How to clean and adjust Direct-Pull Cantilever V Brakes

Written By: Travis Tonder
  • Comments: 13
How to clean and adjust Direct-Pull Cantilever V Brakes

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

9

Time Required

30 - 45 minutes

Introduction

Brakes slow your bike down when you pull on the brake lever on the handlebar. The brake calipers are connected to the brake levers by a cable that squeezes the brake-pads that are attached to the brake calipers. When the brake pads contact the rims they slow down the rim of the wheel, slowing down the bike.

  1. fWk1jRHB5fJDnsab
    fWk1jRHB5fJDnsab
    lqwyNxPyAORxhKqI
    PLDsF2kVPxN1Zlko

    • Squeeze the calipers together, and remove the brake cable.

  2. LTkHxQkKpgssGovR
    LTkHxQkKpgssGovR
    FhPSY433NKaBDFZp
    gPXSM6yukXEbMw4G

    • Loosen the brake caliper bolt, and remove the brake caliper.

  3. AejVXd6FEeD5pw5L
    AejVXd6FEeD5pw5L
    dKuOvxSnpsDIE2R6

    • Inspect the brake pad. If the pad has worn down past the “wear line”, then it needs to be replaced.

  4. aIajfh6MuQEQrBbq
    aIajfh6MuQEQrBbq
    G4fPuGfaPEmZGI2u
    CCqSyhRfxgZ6bgix

    • Clean and lubricate the parts as necessary before reattaching the caliper arms.

    • Bolt the caliper arms back on while making sure the the pin on the back side of the caliper arm lines back up with the one of the holes in the frame. Each side should be in the same hole.

  5. sFXMcOtkbZAiO2rL
    sFXMcOtkbZAiO2rL
    JkNVrFDMLqAKjByE

    • Reattach the brake cable to the calipers.

  6. x3CUCPEG2P2Zycm6
    x3CUCPEG2P2Zycm6
    MEvBTuQuVHVXx2ss

    • Loosen the brake pad bolt.

  7. qHEMO6tYLSADT2mo
    qHEMO6tYLSADT2mo
    oS2qON2wVuWM4NVp

    • Get an ordinary piece of paper, and fold it twice over.

    • Place the sheet of paper between the brake pad and the rim in the position shown.

    What's the reason of doing this? Is it to keep 1 or 2 mm gap between the pad and rim or to 'toe-in' the break bad?

    Seamuzzaman Nahid -

    Helps to prevent brake chatter by feathering in the pads to the rim.

    R I -

    Is this some kind of spacer? I saw other (video) using credit card.

    Edwin Icogo -

  8. wCTMUXNdTwOdkL6s
    wCTMUXNdTwOdkL6s
    SFv5FAvirPil25tm
    VNnXTImUNMpuuKY1

    • Align the brake pad so that it is flush with the rim, with no part touching the rubber of the tire.

    • Have somebody clamp down very tightly on the brakes.

    • Tighten the brake pad bolt in place.

    The brake lever could also be held down with a cable tie, velcro strap, or a strong elastic band

    R I -

    An old toe clip strap works also

    John Pesackis -

    What happened to the folded paper?

    Edwin Icogo -

    Ok ok I saw it in 3rd pics. :)

    Edwin Icogo -

  9. XHLIWgPxZd3bYoOy
    XHLIWgPxZd3bYoOy
    WvDqGvYdqEAZAnOn
    MuqD1XO4YBRTKmuU

    • Tighten/loosen the tension adjustment screws on each the caliper arm to adjust the resting distance of each brake pad, so that each pad is equally distant from the rim. Tightening the screw will shift the caliper outward from the bike, loosening it will shift it inward.

    • Tighten/loosen the brake adjuster on the handle bars such that when you clamp down on the brakes, the brake lever stops before hitting the handle bar. This will set the distance between the brake pads and the rim.

    • Tighten the lock nut on the brake adjuster to permanently set its position.

    Very good!,Was wondering about some small details . This clered it out. Thx

    Tim Brumen -

    I'll do this and will report back.

    Edwin Icogo -

    In Deutschland werden diese Bremsen nicht als Cantilever Bremsen bezeichnet, sondern als V-Brakes.

    timo_a -

Author

Travis Tonder

Member since: 05/10/10

2745 Reputation

3 comments

“what does it mean if the point is red???? “

I believe that is indicating that this step corresponds to an image which highlights a specific step. I saw this two times, in step 4 and step 9. For step 4, it shows the highlight in the second image and for step 9, the highlight is in the first image. It seems that the red bullet point is just to make it easier to map the step to the image.

Hope this helps

Tony -

where did you get the brake arms from?

I am looking for full metal ones like that,

Ahmed Varnham -

In Deutschland werden diese Bremsen nicht als Cantilever Bremsen bezeichnet, sondern als V-Brakes.

timo_a -