Tips for Avid Disc brakes

[SloMoJo]

We all know these Avid disc brakes are becoming very popular. This thread is a chance for people to share tips regarding the installing and maintaining Avids and Disc brakes in general.

They are new to me, but I'll share a few things the bike mechanic stressed to me today. While they are still in my little mind.

I found it so worth it to have the mechanic correctly set them up. I thought I had them right, but was way off.

1. Tightening the rotor bolts to their correct torque pressure is critical.
2. Reverse your skewers so the clamp to tighten the wheel is on the opposite side from the rotor. This is to prevent injury from hand hitting sharp or hot rotors.
3. Set the brakes on the soft side to begin with. Too many folks go over the handlebars when they first get disc brakes.
4. Make sure there is no bending in the rotors when brakes are applied. " I had some bending, which he corrected"
5. Increase the spring tension, cuz the factory setting is always too low (mechanic's personal opinion)
6. Avoid touching rotors with bare hands (oils have bad effect). Plus they be sharp.
7. clean rotors with rubbing alcohol.

Any other tips from you guys that actually know what you're doing?
Any corrections needed to tips I listed?
Thx
-SloMoJo

[Jisch]

I only have two months on my Avids. A couple of things I've learned:

1) adjust using the plastic adjusters on the brakes themselves, don't use the barrel adjuster.

2) Run cable housings the full length to maintain friction free environment.

3) When they need adjustment, turn both inside and outside adjusters the same number of clicks.

4) Check the torx bolts on the rotors every so often, even if you tighten them, they can loosen.

5) When you tighten the rotor bolts, tighten opposite screws, not adjacent ones. This way you build tension across the disc, which helps keep them tight.

I love mine! There's two questions I have:

1) How long will/should the pads last?
2) What are the best replacements?

John

[Tim]

Just to point out, the first poster's comment about not "bending the rotor" is incorrect. With the Avids and other fixed caliper systems, the rotor is supposed to bend a little bit to contact the fixed pad. Also, you should use loctite on the rotor bolts in addition to the blue on the screws that come from the factory.

As far as pads goes, I had the first generation Avid pads and they squealed, so I replaced them with EBC Golds. I've been riding them for almost a year and have lots of pad left. The only downside with them is that you may have to do a little work with a file to get them to fit into the spring clips on the newer Avids -- but it's no big deal.

Tim

[steve_b]

4) Check the torx bolts on the rotors every so often, even if you tighten them, they can loosen.

This is very important. Especially if you do a lot of riding on rocky / rooty terrain where there is a lot of vibration. I lost 2 on one ride. You will know it immediately by the sound a loose rotor makes. :o

You should also carry spare bolts (you can buy them from your LBS with locktite allready on them), and a small allen sized "torx" wrench in your seat bag / camelback. Some of the newer multi-tools may have a torx, but most older ones do not.

[SloMoJo]

Excellent tips guys!
Anyone else?