Replacing V brakes - spring tension

belgiangoth · Post by **belgiangoth** » 20 Aug 2008, 6:29pm

I recently did a strip, clean and linseed oil on my frame, but when I put it all back together I had an issue with the V brakes. Without changing anything on the setup I found that the brakes no longer spring back and feel somewhat spongey. I think it's something to do with the spring - but can't figure it out at all.
For the moment I have bodged it by setting the brakes up in the wrong hole on the frame. Anyone know what I need to do to fix it properly?

stephen · Post by **stephen** » 20 Aug 2008, 6:40pm

Did you put the springs back the same way round. On mine one is a clockwise and the other an anti clockwise helix. Also one end may be longer than the other so if it's upside down maybe it's not engaging properly.

Stephen

Yorkshireman · Post by **Yorkshireman** » 20 Aug 2008, 6:51pm

Did you engage the springs with the brake arms horizontal (or even pointing down a little) so that there is a little pre-tension when the cable is reconnected?

belgiangoth · Post by **belgiangoth** » 21 Aug 2008, 9:56am

When re-connecting the brake arms they flap loosely towards the wheel...

Yorkshireman · Post by **Yorkshireman** » 21 Aug 2008, 10:34am

belgiangoth wrote:When re-connecting the brake arms they flap loosely towards the wheel...

The arms should have a reasonable amount of (spring) resistance when fitted correctly. To get the spring pre tension let the arms hang down to horizontal (or even pointing down a bit) with the brake arm mounting bolts quite loose and enter the spring anchor (the bit of spring - usually the shorter one - that is bent at 90deg to the coiled bit) into the middle hole in the brake arm mount on the fork and then tighten the arm mounting bolt. You should then find that there is quite a lot of tension when the arms are squeezed together to attach the cable (I wind a couple of loops of string around both arms to hold them in place while attaching the cable). Hope this helps.

stephen · Post by **stephen** » 21 Aug 2008, 10:42am

I seem to remember last time I did mine I, that I slid them back on and re-engaged the spring with the arms pointing almost downwards, so when they are in their normal position the spring is twisting them away from the rim. Sounds to me as if the two springs are on the wrong sides.

Yorkshireman's last post wasn't there when I started writing this, he explains it better than I do

Asdace · Post by **Asdace** » 21 Aug 2008, 10:53am

If you look on the frame both sides of the V-brake, there is 3 small holes for the tension spring to engage into. This is normally the middle one.

belgiangoth · Post by **belgiangoth** » 22 Aug 2008, 5:07pm

Yorkshireman wrote:Did you engage the springs with the brake arms horizontal (or even pointing down a little) so that there is a little pre-tension when the cable is reconnected?

See, for some reason I misunderstood "horizontal" as "vertical". Followed your instructions and they work a treat, thanks you are a star!

Post by Si » 22 Aug 2008, 5:20pm

belgiangoth wrote:
Yorkshireman wrote:Did you engage the springs with the brake arms horizontal (or even pointing down a little) so that there is a little pre-tension when the cable is reconnected?

See, for some reason I misunderstood "horizontal" as "vertical". Followed your instructions and they work a treat, thanks you are a star!

I don't know, these academics eh! :wink:

Yorkshireman · Post by **Yorkshireman** » 22 Aug 2008, 7:36pm

Si wrote:
belgiangoth wrote:
Yorkshireman wrote:Did you engage the springs with the brake arms horizontal (or even pointing down a little) so that there is a little pre-tension when the cable is reconnected?

See, for some reason I misunderstood "horizontal" as "vertical". Followed your instructions and they work a treat, thanks you are a star!

I don't know, these academics eh!

I have been known to transpose 'left' and 'right' :oops:

stephen · Post by **stephen** » 22 Aug 2008, 10:51pm

Yorkshireman wrote:I have been known to transpose 'left' and 'right'

A bit like New Labour then