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My front brake started squealing around Thetford forest today. XT M785. Is this the end?
I took out the pads and had a look, and now my fingers are covered in a dry, black residue. I thought I could detect greasiness inside and around the caliper as well.
I had another set of these on a different bike (it takes a while to work out that these things don't work) which started the same way. I'd put them away working fine, and then take them out of the shed and they'd be oiled up and useless and I'd have to buy some new pads (or bake the old ones in the oven) and spray brake cleaner on the rotors.
I kept telling myself it was a one-off (repeatedly) or that I'd accidentally sprayed them with WD40 (I hadn't). But in the end the only permanent fix was replacing with some Hopes. Those have been flawless since.
So, STW, what do you think? Time to look to see who has some Hope brakes on sale, or soldier on and hope it's a one-off.
I'm going to Scotland in a few weeks, I've heard it can be quite hilly there in places, so I'd quite like them to be working then.
Grrrr.
P.S.
When is STW going to fix that thing where you don't select a forum so it just drops your post into OBLIVION?
Just get the Hopes.
Just get a new caliper+pads and clean the rotor.
I find once Shimano brakes start to go it's time to replace with something new, if look about you can usually find XT brakes for a decent price especially if you buy last years model. Or get the Hopes as they are rather nice.
I replaced the caliper recently on a set of 5 or 6 year old XTs.
Managed to do a bit of a shoddy bleed. Wine fueled at a guess. Did another bleed last week.
Something in the lever has gone ping since and now I have a nearly new, spare, XT caliper. :/
Good thing I'm running 6 or 7 pairs of shimano brakes, it'll get used one day.
If it's an old set of brakes, just replace the whole thing, keep the old ones for spares.
It's fairly old but not had a huge amount of use. I don't think I see the point in brake calipers that have to be treated as a consumable.
Neither do I.
I don't buy them as such. They come on bikes or from mates. Or on clearance.
(£70 for my last set of XTs, removed from a customers bike, week old.)
I tend to switch to hope when they fail if a) I have funds and b) I don't have a set lying around already.
Yup. Sub £10 for a Hope seal kit, whether caliper or master cylinder.
And all the nonsense about getting a set of pads with a Shimano caliper is their way of placating you.