Carrera Crossfire-e hydraulic front break issue

[Artmuzz]

I was out cycling on my Crossfire-e bike over the weekend and whilst cycling a kept on hearing an strange intermittent screeching sound coming from my front wheel. The only way to get rid of the sound is when I slightly pull on my front brake but the sound returns. Anyway I got off my bike and investigated what the problem was. When I touched the front break disc I nearly burnt myself as it was so hot. This explained to me that it must be an issue with the brake pads. Can anyone tell me what they think could be wrong with the break pads and is there a way to fix them myself. What tools do I use to adjust the break. Please advise.

 

[Fordulike]

I was out cycling on my Crossfire-e bike over the weekend and whilst cycling a kept on hearing an strange intermittent screeching sound coming from my front wheel. The only way to get rid of the sound is when I slightly pull on my front break but the sound returns. Anyway I got off my bike and investigated what the problem was. When I touched the front break disc I nearly burnt myself as it was so hot. This explained to me that it must be an issue with the break pads. Can anyone tell me what they think could be wrong with the break pads and is there a way to fix them myself. What tools do I use to adjust the break. Please advise.

The way I adjust mine, is to loosen off the two caliper mounting bolts slightly, using a hex key. Then I squeeze the brake lever firmly and tighten the bolts back up whilst still squeezing lever. This should centralize the caliper/pads to the disc.

 

[Artmuzz]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, the nuts in the brakes require a torx star key which I will need to buy.

 

[Fordulike]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, the nuts in the breaks require a torx star key which I will need to buy.

Worth giving the brake caliper and pads a good clean too, as the pads can get sticky in their holder and cause intermittent disc rub issues.

Take a look at this thread too:

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/hydraulic-disc-brake-noise-sorted.27897/

 

[Woosh]

I was out cycling on my Crossfire-e bike over the weekend and whilst cycling a kept on hearing an strange intermittent screeching sound coming from my front wheel. The only way to get rid of the sound is when I slightly pull on my front break but the sound returns. Anyway I got off my bike and investigated what the problem was. When I touched the front break disc I nearly burnt myself as it was so hot. This explained to me that it must be an issue with the break pads. Can anyone tell me what they think could be wrong with the break pads and is there a way to fix them myself. What tools do I use to adjust the break. Please advise.

check your QR skewer first. This problem comes often as a result of the QR not properly located in the fork's jaws.
Loosen it and see if the rotor is properly centered.
If it's not, then you may need to recentre the caliper.
But before you do that, you should check that both pistons move equally when you squeeze the brakes. If one of them is jammed, then you need to service the caliper.
If both pistons move equally and the rotor is bent one sided when you squeeze the brakes, loosen the two M5 bolts to allow the caliper to find its correct position.
Then tighten the caliper and check to finish.

 

[tommie]

Lift front of bike, spin front wheel, it should spin freely. Look down at disc rotor and make sure there's no buckle in it.

 

[Artmuzz]

Thanks for the replies. I took my front wheel off and looked at the break pads. When I press the brake lever the two pads move so there doesn't seem to be anything stuck. However, I have noticed that one of the pads is very loose and it moves about when I touch it with my finger. Maybe this could be the problem. Anyway I sprayed degreaser on the brakes.

 

[Woosh]

However, I have noticed that one of the pads is very loose and it moves about when I touch it with my finger.

it moves because it has floating self centering mechanism. Don't worry about that.
If you post some pictures of your brakes, we'll understand the problem better.

 

[Artmuzz]

I took my bike to Halfords and they told me that the both the rear and front brake pads are worn so they charged me £16 to get the front pads replaced and fitted. I then told them of another issue I have with the battery cutting out and told me I will be £90 to get the battery compartment replaced as the pins have become loose. Anyway they also told me I need a new chain, cassette and pedals which will set me back nearly £200.

 

[Woosh]

it seems a bit high. May be worth buying the parts and doing the work yourself.

will be £90 to get the battery compartment replaced as the pins have become loose.

If something is loosened, post a picture, you may need to tighten a couple of bolts.

How many miles have you done with the bike?

 

[Artmuzz]

it seems a bit high. May be worth buying the parts and doing the work yourself.



If something is loosened, post a picture, you may need to tighten a couple of bolts.

How many miles have you done with the bike?

A member of staff at Hardfords took a photo with his mobile phone of the part that is loose so he can send the photo to head office to see if I can get it covered by warranty since I have only had the bike since July 2016. I will try and upload a photo myself.

I do 24 miles a week on my bike and I have the bike since July 2016.

 

[soundwave]

you want bigger disc rotors as if you got heat in them the pads wont last long at all.

you want some 203mm 2 part rotors like these.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-xt-saint-rt86-ice-tech-6-bolt-disc-rotor/rp-prod67197


thats what happens to cheap rotors on my bike they get so hot they warp all out of shape thus why yours are now rubbing as i bet the rotor is bent

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

I took my bike to Halfords and they told me that the both the rear and front brake pads are worn so they charged me £16 to get the front pads replaced and fitted. I then told them of another issue I have with the battery cutting out and told me I will be £90 to get the battery compartment replaced as the pins have become loose. Anyway they also told me I need a new chain, cassette and pedals which will set me back nearly £200.

They dont get called Halfrauds for nothing

 

[Volusia25]

you want bigger disc rotors as if you got heat in them the pads wont last long at all.

you want some 203mm 2 part rotors like these.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-xt-saint-rt86-ice-tech-6-bolt-disc-rotor/rp-prod67197

View attachment 19454
thats what happens to cheap rotors on my bike they get so hot they warp all out of shape thus why yours are now rubbing as i bet the rotor is bent

What? If OP was going down a mountain maybe, in every day use applying the brakes only when you actually need to, there's no way they would have a chance to get so hot that the metal becomes soft, unless they were set up wrong or crooked/buckled to begin with.

 

[soundwave]

When I touched the front break disc I nearly burnt myself as it was so hot.

 

[Volusia25]

Yea, buckled, damaged or sticking.

 

[Rob Evans]

I've worked as a commercial fishermen and a mechanic over the years but unfortunately I have had to finish work with lung disease.
I've recently purchased a Carrera Subway e withthe same brake set up as yours.
I know that your post was listed quite some time ago now but I keep hearing of people suffering with the same issue.
After covering just 14 miles on my bike I developed the same screeching and hot disc issue. I stripped the brakes to have a look (I class myself as fairly competent given my history). 3 things struck me straight away that would cause issues with similar symptoms on a car.
1. The pads are held in place by a split pin which is effectively a slider. The pin is far too soft for this purpose and had a few notches in it (nothing severe, but enough to stop a pad from releasing off the disc). This I believe was causing the pads to remain constantly applying enough pressure on the disc to generate extreme heat.
2. The pads themselves had no chamfer on the leading edge (known to cause squealing), the vast majority of car brake pads are now manufactured with chamfers on both edges.
3. There wasn't any grease anywhere at all.

I rebuilt my brakes after filing a chamfer on the leading edge and I changed the split pin for a stainless steel one. I also applied copper grease to the rear of the pads and on the split pin.
The result was more effective brakes with no squealing or excessive heat generated.
It's a really cheap fix which costs pennies for a stainless steel split pin.