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I'm competent at brake bleeding, but your tips with the allen key, pad pre-load, and screwdriver lever technique for accurate pad-rotor alignment have elevated my servicing skills. Thank you.
I was about to bin a rear Guide RE as the pistons on one side where so sticky I couldn’t align the calliper without it rubbing on the disk. The 4mm Allen key trick is absolutely genius and allowed me to push pistons out and get them moving with dot fluid. The brake now sits central in the rotor with zero rub. Fantastic.
Very good explanation. Consider buying an inexpensive collapsible tripod. It's really helped me with my videos, in showing the things I couldn't before. If you're using your phone, I also found a cheap spring loaded phone holder with the standard camera thread in it at TJ Maxx. Keep putting out good content like this. I hope to try this process soon.
I hate my sram brakes, but they came with the bike and I’m stuck unless I want to spend more money. Every single set of sram brakes I’ve ever had have failed
Excellent video. I've been wanting to learn how to swap out my Sram brake pads but could never figure out how to push back the pistons until I watched your video. Most of my issue was not having the correct instruction and parts (i.e. DOT brake fluid, brake cleaner, etc.). Thank you for posting this. Super helpful. Keep up the good work. You're the man!
after watching the sram videos and being a bit apprehensive, I went through both your videos (this and the bleeding) and it was so simple and my brakes feel really good. I'm ready to hit the trails in Santa Cruz tomorrow. Thank you!!!
took my bike to a shop to get my new brakes and rotors installed and when I got it back I realized the brakes were rubbing against the rotor and this video helped me align the rotor with the brake pads correctly, thank! Just wish they did that at the bike shop lol
I just wanted to say thank you for posting this vid, it allowed me to completely remedy problems I’ve been having ever since migrating to a hydraulic braking system on my road bike. The SRAM Red AXS is performing off the charts now and I’ve learned something really valuable! All the best from a welshman 🤘🏻
Gotta tell you bro, every once in a while I start shopping for XT or Maguras. Then I watch this video, go do the shit you say to do, then go ride and they are pimp again. Thanks!
I have been searching for this video for an hour in my yt history. It's the only brakes alignment instruction that shows you how to align the pistons with the caliper. So helpful! Thank you!
This is the best video, period. I've literally watched 20+ instruction videos, but yours is the most concise and complete there is. Thanks, my brakes don't suck anymore.
You just saved my Saturday - thanks, man. I had lubricated the pistons, but they weren't running great, and I was going nuts trying to get things to center by pulling the lever, then finding that one side was way further out and I just kept dragging... screwdriver trick saved the day.
Hey brotha, what are you doing with the bleed syringe attached? Like a large reservoir? I need morenout of my Code R and I'm trying your techniques. Thanks brotha! Mike
I have spent literally hundreds of dollars on brake pads thinking I just need to find the right compound in order to get the maximum performance from my Code Rs. What a waste of money. The improvement gained by lubing the pistons and aligning caliper and pads to the rotor is incredible! My experience to date was SRAM brakes sucked, and this video changed that. Thank you thank you thank you!
Thanks for this mate , just bought myself a Santa Cruz Bronson and was having nightmares with 2 pistons on one side of the calipers pertruding more than the other side. Had bought two sets of brake seals which I installed but didn't cure the issue. Did your trick with the screw driver and I now have brakes that feel like they are factory fresh ❤
How about taking our some of the fluid from your lines? Won't that create a bigger gap between the pads and the rotor? With such a small gap like you have there, any little flex will cause a disk rub.
The only right method video I could find on RU-vid and watching all the supposed pros shown were not helpful at all to align this system properly! Hats off to you 👍
WOW! I have been less than satisfied with the Code RS brakes that came on my new specialized Stumpjemper Evo Comp. For "enduro and downhill brakes they were very underwheling and honestly the shimano mt200s on my other bike seemd far more powerful. I started with a full bleed and that helped a tiny bit, but i was still very unsatisfied. I then combined this video with a video about re-bedding your pads (light sanding of the pads and rotors followed with a bed in procedure) with this video and NOW they are stopping like Iwould expect. ZERO problem locking up the rear on a fast downhill on pavement. THANKS!!!!
i tried to depress the piston but it dont budge/move back inside.tried the tire lever and even a long nose flier didnt even blink. i have a ride this saturday😢😢😢
One of the best SRAM brake videos. If you could maybe get one of those tripods that can grip and hang over the parts that you're working on so we can see more of the action wills be GREAT! I'm a subscriber!
My brakes are now working perfectly, thank you. The 4mm hex key trick is genius. Just a word of warning about using pliers to push the pistons - be careful if there are serrations as the piston material is quite easily chipped.
Hey Tom, glad to hear your brakes are working better. For sure the pliers can be risky, you can use a plastic tire lever for the same effect. The Snap On pliers i use are pretty forgiving. Luckily rebuild kits for these calipers are cheap and easy to install if the worst happens.
@@TheFullKanani That Park tool, made of metal, is intended to push the pistons back *with the brake pads in place*. i.e. the tool doesn't touch the pistons themselves. [If I'm thinking of the same tool.]
Oiling the pistons has made a TON of difference!! But… I can’t mimic the flathead screwdriver trick like you did. With the rotor between the pads, how do you get the pad and pistons on the opposite side of your pushing to retract??
Insert the screw driver behind the brake pad that needs to come out more and then push everything, the two pads and the rotor, against the side that needs to be pushed in. This technique will push the piston(s) on one side into the caliper to provide the needed gap between the contacting pad and the rotor. You'll also have to pump the brakes to bring out the piston after you push everything to one side. Repeat the process, on either side, as needed to provide equal gaps on both sides. Trial and error and eventually experience will get it right.
I've never been good with my hands so I usually take brake stuff to my LBS. After only a few months, my brakes began to suck. I thought I'd give this a try. Thanks so much for uploading this tutorial. My brakes are so much better and I managed to do it myself! Cheers!!
Thank you for this video. I just replaced my centerline rotors and metallic pads for HS2 rotors and MTX gold pads for more power. I could not get the pads to not rub until I saw this video. I can’t even list all the other things I tried first!
I never used to service my brakes except for changing the brake pads (without opening the bleeding port). However, I had some issues with my Sram Maven brakes and got tired of going to the shop, especially since I have two pairs on two bikes. The information in this video helped me a lot! In addition, after almost 20 years of riding, I finally decided to learn how to bleed brakes so I could finally take care of my brakes myself.
I know I'm late to the game finding this video, but man o' man thank you so much for creating this gem! It's saved to my favorites for bike maintenance and made me excited again for my SRAM CODE R brakes.
Well, I did both front and rear brakes today. I must say in all honesty, best feeling Sram Brakes I've ever felt. Comparable to my buddies Shimano brakes, you can really "feel" the brakes now. Thank You!
I could not fully agree with the concept. Brake piston are intended to follow the pads when pads wear. Pistons made a very short stroke to brake because pads have a small gap relative to disc. This is good because you feels a short lever movement to obtain heavy braking. In the mode that you suggest a much greater movement of the lever will be required
This solved my problem, thank you so much!! I changed pads and one rotor and had so much rubbing on my first ride. When I took the pads back out, I realized that the inboard piston on both front and rear were very dry and kinda stuck, now working great!!
Great video, not a lot of people know how to do this right. Secondly, my biggest upgrade was switching to MTX Red racing pads. They are super grippy and they never ever squeal. I have seen instances where people want to upgrade the rotors and calipers but instead tested these brake pads first And that was all that was needed.
Could you make a more in-depth video just on the flat screw driver part where you push in one piston against the disc? This seems to be a crucial part and it doesn't get much time in this video. Many, many thanks though for this great tutorial!!!
Thank you so much. My back brake (code r) was almost pulling to the bar. I tried bleeding it 3 times with different tutorials including yours. None seemed to make a difference. However once I bled according to your instructions, then immediately did this piston service (without removing the plunger from the lever). This made all the difference. Brakes no longer pull to the bar, while it doesn’t feel as good as the front you can’t have it all! Thanks.
Just saved me $60. Thanks for the tip on moving the pistons out and into position after you get them back in. And centering the disc in the caliber first.
Ok so what if you do a full bleed, and do this, and there is still a rub that won’t go away? No matter how much I do the screw driver tech that you teach, it always keeps favoring having the inside two pistons push out more. I push them back and then get an absolute insane rub that’s worse than before. Then I push in the other side and try again, but under normal conditions (no screw driver holding anything) two pistons move like 400% more easily than the other two. I guess another way to put it: my pistons aren’t retracting properly. This video at 8:00 time stamp, you pulse the brakes and they go in and out. Mine seem to only want to go in, and when I let off, they don’t retract nearly as much. Do pistons ever need to come fully out to be cleaned/lubed more? I’m losing sleep over this fucking brake rub. Thank you!
@@garage316-7 months of riding from brand new, then it sat for 13 months because I got an e-bike and forgot how to use my legs….trying to get the old bike back in action and so many things are messed up. Fox float x has “aerated” so it apparently needs a full damper service. But these dang brakes are killing me.
Nice tips here! Got a new bike on the way that comes with Sram G2 R and I'll be sure to use this as a guide to get them all setup. it will be interesting to see how they are brand new.
I was about to give up and buy a replacement set of disc brakes when struggling to tackle this issue. So much appreciated, this video was of great help to me.
You sir are a legend! After bleeding my brakes i could not get rid of brake rub. No other bleed video showed these so simple techniques! I was ready to just buy a new set but thanks to you my brakes are silent but grab hold the second I need them to!
Just did this to my Guide Ts that have always felt spongy and underpowered, now they feel like real brakes. The lever throw is now just a few milliliters long, and as soon as the pads bite the lever feels rock solid. Amazing video!
