For those having issues with Guide brake levers not returning, my LBS got SRAM to warranty them and also upgraded them (RS to RSC). Anecdotally they had 3 warranty repairs including mine that week. So far they feel great. Not certain if it's a redesign or a recall, but if you are having similar issues take it to your LBS. My brakes started to act up ~9 months since I bought them. Bleeding and brake pad replacement and piston cleaning did nothing.
Guide RS Levers not Returning: Replaced Under Warranty
dusadus
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pictures or it didn't happen
I will be doing the exact same thing when my replacement internals get here tomorrow and will post some pics.
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Do you have long nosed snap ring pliers? I bought some and even had to grind the crap out of those in order to even reach the snap ring!
I did order some. I originally disassembled the brakes at a bike park to diagnose the issue, and it took the mechanic quite a while to get the ring off. I'm hoping it'll be easier now that it's been done once... We'll see though.
As promised here are pics from the old master cylinder. The rub marks can clearly be seen. It seemed to have 100% fixed the problem when I replaced it, but time will tell. I also gave the internals of the lever a good cleaning. As mentioned above the snap ring was a b!tch to get off.
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Is it the rubber or the plastic that is making it stick? Looks like a lot of rubbing on the plastic.
Mine has the same issues described. I decided to go with the rebuild kit. Can never find the time to go the bike shop and anticipating the hassle of dealing with a SRAM dealer where I didn't purchase the bike (no confidence in my LBS either).
So I disassembled mine today. The snap ring was removed with moderate aggravation. However the piston (not sure of the proper name) was completely seized. Usually it would work just fine at room temp, but this time it was stuck. I think dirt/sand got in there (it is somewhat exposed).
Anyway, I decided to remove the piston with a shot of compressed air. Well this worked really well. Too well. The piston shot across the room and, I think into another dimension, because I have not been able to find it. I did find the spring. I was hoping to be able to take a look at my piston to see why it was sticking, well maybe it will show up in a couple of years, when I've forgot about it.
Will report back when I get the new parts assembled.
Mine has the same issues described. I decided to go with the rebuild kit. Can never find the time to go the bike shop and anticipating the hassle of dealing with a SRAM dealer where I didn't purchase the bike (no confidence in my LBS either).
So I disassembled mine today. The snap ring was removed with moderate aggravation. However the piston (not sure of the proper name) was completely seized. Usually it would work just fine at room temp, but this time it was stuck. I think dirt/sand got in there (it is somewhat exposed).
Anyway, I decided to remove the piston with a shot of compressed air. Well this worked really well. Too well. The piston shot across the room and, I think into another dimension, because I have not been able to find it. I did find the spring. I was hoping to be able to take a look at my piston to see why it was sticking, well maybe it will show up in a couple of years, when I've forgot about it.
Will report back when I get the new parts assembled.
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Thanks a lot for the pictures.
Kudos to these few brave who take matters into their own hands!
Kudos to these few brave who take matters into their own hands!
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284 Posts
An Allen key??
How anticlimactic! :idea: I think I'll try packing the next one with gunpowder!:ihih:
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284 Posts
UPDATE: The Dog found the lost piston. She had it in her mouth. Not sure how the dog found it. We searched for hours for that thing.
Anyway, it looks just like the others with lots of rub marks etc.
I clean it off really good and tried inserting it back into the lever. It was still stuck tight (yes, this time I removed it with an allen key, no drama).
So my question is, should this piston move freely with just the spring tension, or does it need fluid in there?
Still waiting for my parts to arrive.
Anyway, it looks just like the others with lots of rub marks etc.
I clean it off really good and tried inserting it back into the lever. It was still stuck tight (yes, this time I removed it with an allen key, no drama
).So my question is, should this piston move freely with just the spring tension, or does it need fluid in there?
Still waiting for my parts to arrive.
The new piston I put in moves very freely with only spring tension. Soaking it in brake fluid as recommended loosened it up even more.UPDATE: The Dog found the lost piston. She had it in her mouth. Not sure how the dog found it. We searched for hours for that thing.
Anyway, it looks just like the others with lots of rub marks etc.
I clean it off really good and tried inserting it back into the lever. It was still stuck tight (yes, this time I removed it with an allen key, no drama
So my question is, should this piston move freely with just the spring tension, or does it need fluid in there?
Still waiting for my parts to arrive.
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2,858 Posts
Are we talking about some isolated issues here or will a larger number of Guide brakes develop this sticky lever syndrome over time?
If the ruber seal inside "swells" from the brake fluid that sounds very much like another faulty design/inferior materials in the first place
If the ruber seal inside "swells" from the brake fluid that sounds very much like another faulty design/inferior materials in the first place
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489 Posts
Holy crap balls this is old news. I've worked on a bunch of old sram/avid brakes that have this problem and they used the same (similar) white piston. What happens is that the brake fluid combined with heat causes that white piston to expand which causes the brake lever to stop working. What we did at the shop was remove all the rubber rings, put the skinny end into a power drill, find some fine sandpaper and sand down the fatter part of the cylinder until it goes back into the housing without any friction.
The good news is that once you've done this a couple times it only takes about a half hour, including a bleed, to restore the brake to be fully functional and it lasts for a long time.
I can't believe SRAM is still using that plastic piston after all these years...
The good news is that once you've done this a couple times it only takes about a half hour, including a bleed, to restore the brake to be fully functional and it lasts for a long time.
I can't believe SRAM is still using that plastic piston after all these years...
G
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·nice troll and guess, but not.
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2,858 Posts
you wanna read post #21 before calling me names here because that is what I was refering to. I encountered the problems described here but didn't disassemble the levers myself as both got exchanged under warranty.
G
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·excellent fix. glad to see folks not just give in to the 'ahh hell it's broke throw it away and buy new' mentality as there's much satisfaction in improvising when successful.
Glad to see the ignore list function work it's magic :thumbsup:
Thank you! This is possible by the fact that I'm from Russiaexcellent fix. glad to see folks not just give in to the 'ahh hell it's broke throw it away and buy new' mentality as there's much satisfaction in improvising when successful.
Glad to see the ignore list function work it's magic :thumbsup:
Here I have problems with the warranty on such products, or can not buy the necessary spare parts.
But I bought two brake GuideRS and they both stopped working a year later.
Now they are working perfectly, even in the +32C.
This fix is working for me!
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727 Posts
Are these the correct instructions?https://www.canyon.com/download/manuals/Manual_Guide_Brakes.pdf
My levers are getting sticky, the back's the worst and I wonder if it's necessary to get the lever parts kit or if I can just clean, trim the piston and reinstall? Nearly new bike from Bikes Direct, so I'll be doing any work myself.....
My levers are getting sticky, the back's the worst and I wonder if it's necessary to get the lever parts kit or if I can just clean, trim the piston and reinstall? Nearly new bike from Bikes Direct, so I'll be doing any work myself.....
In most of the brake upgrade threads there is someone that pipes in with "you haven't tried guides yet, SRAM fixed it, they are great". At least now there is a thread proving that the Guides are just as bad as the rest.
Hopefully adding something more constructive to the thread, I replaced my wife's DB5 (absolutely not an Avid!, lol) brakes tonight with SLX's. This was on her newest bike, a Trek Stache. Same crap as my Avids from 2011, stuck on when hot. My point is, the issues seem to impact those that level too to add another data point to the one already mentioned.
On another note, concerning the concern about it being widespread. I was shopping for a bike for one of my kids. I expressed by discontent with the Guide brakes on the bike. The salesman at the LBS gave me the "they are all the same, those are sweet brakes" speech, and a story about a leaking Shimano caliper. It was probably true, but whatever. In the mean time we are messing around in the parking lot with the bike on a test ride. Its 88 degrees (F) and to no surprise of mine the front brake lever starts to stick causing the brake to drag. In the end we bought the bike that didn't have SRAM brakes, and I'm so thankful I don't have to deal with another set.
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