Brake hoods removal

Muckers

Hi all. I'm trying without success to remove a pair of sram red rubber hoods from the shifters. I thought it would be a simple job just to peel them forwards and off over the levers. Not so. They're so tight my hands are in bits from trying. There must be a simple way to do it. Any tips please please.

DirkVoodoo

Muckers wrote: »

Hi all. I'm trying without success to remove a pair of sram red rubber hoods from the shifters. I thought it would be a simple job just to peel them forwards and off over the levers. Not so. They're so tight my hands are in bits from trying. There must be a simple way to do it. Any tips please please.

Do you need to use them again?

Muckers

I was hoping to keep them as spares, but basically i'm just putting on a different colour pair. I could just cut them off but if I can avoid doing that, then all the better. Will fitting the new pair be as difficult.

letape

Muckers wrote: »

I was hoping to keep them as spares, but basically i'm just putting on a different colour pair. I could just cut them off but if I can avoid doing that, then all the better. Will fitting the new pair be as difficult.

Spray some wd40 under them to help you remove them. Campag ones can be tricky to remove but manageable with a little effort and oil or grease. Haven't tried SRAM but assume they're the same.

Dubba

I took off my RIVAL ones recently no problem, but ripped one of them putting it back on

torydiver

letape wrote: »

Spray some wd40 under them to help you remove them. Campag ones can be tricky to remove but manageable with a little effort and oil or grease. Haven't tried SRAM but assume they're the same.

Would advise against using WD40 or any "oil", Will saturate the hoods for future use,
If really tight, Maybe try some silicon spray........

Greyspoke

Muckers wrote: »

Hi all. I'm trying without success to remove a pair of sram red rubber hoods from the shifters. I thought it would be a simple job just to peel them forwards and off over the levers. Not so. They're so tight my hands are in bits from trying. There must be a simple way to do it. Any tips please please.

There's not really a simple way - just brute force!
First, brace yourself against the front of the bike with the front wheel clamped between your legs, then start working on the hood. Push back the top part from the highest point on the lever assembly, then start pulling it forward from the back until its peeled forward to the front of the lever body. Then you have to kind of pull it up and over the top/front of the lever and then down to get it off. They can be a bit of a struggle but they do stretch a bit so just keep at it. When you put the new ones on make sure you get all the little knobbly bits on the inside of the hood located in their holes on the lever body.

Muckers

Thanks all. I will have another go when my hands allow me:D:D

RidleyRider

Muckers wrote: »

Thanks all. I will have another go when my hands allow me:D:D

Are you taking them off towards the brake lever or away from it?

Muckers

RidleyRider wrote: »

Are you taking them off towards the brake lever or away from it?

Rather than removing the shifters from the bars(which I was advised to do by my lbs) I am trying to bring them forward towards the levers and off over the top.

RidleyRider

Muckers wrote: »

Rather than removing the shifters from the bars(which I was advised to do by my lbs) I am trying to bring them forward towards the levers and off over the top.

I was going to say do the same as what the lbs said:p I think your problems are yet to come when you put on the new hoods:P

letape

RidleyRider wrote: »

I was going to say do the same as what the lbs said:p I think your problems are yet to come when you put on the new hoods:P

The hoods are much more difficult to remove with the leavers off! Impossible to manipulate and leverage them. I learnt that the hard way!

RidleyRider

letape wrote: »

The hoods are much more difficult to remove with the leavers off! Impossible to manipulate and leverage them. I learnt that the hard way!

Really? Really would have thought otherwise but I suppose it makes sense. How about peeling them backwards while there on the bike and then removing the levers? Least this way you have the leverage you desire?

Probably more work in the long term but effective I'd presume.

el tel

Can't they be warmed up to make them more malleable

Wibbs

el tel wrote: »

Can't they be warmed up to make them more malleable

This. A hair dryer should make them more flexible and less likely to tear. Old fashioned soapy water makes them a lot easier to get back on and better than something like WD40/oils which can break down some soft plastics.