Help adjusting rear v-brake

Ranjo

Yesterday I took off my rear wheel and when I unlatched the v-brake I think I bumped it with the tyre, knocked it out of kilter and I can't get it working smoothly again.

The pads had moved, which I've lined up again, but one side is not springing back enough (the side which clamps the cable) and that pad is constantly engaged against the rim. Today's cycle to work was like a mountain climb...

I've adjusted the cable which to me seems fine. I've been tinkering with the small screws on the springs but I'm not getting that simultaneous pad contact to have that perfect braking.

Brakes are Tektro v-brakes, bike is a Carrerra subway about 3 years old. I cycle on & off road a bit, so pardon the filth of the bike but it's well looked after!

Putting the photo in in case something obvious for those out there with a keen eye and more knowledge than I.

irishmotorist

It looks like the cable is tighter than it was at one stage...looking at the bolt towards the right of the pic that is holding the cable. It's not that it's too tight, is it? You could also unlatch the cable and oil the hinge and spring where it's not springing back. That may help.

Zen0

Check that one of the return springs on the calliper arms hasn't come loose from behind its retaining tab.

Ranjo

irishmotorist wrote: »

It looks like the cable is tighter than it was at one stage...looking at the bolt towards the right of the pic that is holding the cable. It's not that it's too tight, is it? You could also unlatch the cable and oil the hinge and spring where it's not springing back. That may help.

The cable has been adjusted over time due to pad wearing and some trial & error as I tuned them.

Zen0 wrote: »

Check that one of the return springs on the calliper arms hasn't come loose from behind its retaining tab.

The springs are set fine, nothing out of place.

Not sure what else I can do. Thinking of taking it to get looked at in a shop, but don't think it's anything major..

thebikeman.ie

It maybe that the return spring on one side is not now as strong as on the other (there is always some variation) and the tension adjuster screws can’t compensate for that difference . If you take the brakes off the bike you will see that the brake bosses (on the frame) have a small flat panel with three holes in it. One end of the spring goes into one of these holes, usually both springs are in the middle hole, you can add or reduce tension to a spring by putting it into the top or bottom hole. Then use the tension adjuster screws to even out the tension. It's not hard, mostly trial and error, and being prepared to put the time into figuring it out.

If that fails you can get new calipers from Chain Reaction for €10.49

Ranjo

OK all sorted. I was not being patient enough. The small screws increase the spring tension, but not at a speed that was immediately visible. One of the springs had lost a little tension too, so I found a trick to improve it.

The spring has a long arm which latches on the brake arm, as thebikeman was referring to. I just manually bent the arm a little outwards so it gave the spring a bit more tension.

Then after adjusting the small screws the pads are connecting at the same time and both pulling away from the rim upon release.