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Hi folks,
Having issues with my juicy five rear pistons not retracting properly. The brakes still work and there is no real pad rubbing issues. I've tried cleaning and this has helped a bit, but I really think they need a service. They're 07 model and don't believe they've been serviced yet.
Is it worth taking these to my lbs to be serviced? Can they sort this sort of thing out? What sort of price are we talking inc. spares?
Anyone got similar experience?
cheers
Normally charge £30 labour to service and bleed Avid calipers, piston/seals are about £12 if needed.
If you can't do it yourself then I would buy some new Elixirs from Merlin. Sell the new rotors and sell the old brakes.
By the time you take into account LBS labour, new pads and pistons you are looking at close to if not in excess of £60 per end. Yes cheaper than new brakes but not a lot in it, only Juicy 5 after all.
Or find a mate who can do it and buy them some beers.
My experience of Juicys is that they are great when they are working but as soon as they start to need attention it's pretty much a lifetime's work.
Sell them and buy new.
If you've got a bleed kit, then go for it. They are pretty simple, stick in some new seals and give everything a clean up.
Even if you don't have the equipment, then there is a certain joy in maintaining your stuff, rather than just binning it when it needs a bit of TLC.
I'd go with GJP's advice. If you can do it yourself it's worth it, though it does involve a bit of faffing - if not it'll end up costing a fair amount which you could put towards a new set of brakes.
you can download the service instructions of the sram/avid site. I just replaced the pistons in my elixirs and it was very easy. It might just be a case of popping the pistons out, bit of a clean and grease and then putting them back and bleeding.
Cheers for the advice folks.
I've bled them again and taken them out on a blast. Levers now feel a lot better. One of the rear pistons still doesn't retract fully,I hear this is known issue but the pad no longer rubs on the rotor and they feel pretty good. Picked up a new (to me) set of hope brakes today, so the fives will be up for sale here shortly with 160, 185 and 203 mm clean sweep rotors and all the required mounts.
- Totally agreeEven if you don't have the equipment, then there is a certain joy in maintaining your stuff, rather than just binning it when it needs a bit of TLC
I had a bit of trouble getting one of the pistons out - I probably left it far too long before sorting them out. I ended up smashing it to get it out! I put some grease on the new pistons when putting them in - the brakes certainly felt much better after, so worth doing if you have the time and inclination. You might get away with just cleaning and greasing the pistons but probably worth buying the spares in case you have to do what I did!
Duf
I use Castrol red rubber grease on the pistons.
Read about it being more brake specific ,and so far ,so good.
You can buy small tubs on ebay(you don't need much).
The pistons & seal are on CRC with some daft name, cant rmember what they're called. Easy enough to do, likewise the bleeding.