Need Help Adjusting 80's Super Record Brakes

[Saxon]

Hi all,

You'd think an internet search would've helped, but I can't find anything dealing with my issue. My mid-80's Super Record rear brakes are centered and return to center when pressed and released, but when I apply the brakes, the right side pad comes down before the left and when pressure is applied, the rim moves to the left side. I tried loosening the center bolt and moving the brakes, but it's not helping. Any help would be much appreciated.

[choke]

On the backside of the mount there are two flat spots where a cone wrench will fit. Those allow you to adjust the caliper. See the below pic.

An easy way that works for me is to loosen the mounting bolt enough that the brakes will move easily, then apply the brakes and tighten the bolt while keeping them applied. This allows the the caliper to 'self-center'.

[Saxon]

Thanks very much for the help! I centered the brakes, but the right side is still "pushing" harder than the left and the rim is moving a bit to the side. Is this normal?

[zmudshark]

Cable too short?

[Pastashop]

The interface between the spring and where it attaches to each brake arm should be lightly (and periodically) greased. This is the most reliable way to achieve proper centering. Over time, it gets grimy, more friction develops, and it should be re-greased. The centering flats are a nice feature that can be used when you don't have the time to pull the brake off and grease that sliding interface, but the problem will recur more often until it's greased.

[Saxon]

It looks like slacking the cable a bit and then re-centering the brakes did the trick. I'll grease the interfaces tomorrow.

Thanks again for the help and suggestions!

[JSL]

I've never had a pair of these that pulled evenly from the right and left. I always use a cone wrench to adjust the pads so that they hit the rim at the same time when the brake is applied. It gives perfectly crisp braking, but when the brakes aren't applied, one pad will always sit slightly further away from the rim than the other.

[Tandem Rider]

First, with the caliper un-cabled, unclip the springs, and check to make sure the arms are free without play and the pivot bolt isn't bent.

The Campy brakes of that era used some special washers with a raised rough ridge around the rim. You can see one in Choke's pic, it's around the pivot bolt where the 13mm cone wrench flats are. 1 washer for the rear caliper and 2 washers for the front to clear the headset cup. No other washers are used between the caliper and the frame or fork.

Get the pivot tight to the frame, use a 13mm cone wrench to center the brake and you are done.

[David Kirk]

I used to place a short piece of teflon cable liner over the spring to allow it to slide smoothly against the brake arm and this helps quite a bit and doesn't attract dirt.

dave

[Ralph]

I would always put a cone wrench where the flats are, and twist the spring a bit with that wrench off centering the arms, then while holding the spring a tad off center with the wrench, center the brakes with the atachment nut. Then when I pulled the brake lever, the arms worked same together. That's how I learned to center all the early single pivot sidepulls. The ones that always seemed to have one side working before the other side.

Actually still do this with single pivot rear brakes.

[Saxon]

Wow, you guys are great!

Thanks again for the help!

[professerr]

Wished I'd had know all this 25 years ago.

[11.4]

Plus, when you mount the brakes, the spring is rarely balanced across the central pivot bolt. It centers with some use, but until then it can be a bit off-center. Again, uneven centering.

And if your housing is just a bit too long or too short, it pushes the assembly a bit and is enough to change the centering too.

And as for spring lubrication, do be sure that neither the spring nor the studs it bears against on the caliper arms have any divots or bumps -- those will overcome any attempt to lubricate. Sometimes older brakes have rust spot or nicks that prevent the spring from sliding against the stud.

[Hindmost]

I kind of miss the squeaking sound of chrome on aluminum.