Disc Brake Installation

[Jeff77]

I am planning on installing disc brakes (and disc wheels) on my EVO 4.0. I am getting a hammerhead adapter for the rear and the brakes I am going with (Formula B-4) should fit (postmount) my 2001 manitou X-vert air fork. Do I need any special tools to have a successful upgrade? Thanks.

[Simon]

No not really,fitted B4's and a hammerhead to my 4500 and it was quite straight forward (they come pre bled),the B4's instructions leave a little bit to be desired due to its translation into English,anyone with mechanical knowledge will be fine with it,you could look into having the mounts machined at your Lbs with a disc optimiser for perfect alinement,not sure how that would work on the hammerhead as I believe its made of s/steel and I think the optimiser is more designed for use on aluminium,you are supplied with plenty of shims anyway to get a good caliper alinment,just make sure when you've finished fitting them that the pads have not been contaminated and you correctly bed them in,the only tools you may need in the future for these brakes is a bleed kit which is basically 2 plastic syringes and a short lenght of plastic tube plus an adaptor to screw into the reservoir,worth purchasing, Simon [smiley=nod.gif]

[Carbon_Angus]

for the rear installation....

only thing i needed to pick up was an inexpensive tap wrench. but the drill bit and tap was included as well as the bolts.

it is very straightforward, it may seem daunting to drill into your dropout, just follow the steps  [smiley=turtle.gif]

[smiley=beer.gif]

[Jeff77]

Thanks for the info... I am thinking of creating (Dremel) my own disc brake adapter for my EVO 4.0 (Carbon Swingarm) rather than buying the hammerhead. I thought I read a post with specs on how to do this (couldn,t find it on a "search")... Does anyone have a link or info on how to do this? Thanks.

[Old Proflexer]

Jeff -

I used to have the info posted but when i changed providers, i let the info go -

Someone here may have saved the piece including pics and i may have it on my old computer somewhere but not on the new one.  It never got uploaded and saved to the new forum.

A lot of guys have easily made their own out of aluminum, stainless, carbon etc.    Some of our more enterprising members sell them with their own design and installation kit - but i've always preferred to think of this as more of a tech and help forum and not necessarily for sales.  

My crosslink info is in the files and there's a lot of good plate pics in the galleries.  Be brave -

OP

here's a basic pic -

[rapiddescent]

>be brave

I have to admit to being the enterprising soul that OP is referring to - even though I don't make any money from selling HH's and donate the time I spend selling/manufacturing/posting out HH's to the community!!!

anyway.  My advice is that "being brave" with disk brakes is not just being brave, it is being pretty daft.  HH has had one failure in 5 years - and that was on my bike during testing when a batch was manufactured with a slightly incorrect alloy.  The FSIS unit bent by 0.5 mm!!! and that was enough to fail the whole batch!

Perhaps I am being typically scottish and cynical, but I suspect the antagonistic stance from our brave soldier is more to due with a long running dispute between him and Mike Hammer who invented the disk brake system for K2/proflex bikes.

Formula B4 disk brakes are fantastic.  I use them on my own bikes.  The one thing to watch out for is that the lever is rather brittle and I have broken two, Mike has broken one and two customers have broken the lever - usually when the bike is being put in the back of the car.  I have spares for the B4 range so get in touch if you need anything.  I also use the 4-pot B4R brakes.  one word: amazing.

merry christmas and a happy new year when it comes.
callum
rdi

[Old Proflexer]

>be brave

My advice is that "being brave" with disk brakes is not just being brave, it is being pretty daft.  

Mike Hammer who invented the disk brake system for K2/proflex bikes.

i'm certain we all appreciate your contribution to the sport but many individuals like to make their own components when possible, tear apart and rebuild carbon units, convert swingarms for usage on other frames, modify mounting brackets, make disc adapters out of a lot of different materials for both the front and rear of their machines etc. - - - -
make things that work and while doing so, not be considered "daft".  
there must be a lot of us "daft" people here with proof of themselves posted proudly in our galleries.
it really has nothing to do with hammerhead adapter failures.

didn't realize Mike Billett invented the disc braking systems for the k2/proflex line of mountain bikes.  could you let us know why k2/proflex put holes in the left rear dropouts of their frames starting with the 857 series,  made and sold adapters such as the ones below to go in them?





cheers  [smiley=beer.gif] [smiley=beer.gif] [smiley=beer.gif]


OP

[Simon]

  My advice is that "being brave" with disk brakes is not just being brave, it is being pretty daft.  

Just like to make the point that maybe some of us actually know what we're doing,many on this forum may come from mechanical or engineering backgrounds and don't take on these issues lightly,I'd rather make something for my bike if possible, there's a greater satisfaction to be had this way. [smiley=beer.gif]
Simon.

[Jeff77]

Thanks for all the info. I am not from an engineering backround and although relatively handy, I have been known to screw up projects such as these... Since I have been unable to contact the people with the hammerhead adapters (have not returned e-mails), I guess I will have to give it a shot, since I just received my new wheels for Christmas! Does anyone have any measurements for the adapter ( for a carbon EVO 4.0 swingarm) I can use to create a template for the piece? Any help would be appreciated as I am a little nervous about drilling into my swingarm in the wrong location (thus ruining it)... Thanks!

[Old Proflexer]

at the magura site:

http://www.magura.com/english/frameset/default.htm

you'll find in the downloads section, IS (international standards) for disc brake standards - that'll help.  if you're not the start from scratch type like some here, getting a template or purchasing a unit kit may be the best option.  

sometimes the holidays keep people away from their computers and emails for periods of time - be patient

unless you want to make an adapter that is some kind of a clampon or such, you'll probably be drilling and tapping.

OP

[rapiddescent]

Jeff> email me at callumw@proflex.demon.co.uk - I just checked the email and there is nothing from you

OP> I meant the flat adapters!!!  not disk brake adapters in general!!  The first disk brake adapter for proflex I ever saw was the HOPE givin vector ii disk brake adapter in 1996 at the London Bike Show - after some hot telephone calls from Girvin/Proflex, it was removed from the stand.  This was due to some horrible testing failures on the Vector fork with disk brakes that Girvin had detected.  *Girvin was the old company name of K2 Bike)

The challenge I set for anyone mechanically minded is that if you can make something better than a HH, I'll sell it for you.  You'll make a little money and a lot of satisfaction.

callum
rdi