Rant: SRAM HRD Brakes

[jwin]

Where to begin...I just need to vent.

Started when I bought used Force 1 brifters / calipers which looked in good condition. Thought I got a good deal...my first mistake.

Went to go bleed the brakes, some debris in the fluid, but everything nominal except that I have the cheap-o AVID bleeding kit which leaks air from the hoses. Why does SRAM sell a cheap and expensive version? And why are both SO **** EXPENSIVE?

In theory the bleed process isn't too bad, but way more involved than Shimano's. Something about the bladder / piston / master cylinder is pretty poorly designed compared to Shimano.

So I finally finish the bleed after much cursing about the air leakages. Brakes feel fine with the block in them.

Go out to ride and the contact point is non-existent. Can barely stop let alone lock up a wheel. Thinking that maybe I didn't bleed all the air out of the system (because cheap-o bleeding kit and hoses were disconnected for a while) I go to rebleed. Same bs.

Then I check the piston advancement. Inner piston on F & R not moving at all. I hold the outside piston to force inner piston advancement and lubricate the piston. No dice. F*** me!

So I sucker up and buy a caliper rebuild kit. No big deal. I'm already pissed but at least it will be fun to see the inside of the calipers.

Go to pickup the caliper kits and the line at the bike shop is >1 hr. Ugh. But not their fault. Second times a charm - I get there right when they open and only have to wait 35 minutes :/.

Ok so a week or so later I finally get the time to rebuild the calipers. Put them on to bleed. So far so good - except those horrible bleed syringes, ***!

Get everything dialed up. Both pistons moving nominally, but contact point is still trash. Argh, I'm so over it. Maybe the pads are too worn? I check them - nope 3.8mm thickness. What about the rotors? Nope, 1.83mm.

So at this point I'm like - enough of "by the book". I do the credit card trick. One credit card - ~.8mm. I put it in the calipers with the pads and just bleed the levers. Overfill it a bit using this technique. Boom. Contact point is great. Slight rubbing, force the pistons into the calipers and then firm up the lever. No rubbing. Having taken it for a test ride yet, cause I was doing this for an extra 2 hours after dark yesterday. Hoping for the best. Won't be surprised if it's still off.

Meanwhile...I replaced a Shimano brifter I broke and rebled the caliper in about 30 minutes. Hmph. I think I'm over SRAM for a while.

/endrant.

[vqdriver]

sorry man, i hate when something simple snowballs on me.
but you lost me right here:

Originally Posted by jwin

some debris in the fluid, ...

at that point, original plans go out the window and a full flush with new connections are on the table. that's the implicit risk of buying used.

[vqdriver]

..

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by jwin

Hmph. I think I'm over SRAM for a while.

Perhaps it's for the best.

I appreciate my HRD brakes every time I'm on the bike. Especially the descents. Not sure which AVID bleed kit I have, but it worked for me.

[joosttx]

I replaced my Sram calipers with Hope RX4's for Sram.

[jwin]

Originally Posted by vqdriver

sorry man, i hate when something simple snowballs on me.
but you lost me right here:




at that point, original plans go out the window and a full flush with new connections are on the table. that's the implicit risk of buying used.

Fair enough, but then we're talking $100 for new cables and rebuild, plus the time for a tear down of the lever and calipers?

My mistake for buying used hydraulic systems. That would have avoided all the problems.

[benb]

Originally Posted by joosttx

I replaced my Sram calipers with Hope RX4's for Sram.

This sounds like a good option if the SRAM system lets you fill at the master & bleed & the caliper and the Hope ones are more sensible. It sound rough if you end up needing a SRAM kit + Hope Kit.

I hate how on road you're kind of stuck with this proprietary mess of issues due to the brifters.

It's always been nice to have independent braking & shifting on MTB.

It seems like it's taking the bike industry WAY too long to do these brake changes. Felt like it took forever to go through the transition with MTB and then they didn't even learn their lessons when they started bringing it to the road.

[cabbagelookin]

Originally Posted by benb

This sounds like a good option if the SRAM system lets you fill at the master & bleed & the caliper and the Hope ones are more sensible. It sound rough if you end up needing a SRAM kit + Hope Kit.

I hate how on road you're kind of stuck with this proprietary mess of issues due to the brifters.

It's always been nice to have independent braking & shifting on MTB.

It seems like it's taking the bike industry WAY too long to do these brake changes. Felt like it took forever to go through the transition with MTB and then they didn't even learn their lessons when they started bringing it to the road.

I did this too. They come with everything you need to just integrate into the SRAM bleed system. My LBS said they were easy to work on and the mechanic ordered a set for himself.

[eBAUMANN]

glad you finally got it working...i had a few similarly frustrating events myself...decided im over HYDRO for awhile ha.

that said, shimano is WAY easier to live with.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by benb

This sounds like a good option if the SRAM system lets you fill at the master & bleed & the caliper and the Hope ones are more sensible. It sound rough if you end up needing a SRAM kit + Hope Kit.

I hate how on road you're kind of stuck with this proprietary mess of issues due to the brifters.

It's always been nice to have independent braking & shifting on MTB.

It seems like it's taking the bike industry WAY too long to do these brake changes. Felt like it took forever to go through the transition with MTB and then they didn't even learn their lessons when they started bringing it to the road.

I am not sure I know what you mean by "needing a SRAM kit + Hope Kit". But yes, you need to buy a SRAM hydro kit (levers, hoses and calipers) and Hope Calipers. You need to buy a SRAM bleed kit and sell the Sram Calipers. I bled my brakes without issue. This was the first time I ever bled brakes and I don't consider myself a good mechanic at all.

[fa63]

I bled SRAM Red HRD brakes for the first time a couple weeks ago, using SRAM's "expensive" Pro bleed kit. It was completely uneventful; took me about 30 min to do both and brakes worked like a charm right away. Sorry to hear your experience was not as smooth.

[jwin]

I’ve had smooth experiences the previous two times, wondering what people were fussing about. This one was completely different - a disaster.

Could be just chance, but I had to rant.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[simonov]

Originally Posted by jwin

I’ve had smooth experiences the previous two times, wondering what people were fussing about. This one was completely different - a disaster.

Could be just chance, but I had to rant.

Or it could be the risk you take buying used. I get the frustration, but it should probably be aimed at the person who sold you clapped out brakes more than SRAM.

[R3awak3n]

I never bled shimano but have done Sram and Campy... both are pretty similar.... The campy bleed kit is nicer than the sram bleed kit but its more expensive. I actually don't think the cheap bleed kit from sram is all that bad and worked well for me.


I think your first mistake was buying used. I also bought used and was a good deal and then had to buy a new set of hoses and man are those expensive. I always buy used as well but I think with hydro things get expensive quick unless all the parts are there and all the parts fit your system (hose length).

My bleed for front wheel went very well, felt great quick. Rear took a bit more work as it always does. I also had to overfill a bit to get the bite point right. Sketchy because they warn against over filling and I would probably not do it on the front wheel but on the rear I am not as worried. Has been working very well for many miles now and brakes still feel super nice.

[jwin]

I'm coming around to think that hydro's aren't worth buying used to save a couple benjamins.