Rotor Question and Help in CCX repair

[KidSess]

Good day all.
I have a CrossCurrent X since April. After over 1300 miles, my breaks started squeaking and noticed i needed break pads replacement. Then, i found out that my rotor was bent and always touching the brake-pads on one side. During the process of changing the brake pads. My break fluid leak a bit from the pistons (because i tried to push them slightly out). After successfully putting the break-pads. I have tried to adjust the disc rotor with a rotor bending tool slightly, but it didn't work well at all. Now, i have bent rotors and my brakes lever touches the handler bar all the way back. Anything i can do to solve this? Do you think i have air in my system?


First time repairing my own e-bike and it took me a whole day to figure out some of this.

I did look into videos of the rotor bending techniques and repair of brakes.

 

[PedalUma]

I am all for encouraging people to work on bikes. In this situation just take it to a bike shop. You would need to purchase special tools. You may have blown the caliper seal irreparably. And truing a disc takes skill and practice. Bleeding is just not for casual riders. A lot of people who claim to be bike mechanics cannot do it. For example if you call Dick's Sporting goods and ask if they have a bike mechanic they will say, Yes. But that person will not be qualified to blead brakes even though all they do all day every day is work on bikes. You are also dealing with a major safety issue.

 

[KidSess]

I am all for encouraging people to work on bikes. In this situation just take it to a bike shop. You would need to purchase special tools. You may have blown the caliper seal irreparably. And truing a disc takes skill and practice. Bleeding is just not for casual riders. A lot of people who claim to be bike mechanics cannot do it. For example if you call Dick's Sporting goods and ask if they have a bike mechanic they will say, Yes. But that person will not be qualified to blead brakes even though all they do all day every day is work on bikes. You are also dealing with a major safety issue.

Thanks, i wanted to do it myself to learn a bit but i said the same and didn't want to admit it but i screwed up lol.

In this process, i at least learn how to change my own e-bike brakes. but bending the rotor...that takes a ton of practice..

 

[PedalUma]

The pads have been oil soaked. I would toss them. Have the bike shop install multi-metallic pads over organic. They will hook you up.

 

[KidSess]

The pads have been oil soaked. I would toss them. Have the bike shop install multi-metallic pads over organic. They will hook you up.

i have already purchase pads the same brands for my CrossCurrent X.

 

[indianajo]

I wouldn't pretend to straighten a rotor. Decent ones are available for about $8 on ebay or slightly more from bike supplies. I bought the non-stainless ones last time but SS would look better after they got rained on.
I get about 4000 miles out of the pad on the brake I use the most, 8000 on the other one. Maybe I ride less fast or brake less than some other users. I use organic pads, that require less force to stop, but wear faster than semi-metallic ones.
Every time I put new pads on an auto caliper, the piston leaked. You have to push the pistons back in since they came out to adapt to the worn brake pads. I've avoided buying hydraulic brakes on a bicycle for this reason.

 

[fooferdoggie]

new rotors the better ones dont really warp. but you need to bleed the brakes its not too hard but you need the right tools for your brake setup. and as said above you need new pads now, I Goofed the first couple times bleeding my brakes but it only wastes fluid and maybe makes a mess.

 

[KidSess]

I wouldn't pretend to straighten a rotor. Decent ones are available for about $8 on ebay or slightly more from bike supplies. I bought the non-stainless ones last time but SS would look better after they got rained on.
I get about 4000 miles out of the pad on the brake I use the most, 8000 on the other one. Maybe I ride less fast or brake less than some other users. I use organic pads, that require less force to stop, but wear faster than semi-metallic ones.
Every time I put new pads on an auto caliper, the piston leaked. You have to push the pistons back in since they came out to adapt to the worn brake pads. I've avoided buying hydraulic brakes on a bicycle for this reason.

Thank you for your responds. i was thinking of also buying new rotor disk. but i was looking at spending$30 for one...kinda gasp a little.

I just put in new break-pads. Maybe i have to change them again because they are now touched by the previous rotor? I also found a kit to bleed the brakes. I just put in new pads. It is just the rotor that is bent. I just dont like the way the brakes go back all the way to the handle bar. I can barely brake stop on time.

 

[m@Robertson]

Another vote for not bothering to straighten the rotor. Its just not worth the effort when you can replace them for $20 or so for a good quality one. If you are determined to try, a simple adjustable crescent wrench in a small size will do the job... but you're likely to find its something you can only make worse and not better.

You can clean pads after dipping them in alcohol and lighting them on fire with a barbecue lighter a few times (hold the flame to the pad for an extended time to burn off the fluid still soaked in), but you really need to be desperate not to buy a new set of cheap pads to go this route. You have Tektro brakes so its not like the pads are really expensive.

When you work on hydraulic brakes, you need to put a block inside the caliper to keep the pads from extending and popping the pistons out. Why? Because its easy to be a dummy and squeeze the caliper when there is no rotor in it. Everyone makes this mistake even if they know not to do it. Solution is to put a pretend-rotor in there. A couple of popsicle sticks are the standard DIY hack, or use a dedicated doodad meant to fit into the brakes. Do that and you will never have this problem happen again.

Amazon.com

 

[KidSess]

Another vote for not bothering to straighten the rotor. Its just not worth the effort when you can replace them for $20 or so for a good quality one. If you are determined to try, a simple adjustable crescent wrench in a small size will do the job... but you're likely to find its something you can only make worse and not better.

You can clean pads after dipping them in alcohol and lighting them on fire with a barbecue lighter a few times (hold the flame to the pad for an extended time to burn off the fluid still soaked in), but you really need to be desperate not to buy a new set of cheap pads to go this route. You have Tektro brakes so its not like the pads are really expensive.

When you work on hydraulic brakes, you need to put a block inside the caliper to keep the pads from extending and popping the pistons out. Why? Because its easy to be a dummy and squeeze the caliper when there is no rotor in it. Everyone makes this mistake even if they know not to do it. Solution is to put a pretend-rotor in there. A couple of popsicle sticks are the standard DIY hack, or use a dedicated doodad meant to fit into the brakes. Do that and you will never have this problem happen again.

Amazon.com

thanks, i will follow up with this since i have multiple break pads.

also, does any rotor will work? because i am thinking it would be better if know this lol

 

[ruffruff]

First off, I'm a very DIY guy, but over time there are just certain things that I realize aren't worth my time to deal with. I can pay someone to do it faster and has the right tools.
Non bike related....sheetrocking....I've done enough in my life time to realize the pro's will do it twice as fast and twice as good.

Bike related, brake bleeding.

 

[m@Robertson]

thanks, i will follow up with this since i have multiple break pads.

also, does any rotor will work? because i am thinking it would be better if know this lol

Well, thicker rotors are less likely to warp. And since a rotor is a heat sink, more material makes them more effective than less material. Thats true for how 'holey' the rotor is. I look at some rotors that are almost all air and shake my head...

'Standard' rotors are 1.8mm thick. Magura rotors are 2.1mm thick. Tektro downhill/ebike rotors are 2.3mm thick. So... you had better know if your Tektros are spec'd to use the thicker ebike rotors because using the standard 1.8mm thickness is very bad. It'll cause the pistons to overextend and boom leaky pistons.

If they are not spec'd to use these thicker rotors, trying to stuff them in will not work. I can *barely* get the 2.3's (Type 17 rotors) to fit within my Magura calipers and that is only a 0.2mm difference in thickness.

Beyond this, try and use a rotor that isn't all air holes. And if you are winging it, be prepared to have guessed wrong if they decide they want to squeal. I had a pair of Avid rotors that just would not shut up on an old set of brakes I had and I could not fix the problem until I changed the rotors. was just a bad combo and a harmonic developed I could not dial out.

 

[KidSess]

Well, thicker rotors are less likely to warp. And since a rotor is a heat sink, more material makes them more effective than less material. Thats true for how 'holey' the rotor is. I look at some rotors that are almost all air and shake my head...
View attachment 103465
'Standard' rotors are 1.8mm thick. Magura rotors are 2.1mm thick. Tektro downhill/ebike rotors are 2.3mm thick. So... you had better know if your Tektros are spec'd to use the thicker ebike rotors because using the standard 1.8mm thickness is very bad. It'll cause the pistons to overextend and boom leaky pistons.

If they are not spec'd to use these thicker rotors, trying to stuff them in will not work. I can *barely* get the 2.3's (Type 17 rotors) to fit within my Magura calipers and that is only a 0.2mm difference in thickness.

Beyond this, try and use a rotor that isn't all air holes. And if you are winging it, be prepared to have guessed wrong if they decide they want to squeal. I had a pair of Avid rotors that just would not shut up on an old set of brakes I had and I could not fix the problem until I changed the rotors. was just a bad combo and a harmonic developed I could not dial out.

well, mines are 180-24 disc rotors from tektro and with the pads. They are already touching lol
I am not sure about the thickness. But i have search that Tektro uses 2.3 thickness rotors

Edit: I just found out that my rotor that my brakes are en E350 hydraulic brakes. The disc that i have is a Tektro Polygon Disc Brake Rotor, 180mm.
Edit 2: i believe my rotors are 1.8 in thickness. i dont see anywhere where it says that they dont. If, i go and buy them, they are also saying it is 1.8-1.9 in thickness

 

[KidSess]

First off, I'm a very DIY guy, but over time there are just certain things that I realize aren't worth my time to deal with. I can pay someone to do it faster and has the right tools.
Non bike related....sheetrocking....I've done enough in my life time to realize the pro's will do it twice as fast and twice as good.

Bike related, brake bleeding.

True, but sometimes. You have to do it yourself at some point.

 

[PedalUma]

Some of it is are you willing to pay the tuition of learning a particular new skill set. It is expensive. Or just have it done by a pro - out sourcing the problem and focus on what you do.

 

[KidSess]

Some of it is are you willing to pay the tuition of learning a particular new skill set. It is expensive. Or just have it done by a pro - out sourcing the problem and focus on what you do.

i already purchase a set of rotors and a rotor and pad alignment. along with bleed kit. I might aswell do it myself for the first time. If i dont learn now. It will be impossible to learn to rely on shops if they are closed.

 

[m@Robertson]

well, mines are 180-24 disc rotors from tektro and with the pads. They are already touching lol
I am not sure about the thickness. But i have search that Tektro uses 2.3 thickness rotors

Edit: I just found out that my rotor that my brakes are en E350 hydraulic brakes. The disc that i have is a Tektro Polygon Disc Brake Rotor, 180mm.
Edit 2: i believe my rotors are 1.8 in thickness. i dont see anywhere where it says that they dont. If, i go and buy them, they are also saying it is 1.8-1.9 in thickness

180-24 means it is a Type 24 rotor in 180mm size. Tektro makes rotors MOSTLY in 180mm thickness, with only one or two exceptions in 2.3mm. If its a 2.3 you can be sure they'll shout it out.

1TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS - Products

TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS - Product, Disc, Brake, Lever, Disc Pads, Brake Pads, Accessories, MTB Road, Cyclocross, TT / Triathlon, Recreation, BMX, E-Bike.

www.tektro.com

It doesn't help that they don't say how wide it is, but this happens to be about my favorite oem rotor that I have pulled off but re-used on another bike I liked them so much. I am going to guess 1.9mm as they fit generic calipers, but the feel is a little more substantial (thats probably unscientific BS and they are 1.8). They also don't seem to make any unwanted noise. They outlived the bike I had them on.

To find rotors on their web site they are kind of hidden. Drop down the 'Accessories' section of the search bar to select rotors. Then they come up. I poked around and the new Type 45 is 2.3mm - Looks like Tektro is making a fancy/pretty one to rake in some extra bucks from the suckers. I like the nice, inexpensive Type 17 for my 2.3's. Note the type 16 looks almost identical and is 1.8mm so beware if you are ever shopping for the thick ones as these are usually what a seller really has if all they say is "wavy rotor".

 

[KidSess]

180-24 means it is a Type 24 rotor in 180mm size. Tektro makes rotors MOSTLY in 180mm thickness, with only one or two exceptions in 2.3mm. If its a 2.3 you can be sure they'll shout it out.

1TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS - Products

TEKTRO BRAKE SYSTEMS - Product, Disc, Brake, Lever, Disc Pads, Brake Pads, Accessories, MTB Road, Cyclocross, TT / Triathlon, Recreation, BMX, E-Bike.

www.tektro.com

It doesn't help that they don't say how wide it is, but this happens to be about my favorite oem rotor that I have pulled off but re-used on another bike I liked them so much. I am going to guess 1.9mm as they fit generic calipers, but the feel is a little more substantial (thats probably unscientific BS and they are 1.8). They also don't seem to make any unwanted noise. They outlived the bike I had them on.

To find rotors on their web site they are kind of hidden. Drop down the 'Accessories' section of the search bar to select rotors. Then they come up. I poked around and the new Type 45 is 2.3mm - Looks like Tektro is making a fancy/pretty one to rake in some extra bucks from the suckers. I like the nice, inexpensive Type 17 for my 2.3's. Note the type 16 looks almost identical and is 1.8mm so beware if you are ever shopping for the thick ones as these are usually what a seller really has if all they say is "wavy rotor".

Thanks, i will see if i can reach out to the manufacturer.