two brake questions...

[67Tony]

The rear brake lever on my Pace 500 depresses quite a ways before engaging. Is there an adjustment to decrease the travel of the lever?

Also, near the end of a stop, both brakes squeal loudly. I've previously used WD-40 to clean the discs, which stopped the grinding noise I used to have, but the late squeal still exists even after another cleaning. Anybody else experience this?

Thanks!

 

[Brooks]

There should be a set screw of some kind to adjust the lever for this. You may need to bleed your brakes as well.
And... you certainly need new brake pads front and rear if you used WD40 anywhere near your brakes. It contains mineral spirits.. very bad for your brake pads.

 

[fooferdoggie]

The rear brake lever on my Pace 500 depresses quite a ways before engaging. Is there an adjustment to decrease the travel of the lever?

Also, near the end of a stop, both brakes squeal loudly. I've previously used WD-40 to clean the discs, which stopped the grinding noise I used to have, but the late squeal still exists even after another cleaning. Anybody else experience this?

Thanks!

you cleaned the discs with wd-40? well thats very bad. all you can use is alcohol So your brake pads are toast and need replaced. as far as the mush either its worn pads or the brake needs bled.

 

[fooferdoggie]

There should be a set screw of some kind to adjust the lever for this. You may need to bleed your brakes as well.
And... you certainly need new brake pads front and rear if you used WD40 anywhere near your brakes. It contains mineral spirits.. very bad for your brake pads.

right and the bike is not safe to ride as the brakes may totally fail to stop.

 

[67Tony]

Well, dang it about the WD-40! So, I ordered new pads, and wiped the rotors.

But now I have a worsening of the problem mentioned earlier, where the brake lever engages the disc.
(I know where the adjustment screw is for the lever starting position, for large or small hands, but do not know how to adjust where the lever starts the stopping.)

Now, though, the engagement moment of the levers is almost to the handlebar grip!
This developed after flipping the bike upside down to examine an unrelated rear axle problem, while I also practiced pulling the pads and wiping them down.
So, I wonder if that caused some kind of fluid bubble?

Thanks for any experienced insight into the care and maintenance of hydraulic disc brakes!
(Maybe I wish they were mechanical...)

 

[fooferdoggie]

its time to take it to the shop and get your brakes overhauled. they need bled new pads and the rotors may need sanded to clean them.

 

[Brooks]

Well, dang it about the WD-40! So, I ordered new pads, and wiped the rotors.

But now I have a worsening of the problem mentioned earlier, where the brake lever engages the disc.
(I know where the adjustment screw is for the lever starting position, for large or small hands, but do not know how to adjust where the lever starts the stopping.)

Now, though, the engagement moment of the levers is almost to the handlebar grip!
This developed after flipping the bike upside down to examine an unrelated rear axle problem, while I also practiced pulling the pads and wiping them down.
So, I wonder if that caused some kind of fluid bubble?

Thanks for any experienced insight into the care and maintenance of hydraulic disc brakes!
(Maybe I wish they were mechanical...)

Of course it's from turning the bike upside down. You need to stop doing this Bleed your brake!

 

[67Tony]

Seems silly to allow the system to be so compromised by inverting the bike.
I sometimes lay my wife's on its side in the bed of my truck for transport...is this perilous, also?

Like I wondered earlier, maybe mechanical disc brakes are more user friendly, and certainly more maintenance friendly, with almost equal stopping performance.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Seems silly to allow the system to be so compromised by inverting the bike.
I sometimes lay my wife's on its side in the bed of my truck for transport...is this perilous, also?

Like I wondered earlier, maybe mechanical disc brakes are more user friendly, and certainly more maintenance friendly, with almost equal stopping performance.

that will only happen if there is air in the line. or if you squeeze the brake levers while they are inverted or when the wheel is off.

 

[BobW]

I replaced the pads with organic ones and they make about 80% less noise and stop fine.

 

[Dingo]

You just need to educate yourself! Park Tool has some excellent youtube videos on the subject - watch them to get a better understanding of the parts and how to make them work best for you