Shimano mechanical disc brake installation and adjustment, by BikeGremlin US on YouTube. 11 min 15 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 15 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Wipe the new rotor with isopropyl alcohol and a clean rag, then fit it to the hub. Greasy fingerprints cause squealing and weak braking.
Bolt the caliper to the frame or fork adaptor with the two mounting bolts only snug, loose enough that the caliper slides side to side by hand.
Squeeze and hold the brake lever so the pads clamp the rotor and the caliper centres itself. Keep holding and tighten the mounting bolts evenly, a little at a time.
Run the inner cable through the lever, the housing and the barrel adjuster, then through the caliper clamp. Pull it firm, not guitar-tight, and tighten the clamp bolt.
Wind the barrel adjuster almost all the way in, then turn the inner pad adjuster until the pad just touches the rotor and back it off a quarter turn.
Spin the wheel and check for rub. Turn the pad adjuster or barrel adjuster in small steps until the rotor spins free and the lever feels firm before it reaches the bar.
Tighten the caliper mounting bolts to the torque marked on the caliper, alternating between them so it stays square. Snug the cable clamp bolt the same way.
Cut the cable about 5 cm past the clamp and fit a crimp end cap. Spin the wheel again and confirm nothing rubs.
Ride somewhere quiet and do ten firm stops from walking pace, building speed slowly. This beds the pads in and gives full bite.
Tips and common mistakes
Never touch the rotor surface with bare fingers, because oil from your skin ruins braking.
A slightly bent rotor feels exactly like a badly adjusted caliper, so true the rotor before chasing pad clearance.
If the lever pulls all the way to the bar, you have too much cable slack or worn pads.
Squeeze the lever hard a few times before the first ride to seat the cable and pads.
Questions
Why does my disc brake still rub after adjusting?
The caliper is usually not square to the rotor or the rotor is slightly bent. Loosen the mounting bolts, re-centre the caliper with the lever held, then true the rotor.
How tight should the brake cable be?
Tight enough that the lever feels firm about halfway to the bar. If it feels spongy, the cable has stretched or the housing is not seated in the lever.
Does this work on other cable disc brakes?
The same steps work for most mechanical disc brakes. The pad adjuster position and the tool it needs differ between Shimano models.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
