# Rear brake pad rubbing, how do I adjust



## hrspear (Mar 18, 2005)

I've tried a couple of different things and as soon as I squeeze the brake lever it settles back onto the rim. It's just barely rubbing, so I can just set the brake lever to be more open, but I don't like the extra reach.

TIA


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## FreeRojo (Apr 21, 2008)

You sort of need to tell everyone what sort of brakes you have and so on.


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## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

Make sure the cable clamp is tight at the brake caliper. There are barrel adjusters, might be one or two. Depending upon what type of brakes you have, one type it's at the brake caliper, the other type it's at the brake lever. By turning these barrel adjusters in, it loosens the brake pads. If you have to turn it in all the way then you need to loosed the cable at the brake caliper and then use the barrel adjuster to fine tune it.


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## andulong (Nov 23, 2006)

It sounds like you need to "center" your brakes. Sometimes there is a small adjustment screw that will do this and sometimes you just grab the caliper and move it a bit one way or the other to even things out. Make sure the caliper assembly is mounted tightly or it may just go back to where it was. Not sure what kind of brakes you are using though.


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

First, make sure the rear wheel is centered. Put the bike on the ground, undo the quick release, press your hand down on the saddle, and with the other hand tighten the skewer against the dropouts.

Brakes still out? Make sure the 5mm allen nut that fixes the brake bolt to the frame is snug. If it isn't, hold the brake more or less centered with one hand, and tighten the bolt with the other.

Finally, there's a little allen nut recessed into the right side brake caliper that when turned will precisely move the pads right or left. That might be all you have to do to get the pads to return the same distance from the rim when worked with the brake lever. But this adjustment won't hold if the brake bolt is loose or the wheel is not seated properly.


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## hrspear (Mar 18, 2005)

thanks, I'll give these suggestions a try. The brakes are Campy Chorus, 4-5 years old.

The wheel is a bit out of true, but centered. It has probably about 1/8" of movement, so it shouldn't rub.

I have tried loosening the allen nut that fixes the brake to the frame, twisted the brake into position, then tightened it back...it stays centered for a squeeze or two of the brake lever, then is back to rubbing.

I'll try to find the allen nut to adjust the pad position and try that adjustment.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

If you're talking about road calipers, you need a cone wrench to hold the caliper centered while tightening the 5mm allen nut. This will keep the caliper from drifting off center every time you squeeze the brake..


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## hrspear (Mar 18, 2005)

Thanks Fredrico. It was the small allen nut on the side of the caliper. Works perfectly now, centered, and just enough space to ensure no rubbing.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Fredrico said:


> First, make sure the rear wheel is centered. Put the bike on the ground, undo the quick release, press your hand down on the saddle, and with the other hand tighten the skewer against the dropouts.
> 
> Brakes still out? Make sure the 5mm allen nut that fixes the brake bolt to the frame is snug. If it isn't, hold the brake more or less centered with one hand, and tighten the bolt with the other.
> 
> Finally, there's a little allen nut recessed into the right side brake caliper that when turned will precisely move the pads right or left. That might be all you have to do to get the pads to return the same distance from the rim when worked with the brake lever. But this adjustment won't hold if the brake bolt is loose or the wheel is not seated properly.


Exactly right. All modern dual pivot brakes are unforgiving of being off-center. Watch how much they will actually move a rim sideways if so, and think about what repeated braking is doing re spoke tension.

Basic centering with the allen nut (or a brake adjusting flat wrench) and fine tuning with the small allen on the caliper. I find myself regularly checking mine and our service manager is a fanatic about it.


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