To properly center your disc brake rotors...

To ride without noise, there must be space between the brake pads and the disc. Here’s how to do it!

The tools

Pictures © Frédéric Iehl

Apart from your hands, a 4 mm allen wrench or a torx T30 depending on the brake brands and a little time, you won’t need much to center your hydraulic disc brake rotors. This operation will only be done in the event of a change of wheels, pads or disc. Generally, it is just before the release that you realize the problem, when you only have a multi-tool on you… Now if you are at home with a torque wrench, the tightening torque is 6 to 8 Nm. If this operation does not work and the disc touches in places, it is veiled... And here it’s another pair of sleeves. It is then impossible to center your disc brake rotors without straightening them.

To properly center your disc brake rotors... — On Shimano calipers, a 4 mm allen wrench is required.

Time and difficulty

In 10 minutes, the case should be concluded. The only difficulty is actually to reach the rear brake lever with one hand and tighten the afferent caliper of the other… We don’t always have long enough arms! So it may be necessary to provide a little help.

Stage 1

We start from the back. The screws are loosened by half a turn. We start with the most forward.

Stage 2

We do the same on the screw most at the back.

Stage 3

We see if the caliper moves or not. If he does not move, loosen another half a turn.

Stage 4

The caliper is mobile. The rear brake lever is pressed and the pressure is maintained until the caliper is tightened (help may be needed.) Because the brake lever is on the right, the caliper on the left and at the other end of the bike…

Stage 5

We first tighten the screw « before » a half or a complete turn depending on what we did at the loosening.

Stage 6

Finally, we tighten the most screw at the back. Then we don’t hesitate to give a little wrench. The pressure on the brake lever is then released.

Stage 7

On the front, the same principle: the highest screw is unscrewed by half a turn to begin.

Stage 8

The same is done on the screw closest to the axis. We then look to see if the stirrup moves or not. If it is fixed, another half turn is removed. No more.

Stage 9

We press the front brake lever and maintain the pressure again. It’s easier because we have everything on the same side on the bike.

Stage 10

The first screw is tightened by the value of loosening.

Stage 11

Then the second. We can put a little wrench back to be sure after on the two screws. We then release the pressure on the lever.

All you have to do is spin your wheels and listen. Normally there is no more noise! Otherwise you have to start again… Your disc brake rotors will then be centered!

Mechanical summary

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