Setting up U Brakes

[dubdee]

Are they any good guides online for setting the U brakes up ? Built bike up today but as i'm skint just stuck cheap stuff on but the brakes do not do a thing!!! Never set you brakes up before so just guessed thought it might be cheap brakes but my nieces brakes has unbranded jobbies on too and they are really keen.

The rear (gyro) just feels solid and makes no difference when pressed, The front has a better feel but does little. Was wondering if the brake mounts should be greased (had to remove paint as frame had been repainted). How much tension should i get on them and how close should they run to the rim etc?

Any help appreciated

[john4130]

grease the brake posts and the cable inners and only put about a quarter turn of tension on the springs, how close your blocks are too the rims is really just down tp preference.

[dubdee]

Cheers i need all the help i can get last brakes i set up were the old style mx copies not even engraved mx was stuck on lol

[pickle]

do you have the springs on the right arms? 

[dubdee]

do you have the springs on the right arms? 

Hope so there as they came out of the packet, Did put more than a quarter tension on though i think.

[pickle]

cool, yeah you just need to have enough tension to make em spring off the frame 

but lube is the way to go on the Gyro cables     or if you're never going to spin the bars, ditch the gyro and just run a cable through to the brake 

[HEYWOOD BMX]

http://www.bikeguide.org/how-to/brakes/index.php

[dubdee]

Not sure what i'm doing wrong here but it's really grinding my gears 

Tried setting up the front brake but it still did little then noticed that the brake arm was also catching a bit (cheap brakes) found some old ones that came with the spares so fitted these which seem to fit a lot better, Swapped the brake pads over and the brake feels fine etc but on the road test still at best slows the bike down!!!

I have read all the online guides etc and know have the front set so it feels like it's working but it hardly slows the bike any ideas ?

[theRuler]

How is the cable routed?  No super tight bits are there?

[dubdee]

I'ts routed through the stem bolt forks , Will pull it out and try it running straight down, Been messing with it so much going to need a new inner now too lol

[theRuler]

I'ts routed through the stem bolt forks , Will pull it out and try it running straight down, Been messing with it so much going to need a new inner now too lol

If the cable has got crimped somewhere, or the inner is ragged, or there is a fray somewhere, it will not work so good.
Perhaps get a new cable and start over!!

No need to go nuts with cable ties - just one will do to keep it away from the wheel.
And modern cables are good enough to run a small loop without any troubles.

[dubdee]

I'ts routed through the stem bolt forks , Will pull it out and try it running straight down, Been messing with it so much going to need a new inner now too lol

If the cable has got crimped somewhere, or the inner is ragged, or there is a fray somewhere, it will not work so good.
Perhaps get a new cable and start over!!

No need to go nuts with cable ties - just one will do to keep it away from the wheel.
And modern cables are good enough to run a small loop without any troubles.

Cheers pulled the cable out so it follows a more normal route, Also put a bit more tension on one side and it is better, Still not brilliant but a lot better. I'm going to ditch the gyro i think (just got new cables grr) as realistically i will never be skilled enough to spin the bars lol

Do brake blocks need to bed in, Its got new pads and the wheels are new to me so wondering if they might have had oil or polish on them.

[pickle]

you should always give new pads a little rub with some sand paper (or just on the concrete floor) to remove any sheen they have 

[dubdee]

Well done all of the above but still no joy 

Going to wait till i get a new cable and start again, Last attempt was better managed a couple of endo's just (nearly braking my fingers pressing that hard) then they just seemed to get worse again lol

 

[john4130]

if it feels smooth to pull and springs back fine then it's probably the blocks are crap or the rims need cleaned, what rims are you using? chrome rims are best for braking, painted, anodised or bare rims don't normally work as well. if your brakes well set up using chrome rims and it's still crap then i'd suggest losing a few pounds. 

[dubdee]

Bit of a update backed the tension off which improved a little, then wiped the rims over with some surface cleaner tried a endo and went over bars and stacked it 

There still not 100% they do tend to start feeling bad again but a quick wipe over the rims and its 90% for a while. It definately wants a new cable and i am thinking a proper clean of the rims.

if it feels smooth to pull and springs back fine then it's probably the blocks are crap or the rims need cleaned, what rims are you using? chrome rims are best for braking, painted, anodised or bare rims don't normally work as well. if your brakes well set up using chrome rims and it's still crap then i'd suggest losing a few pounds. 

There bare rims as above i think your right about cleaning the rims, going to get some branded blocks as well. As for losing weight its happening slowly and i have had the odd go on my niece's pink bmx which has tektro brakes and stops on the button i actually swapped bikes last time we were out   

[HEYWOOD BMX]

Got bare rims on my bike albeit with machined sidewall,black/salmon Koolstop BMX pads (toed in),greased Odyssey Slic cables & it stops on a dime.Try a new cable inner & start again taking time and care

[pickle]

Can't beat those salmon and black kool stop pads