heard that this is a common problem,

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have seen comments to that effect in Bicycling magazine and on

Velonews.com

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(Zinn's column).

Is there a recommended solution to this problem? Changing brands is, at

this

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

point, not a solution I am willing to undertake. I was sort of hoping

that,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

since it is a common problem, someone out there knows the cause and can help.

Thanks in advance, Bill _/)_

Push them back in manually with a screwdriver.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

This happened to me with the XT's too, once you push them in, they settle in and work fine.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

Uh, don't use a screwdriver. The install instructions cover this pretty well and work really well. Take the cover off the resevoir (allows fluid to flow from caliper to resevoir easily) and GENTLY push back the pistons to the fully retracted postition. You may have to take your time, but that is preferable to replacing a brand new $250 brake product. Plastic tire levers work well for pushing the pistons back in. While you push one in you will likely see the other on that side move out. You can push both on the same side at the same time to speed up the process. You REALLY want to be careful to not twist or bend the pistons. It is not hard to push them in, but it's not as simple as: Push them in with a screwdriver either.

Have fun with your bike!

K.

In article <[email hidden]>, usenet- [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Uh, don't use a screwdriver. The install instructions cover this pretty well and work really well.
Take the cover off the resevoir (allows fluid to flow from caliper to resevoir easily) and GENTLY
push back the pistons to the fully retracted postition. You may have to take your time, but that
is preferable to replacing a brand new $250 brake product. Plastic tire levers work well for
pushing the pistons back in. While you push one in you will likely see the other on that side move
out. You can push both on the same side at the same time to speed up the process. You REALLY want
to be careful to not twist or bend the pistons. It is not hard to push them in, but it's not as
simple as: Push them in with a screwdriver either.

Have fun with your bike!

K.

Actually it is that simple, by leaving the pads on and wedging something between then there is no
chance of twisting the pistons and breaking the seal. Obviously you don't want to use that grease
covered screwdriver that has little bits of metal hanging off it from that time you used to to get a
lockring off the BB. Now if these were Hayes, the best way to go is a 9mm box end wrench over the
pin in the poston.
--
________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-online.comramsays-online.comOpen ↗

The problem is continual and will happen while riding. In other words, the next time the lever is
pushed in, the pads will fail to retract. So I'm getting a lot of brake rub and that's not very
fast. I've heard that this is often a problem with these breaks. Is this some kind of break-in issue
or something? It is the outboard pad that doesn't want to retract.

"Chris Phillipo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I am having problems installing XTR discs on my new bike. The rear went fine, but the pads on
the front seem to be unwilling to retract, and it

is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

making the setup difficult. I have heard that this is a common problem,

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have seen comments to that effect in Bicycling magazine and on

Velonews.com

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(Zinn's column).

Is there a recommended solution to this problem? Changing brands is, at

this

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

point, not a solution I am willing to undertake. I was sort of hoping

that,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

since it is a common problem, someone out there knows the cause and can help.

Thanks in advance, Bill _/)_

Push them back in manually with a screwdriver.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-online.comramsays-online.comOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The problem is continual and will happen while riding. In other words, the next time the lever is
pushed in, the pads will fail to retract. So I'm getting a lot of brake rub and that's not very
fast. I've heard that this is often a problem with these breaks. Is this some kind of break-in
issue or something? It is the outboard pad that doesn't want to retract.

Are these new? Any chance someone put brake fluid in them? Sounds like the piston seals might be
binding. The pistons are not supposed to retract all the way back in, just enough to clear the
rotor, check that the caliper is properly centered. The XTRs I have worked on didn't rub any more
than anything else does.

--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-online.comramsays-online.comOpen ↗

They are brand new brakes. This is apparently a common problem, at least according to Zinn in
Velonews, and also Bycicling Magazine. Finally called shimano on it, they acknowledged it as being
common on the outer piston and gave me a fairly hairy proceedure:

(1) Remove the pads
(2) GENTLY press the lever to push the piston out, but NOT far enough to push it all the way out.
(3) Clean the piston with a light brake parts cleaner. They recommended Motor-X if you can find it,
but anything from the local auto parts store will likely do just fine.
(4) Push the pistons in all the way and let them stay that way overnight.
(5) Ride the bike and repeat the process.

Apparently it's a break-in issue and they don't seem to have a handle on why some brakes do it and
others don't.

"Chris Phillipo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The problem is continual and will happen while riding. In other words,

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

next time the lever is pushed in, the pads will fail to retract. So I'm getting a lot of brake
rub and that's not very fast. I've heard that

this is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

often a problem with these breaks. Is this some kind of break-in issue

or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

something? It is the outboard pad that doesn't want to retract.

Are these new? Any chance someone put brake fluid in them? Sounds like the piston seals might be
binding. The pistons are not supposed to retract all the way back in, just enough to clear the
rotor, check that the caliper is properly centered. The XTRs I have worked on didn't rub any more
than anything else does.

--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-online.comramsays-online.comOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

They are brand new brakes. This is apparently a common problem, at least according to Zinn in
Velonews, and also Bycicling Magazine. Finally called shimano on it, they acknowledged it as being
common on the outer piston and gave me a fairly hairy proceedure:

(1) Remove the pads
(2) GENTLY press the lever to push the piston out, but NOT far enough to push it all the way out.
(3) Clean the piston with a light brake parts cleaner. They recommended Motor-X if you can find
it, but anything from the local auto parts store will likely do just fine.
(4) Push the pistons in all the way and let them stay that way overnight.
(5) Ride the bike and repeat the process.

Apparently it's a break-in issue and they don't seem to have a handle on why some brakes do it and
others don't.

I could do without that hassle. Sounds like you might need to get a new piston seal to get this
completely sorted out.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-online.comramsays-online.comOpen ↗

I could do without it too. It's a real pain and it would be nice if shimano sorted this out.
Apparently, they will do a warranty replacement if the problem is ont resolved. The one thing they
said NOT to do was apply lube to the piston. Apparently that does solve the problem temporarily but
for obvious reasons isn't what you really want to do. They won't honor a warranty if the breaks have
lube in them.

Other than the above problem the brakes are pretty nice. The modulation isn't as good as my hope
minis on the other bike but I like the integrated levers and the new shifting (most people who
actually have it seem to like it, and you can now count me in those ranks). They have plenty of
power but the front is a touch grabby compared to the Hopes. Good overall package and the weight is
hard to beat.

"Chris Phillipo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

They are brand new brakes. This is apparently a common problem, at least according to Zinn in
Velonews, and also Bycicling Magazine. Finally

called

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

shimano on it, they acknowledged it as being common on the outer piston

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

gave me a fairly hairy proceedure:

(1) Remove the pads
(2) GENTLY press the lever to push the piston out, but NOT far enough to push it all the way
out.
(3) Clean the piston with a light brake parts cleaner. They recommended Motor-X if you can find
it, but anything from the local auto parts store will likely do just fine.
(4) Push the pistons in all the way and let them stay that way

overnight.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(5) Ride the bike and repeat the process.

Apparently it's a break-in issue and they don't seem to have a handle on

why

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

some brakes do it and others don't.

I could do without that hassle. Sounds like you might need to get a new piston seal to get this
completely sorted out.
--
_________________________
Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia ramsays-online.comramsays-online.comOpen ↗