Suggestions to make changing brake pads easier?

[makoti]

Campy Chorus brakes. Went to swap out my pads to run my carbon wheels. It was very easy to swap out the Enve pads & in the Campy pads for the alloy wheels, but getting the Campy pads out took an hour and a few choice words. Anything I can do to prep the pads for an easier removal next time? They have been in the brakes for a good 6 months & a few thousand miles, but haven't seen a lot of rain & crud.
That was just way too hard for what it should have been.

[rwsaunders]

Try some dishwashing liquid on the sides of the pads when you insert them in the pad holders.

[fogrider]

get brake pad holders for each. I don't even bother, if I want to ride different wheels, I just ride a different bike!

[jtakeda]

Try some dishwashing liquid on the sides of the pads when you insert them in the pad holders.

This.

I used bacon fat once, dish soap works very well

[Fishy1923]

I have a set of zero gravity brakes, which may not be as difficult, that i'll grab the campy pad with needle nose pliers and then grab the pad holder with another set of pliers (with a cloth to protect the holder from scratches) and it works pretty easily. This involves removing the pad holder from the brake to do...

[carpediemracing]

http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-to-campy-brake-pad-swap.html

Look at the first comment. I went through 8000 words to describe using channel-locks. My buddy uses a small screwdriver inserted between pad and holder and just pops out the pads.

You do need to leverage the new pads in, using a hammer and tapping them in works.

[ntb1001]

I have pads already installed on extra brake shoes, then just use the torx/hex tool to remove and replace..much easier.
That or just switch bikes :cool:

[sandyrs]

You could always use Shimano shoes on your Campy brakes. I did that with my last set of Campy brakes and it saved me a lot of struggle.

[shovelhd]

Get rid of your alloy wheels.

[aramis]

Get rid of your alloy wheels.

Shoot, I was going to suggest getting rid of the carbon wheels.

[shovelhd]

Wheel snob.

[makoti]

You could always use Shimano shoes on your Campy brakes. I did that with my last set of Campy brakes and it saved me a lot of struggle.

They fit? How old were your last Campy brakes?

[makoti]

Thanks for the suggestions (keeping the wheels, but I have considered letting the carbons go...). I'll try the dish soap. If that fails, may try the extra shoes.

[thirdgenbird]

Get rid of your alloy wheels.

Or get alloy wheels that use carbon pads (shamal Mille)

[carpediemracing]

For what it's worth I use carbon wheels racing (Stingers, various models 2010-2012) and train on alloys (Jets or Bastogne/Ardennes). I don't change pads between the wheels, just leave on dual compound salmon/black Koolstops. Previously I used the salmon-only KS, removing it for the dual compound. And prior to that 2 or 3 sets of black/dry KS, which I wore down to virtually nothing, had them, used them up, then got something that would work better than nothing in wet weather.

I don't train as much as some others, I ride probably close to half my outside hours on the carbons. However I used to train pretty big hours when I first got the HEDs (2010) and by then I was on plain black KS pads. I had the Swissstops from the Reynolds DV46 days.

I can switch pads easily on my bike but I choose not to do so.

[lhuerta]

...removing the pads should take about one second per pad (not kidding)....simply wedge a slim flathead screwdriver between the pad and the holder and pull out, popping the pad out...presto! If u r careful there will b no damage to holder or pad. If you are using ur fingers trying to slide the pad out, then I can see why this took u an hour. Hope this saves ur indoors for the next go around.
Lou

[DRZRM]

I thought that with Campy if you gripped the brakes (moderately) and rolled the weighted (straddling the top bar) bike backwards they would pop out enough to loosen by hand.

[zap]

Vice, pinch pads (careful, not the holder), slide out.

[lhuerta]

Vice, pinch pads (careful, not the holder), slide out.

NO !!! Very poor advice. Why remove calipers/pad holders and place in a vice when all u need to do is wedge a screwdriver between pad and holder? Oye !

[oldpotatoe]

NO !!! Very poor advice. Why remove calipers/pad holders and place in a vice when all u need to do is wedge a screwdriver between pad and holder? Oye !

Oye..he's right!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ktTXjSqvJc

at 1:32...ya better do this!!

[zap]

NO !!! Very poor advice. Why remove calipers/pad holders and place in a vice when all u need to do is wedge a screwdriver between pad and holder? Oye !

SOP. I deal with several different brakes. Some pad holders and pads are very tight. Wedging a screwdriver will cause damage to light pad holders. Additionally, I also clean parts and re-apply grease to the pad holder bolt.

[djdj]

Prying out with a small screwdriver as described above works best to remove the pads. The easiest way to insert the pads is to wet the part to be inserted with rubbing alcohol. That is what Campag recommends, btw. No hammering needed -- they really will slide in easily.

[ariw]

SwissStop yellow, never need to change

Ari