Bending ultegra callipers

[sschoe2]

Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
and had a worst case scenario?

 

[landotter]

On Jun 7, 3:36 pm, sschoe2 <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
> I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
> pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
> adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
> dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
> correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
> risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
> snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
> that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
> and had a worst case scenario?

Get pads with adjustable toe-in. Even a set of Tektro cartridges +
holders should work and cost around $12. Kool-Stop holders probably
offer this feature as well. With the nut slightly loose, pushing the
cartridge forward will toe in the pad. Alternately, shape the pad with
some sandpaper, razor blade, or a small box plane.

I've bent dual pivots slightly--a set of $20 Tektros, but I'd not
think of trying with something like an Ultegra caliper.

 

[landotter]

On Jun 7, 3:45 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jun 7, 3:36 pm, sschoe2 <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
> > I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
> > pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
> > adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
> > dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
> > correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
> > risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
> > snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
> > that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
> > and had a worst case scenario?
>
> Get pads with adjustable toe-in. Even a set of Tektro cartridges +
> holders should work and cost around $12. Kool-Stop holders probably
> offer this feature as well. With the nut slightly loose, pushing the
> cartridge forward will toe in the pad. Alternately, shape the pad with
> some sandpaper, razor blade, or a small box plane.
>
> I've bent dual pivots slightly--a set of $20 Tektros, but I'd not
> think of trying with something like an Ultegra caliper.

Come to think of it, don't Ultegras have a conical washer on the cart
fixing bolt to adjust toe-in?

 

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

On Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:36:35 -0700, sschoe2 <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
>I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
>pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
>adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
>dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
>correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
>risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
>snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
>that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
>and had a worst case scenario?

I haven't done it but I have gotten brake pad holders that have a
concave or convex spacer that allows some toe-in adjustment. I think
they were Kool Stops.


--
JT
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[jim beam]

sschoe2 wrote:
> Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
> I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
> pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
> adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
> dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
> correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
> risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
> snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
> that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
> and had a worst case scenario?
>
it's not a good idea, but from the sound of it, it's already been done
to yours. look out for damage.

if i couldn't afford new calipers, i'd go with the adjustable pad
holder solution.

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

On Jun 7, 2:36 pm, sschoe2 <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
> I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
> pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
> adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
> dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
> correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
> risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
> snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
> that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
> and had a worst case scenario?

mmmmm, what we used to do on any caliper than needed a toe in...just
don't gorilla it back and forth, it'll be OK. Take the pad out, a
openend wrench into the hole...bend a wee bit.

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

On Jun 7, 2:48 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jun 7, 3:45 pm, landotter <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jun 7, 3:36 pm, sschoe2 <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
> > > I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
> > > pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
> > > adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
> > > dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
> > > correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
> > > risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
> > > snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
> > > that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
> > > and had a worst case scenario?
>
> > Get pads with adjustable toe-in. Even a set of Tektro cartridges +
> > holders should work and cost around $12. Kool-Stop holders probably
> > offer this feature as well. With the nut slightly loose, pushing the
> > cartridge forward will toe in the pad. Alternately, shape the pad with
> > some sandpaper, razor blade, or a small box plane.
>
> > I've bent dual pivots slightly--a set of $20 Tektros, but I'd not
> > think of trying with something like an Ultegra caliper.
>
> Come to think of it, don't Ultegras have a conical washer on the cart
> fixing bolt to adjust toe-in?

6600 do, 6500 and older do not.

 

[sschoe2]

On Jun 7, 3:36 pm, sschoe2 <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi all I have a question regarding bending of ultegra calipers.
> I have a set and the pads are skewed. Particuarly the rear where one
> pad has about a 1.5mm toe out. There is no provision for toe
> adjustment, I see that newer models have them. My question is how
> dangerous or structurally compromising would it be to attempt to
> correct them with an adjustable wrench. Park tools says It is pretty
> risky unless they are really cheap thin callipers, which they are not,
> snapping the calliper is a distict possiblity. Other sources say
> that this is fine and even routinely done. Has anyone ever tried this
> and had a worst case scenario?

Well, thanks for all the replies. I don't think I'll try bending
them. For now I'll leave them alone. They seem to stop the bike fine
and I have them set at a reasonable distance and they don't rub the
rim. Eventually I'll just buy some new holders and put the old one's
on my commuter which is straight without the toe adjustability.

 

[Donald Gillies]

What's the point of bending calipers when in 500-1000 mi the pads will
wear flat again no matter what ??

If you must have toe-in on your calipers, why not buy the koolstop
pads & holders with radial adjustment (about $20/set, sometimes on
sale for $10/set). Then you can toe-in and toe-out to your heart's
content, although, always on a temporary basis.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

On Jun 8, 11:21 am, [email protected] (Donald Gillies) wrote:
> What's the point of bending calipers when in 500-1000 mi the pads will
> wear flat again no matter what ??

"in 500-1000mi"?? Do you use your brakes *alot*?


>
> If you must have toe-in on your calipers, why not buy the koolstop
> pads & holders with radial adjustment (about $20/set, sometimes on
> sale for $10/set). Then you can toe-in and toe-out to your heart's
> content, although, always on a temporary basis.
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA

 

[Donald Gillies]

Ozark Bicycle <[email protected]> writes:

>On Jun 8, 11:21 am, [email protected] (Donald Gillies) wrote:
>> What's the point of bending calipers when in 500-1000 mi the pads will
>> wear flat again no matter what ??

>"in 500-1000mi"?? Do you use your brakes *alot*?

About once/mile while I am commuting. Do you imagine that you never
use your brakes ?? All you have to do is wear through ~ 1 mm of pad
until they are parallel again.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA