Mtb disc brake installation

Disc brake ready frames have mounts down the frame tubes that will secure the hydraulic lines. Use small zip ties and cut the excess as you go. On the suspension fork, secure the brake line using a supplied mount or by using a medium zip tie around the arch of the fork.

Make sure that the line is completely out of the way of the spokes as the wheel turns. At this stage in installation, turn the bars from the extreme left to the extreme right and make sure that all of the lines and shifter cables interact correctly with each other. If there are any conflicts…now is the time to make adjustments. Now that the brakes are on the frame and secure…it is time to get these massive stoppers adjusted and ready for trail action.

When you have properly adjusted hydraulic brakes, all is great in the mountain biking world. Improper adjusting can mean brake drag and noise, and both of these equal unhappy riders.

The first step in adjusting brake levers is making sure the lever is positioned horizontally on the bars to fit your hands. I, like a lot of riders, prefer one finger braking with quality hydraulic brakes. I make sure the levers are inboard enough to make this comfortable for all day riding.

Experiment some and find your comfortable spot. Note: The following tips for adjusting mountain bike disc brake calipers apply to post mount style calipers like the ones pictured. Some older disc brakes are IS calipers that require shimming to get correct alignment with the disc brake rotor. Remember when we left the calipers loose on the mounting brackets in the above steps?

This is why…we need to adjust the lateral positioning of the brake calipers so they do not come in contact with the brake rotors during free spinning. When you have drag, you have to exert extra energy to move the wheels. When the calipers are not straight with the rotor, this can result in brake howl and other annoying noises on the trail. If you are having a hard time getting out all of the drag in your hydraulic brakes, try this method.

Now that everything is set and ready to go, lets get those brake levers exactly where we want them. Tighten the brake lever bolts to the point that they do not slip, but you can still move them by hand. Ride your bike around a flat area with the saddle height at your usual ride setting. Position the brake levers to that your hands comfortably rest on the levers.

Once you find your sweet spot, slightly tighten the levers into place. Ideally, you want the levers to move under hard hits but not during riding to help prevent damage during wrecks. Ready for the trail?! In that case, what you should be doing is basically the theme of this segment. Keep in mind that the tires in non-quick release setups are usually secured through-axle nuts on the frame. You should find a separate washer or washer built-in here. With knurling or teeth, it should be facing towards dropout.

Make sure to go through those axle threads using a lubricating oil or grease. The chain lubricant for mountain bikes can also be used or any grease that works with automobile parts. You start the process quite similarly to the quick-release included way. However, the wheels including axle nut, washers should be going on the outside of dropouts.

You need to completely tighten the axle nuts here. Make sure to center the wheel before that though. When you get the tires out of the bike, one common mistake that you must avoid is plopping fork on the pavement.

As that would keep it steady and they can continue with the bike wheel installation. However, this is nothing but a terrible idea. The front dropout, also known as the fork tips are usually constructed with aluminum or carbon. And so, these are pretty delicate.

Getting them to bend or even end up breaking from too harmful bumping motion is a very possible scene. And that, my friend, can take your wish to install a bike tire go on a completely different road, the worst one actually.

If you must make the bike stand up, hold the fork and very gently go for the ground. To me, holding the bike and then reaching for another wheel sounds better than putting it entirely down. Another thing about bike front wheel is that only tricky part of its installation is ensuring the thing is entirely into fork. And then comes confirming proper tightening of the wheel as well as quick releases.

Also, the matter of wheel centering in the fork, never sidestep that! The brake rotor will have a direction of rotation identification label on the rotor surface. Double check this is correct. The rotor should be loose to the wheel hub. Holding the rotor in the clocked position, tighten the bolts snug by hand in a star pattern.

Align brake rotor to wheel hub and attach using 6 bolts or center lockring. The thread locking material is usually colored — blue. Tighten bolts in a STAR pattern. This avoids bending and shifting the rotor on the attachment flange. Wipe the rotor with a clean rag and alcohol or brake cleaner. Slide the calipers over the rotor disc and align the attachment points.

Loosely attach the two bolts — snug but not tight. You want the caliper to be held but still moveable by hand. Lightly squeeze the brake lever and spin the wheel 2 to 4 times.

This aligns the caliper to the disc brake. Usually 5 mm Allen bit is needed and the typical torque is in lbf or 8. Give the wheel a spin to insure it spins free.

After installing brakes, I like to ride the bike a half mile or so. Use zip-ties to hold the brake lines to the fork and frame as needed. Trim off zip-tie extra. Basically, pick the bike up 4 to 6 inches and bounce it, listening for new rattles.

Take the screw driver or Allen wrench that fits the brake lever and fine tune the placement of the brake levers. Remove the rear wheel and attach the brake rotor as described on the front wheel.