How To Stop Your Disc Brakes Rubbing! | Maintenance Monday, by GCN Tech on YouTube. 2 min 18 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 18 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Lift the bike so the wheel spins freely. Spin the wheel and listen and look at the gap between the disc and the brake pads to see where it rubs.
Open the quick release or thru axle, push the wheel fully into the dropouts, and close the lever. A slightly crooked wheel is the most common cause of rubbing.
Check the rotor is straight. Sight along the disc as you spin it and look for a wobble. Bend a warped rotor back gently with a clean adjustable spanner.
Loosen the two caliper mounting bolts about half a turn so the caliper can move. This lets it self-centre over the disc.
Squeeze the brake lever hard and hold it. While holding, tighten the two caliper bolts evenly, alternating between them.
Release the lever and spin the wheel again. If it still rubs, loosen the bolts and nudge the caliper by hand until the gap looks even on both sides, then retighten.
For cable brakes, turn the barrel adjuster on the lever or caliper to add a little slack if the pads sit too close to the disc.
Spin the wheel one last time and check the lever feels firm. Test the brake at low speed before you ride properly.
Tips and common mistakes
Never touch the brake disc or pads with bare fingers, since oil from your skin causes squealing and poor braking.
Clean the rotor with isopropyl alcohol and a clean rag if it rubs after a wet ride.
If the lever pulls to the bar, the system may need bleeding or new pads rather than just adjustment.
Tighten caliper bolts to the torque printed on them, usually around 6 to 8 Nm.
Questions
Why does my disc brake rub only when I pedal hard?
Frame and wheel flex under load can close the pad gap. A slightly larger gap or a caliper recentre usually fixes it.
Can I ride with a rubbing disc brake?
Short rides are fine, but the pad and rotor wear fast and you lose speed. Fix it before long rides.
Do I need to remove the wheel to fix rubbing?
No. Most fixes are done with the wheel in place. Just reseat the wheel and recentre the caliper.
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.
