Hayes Nine "freshness"

MEC one stop shopping.

Installed BrakeAuthority pads/Aztec rotor.

Pads dragging, what's the best way to bleed a little fluid out of the system so the pistons will retract enough for the pads to clear?

A little pressure on the lever, crack open the bleed screw slightly so a small amount fluid weeps out? Can I do this w/everthing assembled?

MEC one stop shopping.

Installed BrakeAuthority pads/Aztec rotor.

Pads dragging, what's the best way to bleed a little fluid out of the system so the pistons will retract enough for the pads to clear?

A little pressure on the lever, crack open the bleed screw slightly so a small amount fluid weeps out? Can I do this w/everthing assembled?

i think you need to set them back farther in the caliper. If you have not done this already, Pull the wheel, and use a flat screw driver to press the pad further in to the caliper, on both. Dont pry it, just rest the blade and press it, or you could gouge the pad. Make sure the diver is clean.

OR, the caliper is not set even/square and the off set is dragging the pad on the rotor. To avoid this, lossen the hardware, hold the lever at full application, then re-tighten the bolts.

Bleeding any the fluid out might make for some air in the system, and less affective caliper/handle action and feel. It would go mushy and press to the bar pretty quick in my experience.
Thats my experience with them any how, but im a bush league wrench at best.

i think you need to set them back farther in the caliper. If you have not done this already, Pull the wheel, and use a flat screw driver to press the pad further in to the caliper, on both. Dont pry it, just rest the blade and press it, or you could gouge the pad. Make sure the diver is clean.

Yup, pads clipped in properly, pushed pistons in as far as I could before installing pads and them pushed 'em as far apart as I could again.

OR, the caliper is not set even/square and the off set is dragging the pad on the rotor. To avoid this, lossen the hardware, hold the lever at full application, then re-tighten the bolts.

Yup, did that when I re-installed the calipers.

Bleeding any the fluid out might make for some air in the system, and less affective caliper/handle action and feel. It would go mushy and press to the bar pretty quick in my experience.
Thats my experience with them any how, but im a bush league wrench at best.

My thinking is that as long as pressure is pushing fluid out when I re-tighten bleed screw no air will get in.
If I let go of said lever when screw is open, well yeah, then I'm screwed.

rotors too thick?
over-stuffed with fluid? (if pistons don't both fully retract together, then likely too much fluid, needs to be bled properly).
piston seal stuck? (seals deteriorate and "flip", causing piston to stick out, requires caliper rebuild with new pistons).

best solution and advice, throw em out and get something that isn't hayes

rotors too thick?
over-stuffed with fluid? (if pistons don't both fully retract together, then likely too much fluid, needs to be bled properly).
piston seal stuck? (seals deteriorate and "flip", causing piston to stick out, requires caliper rebuild with new pistons).

Yeah, maybe different rotors are not like an OEM or replacement; If the O ring rolled that could be too, it is seated in the wrong spot. Not much room to work with there.

Sounds like you covered every thing else tungsten….

i am not saying they are the new school, and i dont run them now, but i have logged more riding on Hayes than any other one brand combined.

if you flip the lever body so that the whole thing is pointing up, you'll see the bleed plug. push the pistons as far back as they will go. wrap a rag around the handle bar to catch drips, and use a small screw driver to gently pry the plug out of the rubber bladder. some fluid should come out. put the plug back in and see if the pistons will push far enough back. clean things up so the dot fluid doesn't eat things - a spray bottle with water works fine.

if you're daring you can pull the wheel and pads beforehand and do the same while pushing the pistons back, but you do run more of a risk of under-filling the system.

if you're daring you can pull the wheel and pads beforehand and do the same while pushing the pistons back, but you do run more of a risk of under-filling the system.

Yep, just don't break the pad retainer off the piston! I use the old pads when I'm wrestling with old Hayes or Avid brakes. You can also drop some DOT on to the pistons and brake / release with a pad spacer or whatever in there to free the pistons up some more. They may only need to go back 1/2 mm. System may well be over-filled though as already mentioned.

Another thing you can do is use some brake fluid on the pistons to try and penetrate into the seal to allow the piston to slide freely again. In my experience though, Hayes pistons get pitted and damaged after extensive use,a nd they don't run smoothly, so a rebuild is needed (Cheap though)

ho'kay,

flipped lever up.

unbolted calipers.

inserted flat blade screw-driver between pads to push pistons apart, balanced calipers w/said screwdriver in spokes of front wheel. (i'm clever)

pryed rubber plug out of lever.

fluid dribbles out.

screwdriver falls out from between brake pads, as i watch fluid suck back down bleed hole.

d'oh

re-insert screwdriver between pads push gently until fluid rises level to top, stuff rubber plug back in.

re-install calipers, aligned as per usual.

no mush felt in lever, pulls up to end of stroke firm.

but, pads still dragging slightly.

giving wheel a spin i can count one-onethousand etc. to 8.

repeat bleed off procedure again or will pads clear after break-in period?

risk of glazing from riding with slight contact?

thanks for looking………..

if it's still dragging, try to align the caliper again, how's your hub bearing?

if it's still dragging, try to align the caliper again,

ok…………..

how's your hub bearing?

Near new.

ok…………..

Near new.

if it's stil dragging, either ignore it, it might eventually go away or, try to align caliper again. squeeze lever and tighten does i suppose work but it's not always the best, sometimes eye balling works great or better. caliper tend to move slightly when you tighten one of the bolts

1. pull the pads out
2. open the bleed screw/plug on the lever and make sure it's the highest point in the system
3. push the pistons all the way into the caliper body until they hit bottom
4. clean up any brake fluid that dribbles out of the lever
5. put the bleed screw/plug on the lever body back in
6. re-install the pads and go ride