Levo Gen 2 Another Guide RE problems thread

[dobbyhasfriends]

the Guide RE on my 2020 comp are powerful enough and im not unhappy with them but...

I cooked the rear brake rotor a while back and since then its been binding all the time.
the rotor is dead straight now, no problems getting that sorted but I have had the caliper off and cleaned it up and reset/lubed the pistons and it runs and works fine for a while but at the end of the next ride, it will be binding again..
no problems at all with the front.
im on the verge of giving up on them and replacing with MT5 unless someone has some good suggestions on how I can fix this?
TIA

 

[rodomotion]

I used them in like 4 rides and then switched to shimano zee. cheap, lots of power, plenty of spares.

 

[Norcalsl]

Ditched my RE's after the first week. Never been a Sram brake fan. Went with Hope tech 3 E4s with Hope floating disc rotors. (Levo SL). Soooo much better.

 

[ajbalfe]

I have had Guide RE on a few bikes and have never had a problem. I also have Shimano XT, which I like too but would still lean toward the SRAMs. Sounds like you know what you are, assume you did a full bleed. What did you lube the pistons with?

 

[Gary]

Replies along the lines of... "Bought a bike with one brands brakes. Rode it once. Didn't even bed the pads in and swapped them to some other brand.
Much better. "
Are among the most pointless replies possible.

Dobby. There are many reasons for a sticky piston. But having said it started sticking after cooking the brakes the only sensible approach is to remove the stick piston and inspect it and the seal. Replacing both if required. A hassle but believe it or not this exact issue can happen to any brake. Your easier (but pricy) option is to just replace the whole caliper.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Your easier (but pricy) option is to just replace the whole caliper.

Pfffffft ... sounds messy !!! New bike day !!!

 

[Konanige]

As above, try a full bleed First you may have boiled the fluid too. As Gary said most poor performing brakes are down to bad setup and no proper bedding in.

 

[chrismechmaster]

Out of interest what is the correct way of bedding in new pads ?

 

[Konanige]

Out of interest what is the correct way of bedding in new pads ?

Make sure discs are nice and clean(use White rag and isopropyl alcohol till rag comes away clean) then find a nice hill to ride down. Roll down at a Good speed and apply brakes do this until you feel the brake bite really well. This will deposit particles from the pads into the surface of the rotor. This needs to be done on the road. Going straight out on the trail with a new bike doesn't give the brakes a chance to bed in, this is where most people go wrong. If you don't believe this, take your car in to the garage and have new pads and discs fitted, and see how quick it DOESN'T stop!!!! Your brakes will have Good bite and pads will last longer.

 

[Gary]

This needs to be done on the road. Going straight out on the trail with a new bike doesn't give the brakes a chance to bed in

Yes it does.
Ive never bedded my own brakes in on a road.
All you need to do is brake properly. ie. Braking hard and late and not drag them and they're bedded in in one DH run.
I don't ride in Surrey tho ?

 

[Mikerb]

I would consider dragging the brakes down a hill on tarmac probably the worst way to bed in new brakes. The bedding in process merely consists of transferring a sacrifice surface layer of the brake pads onto the disc and the one thing that will prevent that happening effectively is build up of heat on the rotor. So ( as Gary said) a few short but firm applications of the brakes is what is required avoiding any heat build up.
There is no real need to clean the rotors if using the same replacement pads as those taken out since the material transferred is the same. If using different pads then yes it is probably best to start with a virgin ( ooo err!) rotor surface. ( I sense @Zimmerframe lurking)

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Replies along the lines of... "Bought a bike with one brands brakes. Rode it once. Didn't even bed the pads in and swapped them to some other brand.
Much better. "
Are among the most pointless replies possible.

Dobby. There are many reasons for a sticky piston. But having said it started sticking after cooking the brakes the only sensible approach is to remove the stick piston and inspect it and the seal. Replacing both if required. A hassle but believe it or not this exact issue can happen to any brake. Your easier (but pricy) option is to just replace the whole caliper.

ive looked all over the place since this post for caliper seals but can only find a kit that includes the pistons. are the seals available as a set do you know?

 

[Gary]

From SRAM. I doubt it.

 

[Mikerb]

ive looked all over the place since this post for caliper seals but can only find a kit that includes the pistons. are the seals available as a set do you know?

Sram Code R/RSC Kit Black buy and offers on Bikeinn?

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Sram Code R/RSC Kit Black buy and offers on Bikeinn?

aye thats the kit that has the pistons as well, I just need the seals.. but hey, at least ill have spares

 

[Mikerb]

aye thats the kit that has the pistons as well, I just need the seals.. but hey, at least ill have spares

Ah ok.....I read your post as you only being able to find the pistons but not the seals! I doubt you will find the seals on their own, complete kit is cheap enough so why put old pistons back in!!

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Ah ok.....I read your post as you only being able to find the pistons but not the seals! I doubt you will find the seals on their own, complete kit is cheap enough so why put old pistons back in!!

found em !

AVID SPARE - DISC BRAKE SERVICE CALIPER SERVICE KIT, CALIPER QTY 1 - CODE(2011-2017)/GUIDE RE:

AVID SPARE - DISC BRAKE SERVICE CALIPER SERVICE KIT, CALIPER QTY 1 - CODE(2011-2017)/GUIDE RE

www.zerobikes.co.uk

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

why put old pistons back in!

why change them? you wouldnt do it on a motorbike or car, pistons rarely wear in my experience, they only fail because they corrode or get so covered in crap they cant be cleaned and knacker new seals.. ive rebuilt a fair few motorbike and car calipers but they are hefty old items, not like the miniature guides

 

[Gary]

but they are hefty old items

this

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

this

what does this mean? the pistons need replacement regularly?

 

[Gary]

It means... you are a very clever man noticing that big heavy motor vehicle calipers have bigger longer lasting seals... I have every faith in your ability to one day work out why tiny lightweight bicycle caliper seals and pistons do not last as long.

Ps. If you're doing a caliper seal replacement I'd be tempted to just pay the extra £4 for the full piston and seal kit and replace your pistons at the same time... That way you'll be confident it's not a (burned the fuck out) piston issue.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

It means... you are a very clever man noticing that big heavy motor vehicle calipers have bigger longer lasting seals... I have every faith in your ability to one day work out why tiny lightweight bicycle caliper seals and pistons do not last as long.

Ps. If you're doing a caliper seal replacement I'd be tempted to just pay the extra £4 for the full piston and seal kit and replace your pistons at the same time... That way you'll be confident it's not a (burned the fuck out) piston issue.

cheers.. gonna ask something else now..

my old Spesh Enduro had Hope M4's (I think) they were fitted brand new in around 2002, I never once changed the seals or bled them since then to now, even after burning them up, I also never warped the discs...!
are the newer brakes just more highly strung and need more maintenance.. how often is it reasonable to change the pistons and seals etc?

 

[Gary]

My DH bike in 2001 had hope brakes (something similar to yours) which would often blow lever piston seals daily.
I haven't changed a single piston seal on any of my own bikes since I got rid of those.

So. no.

Do you think 19 years on your brakes might be having to work slightly harder?

 

[Gary]

post a side on pic of the full bike will ya?
I have a soft spot for those old Enduros as I had the 02 SX for a while. The short travel supercross version. not the later long travel freeride/enduro thing

#264LYFBrah

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Do you think 19 years on your brakes might be having to work slightly harder?

dunno what you mean??

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

post a side on pic of the full bike will ya?
I have a soft spot for those old Enduros as I had the 02 SX for a while. The short travel supercross version. not the later long travel freeride/enduro thing

#264LYFBrah

my mate had an identical bike apart from a few components, we built them as we wanted them

this is the south downs, many years ago

 

[Gary]

cheers.

Awesome little bikes for their time

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

cheers.

Awesome little bikes for their time

they were excellent, bought the frame and shock for £650 brand new, that was what they cost - im sure you remember.
I still have that bike and completely stripped it last year and it looks new, I removed the decals from the forks and mirror polished them. sadly the rear shock is beyond repair and ive been looking for a replacement just so 'if' I ever wanted to ride it, I could.

 

[Gary]

they were excellent, bought the frame and shock for £650 brand new, that was what they cost

Yeah. I remember.
The big hit frame was just £599 RRP and it came with a Fox RC coil shock that retailed for £400. Spesh frames were mental good value back then.

sadly the rear shock is beyond repair and ive been looking for a replacement just so 'if' I ever wanted to ride it, I could.

You'll probably struggle to get anything high end from any current product line in the correct eye to eye and stroke but it also has a very high leverage ratio IIRC making older shocks more compatible anyway. Ebay is possibly your best bet.