Found this in the bike box but unsure what it’s used for. Thought it might be a disc brake block but doesn’t quite look it. About 3cm by 3cm, thought it might be a disc brake block but doesn’t quite look it and only 3mm thick. Any ideas?
by Sensitive-Biscotti13
3 Comments
That’s exactly what it is, it’s not a bleed block.
You thought correct. it’s to be placed between your brake disc pads when you remove your wheels so you don’t squeeze close your brakes and can’t put your wheels back on.
That part is also used after you take out the pads and need to service how the pistons move in and out from the caliper. Sometimes the pistons get dirty and advance unevenly, which can cause rubbing or otherwise compromise braking performance.
Just yesterday, I used one to advance the pistons almost all the way out, but not so far that they pop loose. The plastic part got pinched in between the pistons as I squeezed the brake lever. Then, I was able to clean the curved body of the pistons and (controversial) add a tiny amount of brake fluid to the sides of the pistons so they move more smoothly in and out of the caliper. SRAM advises against this technique, by the way