robt
Viscount
Posts: 558 
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Post by robt on Mar 1, 2021 15:41:54 GMT
So, I finished renovating my neighbour's Raleigh Chloe:  P1000831 by RMT@261, on Flickr Hubs, b/b & headset stripped & re-packed; freewheel scrubbed & lubed; frame and all the bits washed & polished; new cables & pads fitted; wheels rebuilt using plain 2mm stainless spokes and polished alloy Ryde Sputniks to replace the original chromed steel rims; Schwalbe inner tubes and 'Road Cruiser' 700x35 tyres fitted and ensconced in 45mm SKS mudguards (fenders?). A nice little lockdown project, even if it's no lightweight racer. I just hope that my neighbour thinks that it's worth the cost of the parts! Does anyone have any top tips to keep Weinmann brake calipers centred? The caliper pivots are lubed up and operate reasonably smoothly, but have a tendency to open with one pad still resting on the rim, and the other arm taking all the cable movement. The 'resting' pads don't drag enough to slow the bike while riding, but can give little squeak when wheeling the bike at low speed. Am I expecting too much from this ancient technology, or is there a crafty way of incorporating a star washer or similar into the assembly to keep the pivot arms centred? Front and back suffer from the same irritating problem. It feels as though the 'spring' from the curve of the cable housings are part of the problem, as the 'resting' pads are both on the side that the cable enters the caliper. Any and all suggestions welcome.  Raleigh Chloe by RMT@261, on Flickr |
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Post by brianbutler on Mar 1, 2021 17:16:42 GMT
See if you can rotate the entire caliper by turning the rear nut. Sometimes you can tap the springs to get more or less leverage on one side.
Brian
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Post by brianbutler on Mar 1, 2021 17:20:05 GMT
I meant to say that looks like a great job on that bike.
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Post by franco on Mar 1, 2021 17:44:58 GMT
Great job Rob, looks stunning.
It really pleases me to see bikes like that refurbished instead put out for scrap because they’re ‘old fashioned’.
What Brian said about the calipers, try moving the entire caliper then hold it centred whilst tightening the bolt. Apparently there was a tool for this but you can get them right by faffing around the other way.
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Post by oldroadietehachapi on Mar 1, 2021 18:18:33 GMT
Wonderful Bike. As for the brakes, even when centered and lubed, sometimes one side works better than the other. I have had some success in stretching the spring on the lazy side.
All the Best Jim
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,389
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Post by Jem on Mar 2, 2021 15:25:17 GMT
That looks like a very good job Rob! I'm looking in my crystal ball and seeing something....it's...it's a box... it's a small box... of shortbread biscuits or is it a half size bottle of whiskey for your efforts?
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robt
Viscount
Posts: 558
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Post by robt on Mar 2, 2021 19:16:23 GMT
That looks like a very good job Rob! I'm looking in my crystal ball and seeing something....it's...it's a box... it's a small box... of shortbread biscuits or is it a half size bottle of whiskey for your efforts? Right now, I’d settle for just a half of Thwaites’ Wainwright pulled fresh from behind the bar at The Bull’s Head down the road! I think it’s your birthday soon, Jem, so many congratulations and many thanks for all your work to keep the forum so fresh and useful to us. Cheers! |
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,389
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Post by Jem on Mar 2, 2021 20:07:21 GMT
Cheers Rob...couple of days away. I think I'll treat myself to a quiet night in again  |
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Post by whippet on Mar 2, 2021 20:54:14 GMT
Looks great Rob, should be a super comfy shopper.
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Post by brianbutler on Mar 26, 2021 14:16:12 GMT
Wonderful Bike. As for the brakes, even when centered and lubed, sometimes one side works better than the other. I have had some success in stretching the spring on the lazy side.
All the Best Jim
I just had a brake adjustment "brakethrough". Working on some Dia Compe sidepull calipers, I noticed one side was lazy as Jim mentioned. I lubed the pivots and bumped the spring but nothing got that left side moving properly so I carefully watched the action on both sides to see what was different. I noticed that the lower spring contact on the sticky side was not sliding freely. A tiny drop of Tri-Flow on that contact immediately and completely eliminated the problem. Friction at the top spring contacts evidently doesn't matter since they are slightly hooked to prevent sliding. This is a very subtle but important friction point. This will be part of my maintenance routine from now on and when I disassemble and rebuild calipers I plan to polish the end of the springs and the contact surfaces on the arms. I'm surprised I didn't know about this until now as probably many of you did.
Brian
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Post by wheelson on Mar 26, 2021 18:04:51 GMT
Wonderful Bike. As for the brakes, even when centered and lubed, sometimes one side works better than the other. I have had some success in stretching the spring on the lazy side.
All the Best Jim
I just had a brake adjustment "brakethrough". Working on some Dia Compe sidepull calipers, I noticed one side was lazy as Jim mentioned. I lubed the pivots and bumped the spring but nothing got that left side moving properly so I carefully watched the action on both sides to see what was different. I noticed that the lower spring contact on the sticky side was not sliding freely. A tiny drop of Tri-Flow on that contact immediately and completely eliminated the problem. Friction at the top spring contacts evidently doesn't matter since they are slightly hooked to prevent sliding. This is a very subtle but important friction point. This will be part of my maintenance routine from now on and when I disassemble and rebuild calipers I plan to polish the end of the springs and the contact surfaces on the arms. I'm surprised I didn't know about this until now as probably many of you did.
Brian
Good sleuthing, Brian. Tri-Flow is rather amazing stuff. We use a lot at the shop, pivot points on brakes and derailleurs after cleaning. It works well inside cable housing , too. Best, John “wheelson” |
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Post by brianbutler on Mar 26, 2021 21:03:16 GMT
I always use Tri-Flow, and not much of it, on derailleur pivots and other contact points. Finish Line teflon dry lubricant on the chain and not much of that either. Minimal lubrication seems best and allows easier cleaning, which is really the important thing. I get tired of taking apart bikes where the 40 year maintenance plan was "add oil, add oil, add oil" but I will say those mechanical parts are usually well preserved inside their thick coating of dried oil and dirt. Plus they haven't been used for the last 38 years because that's when they seized up from too much dried oil and dirt.
Funny side story. Back in the early 80's, when I used to add oil, add oil, and add more oil, my rear derailleur finally would no longer move. It was also almost impossible to clean so I took it to a local machine shop and asked the owner if he knew of a good way to clean greasy parts, thinking he might have a hot tank or something. Instead, he pulled a roasting pan off a shelf, opened the lid and dunked my RD and swirled it around with pliers for maybe 15 seconds. When he pulled it out is was absolutely free of oil and grease and looked like new. It was carbon tetrachloride and the fumes were ferocious. I never went back. I don't know if he is still living but, man, that stuff was magic!
Brian
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Post by franco on Mar 26, 2021 22:04:24 GMT
I agree Brian, the add oil, add oil thing is common on really old bikes especially and a blessing in some cases. A deep clean can reveal gleaming chrome and well preserved parts. It’s part of the buzz for me gambling on how good something will clean up.
Some you win, some you lose.
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