Disk brake pads

[chris_the_outlaw3.3]

Hey guys, I just bought a used Ironhorse outlaw 3.3 and the brakes need some work. I was just wondering how to find out what size brake pads i would need. I live in a small town and don't really have a lbs other than Canadian Tire but they just has very basic stuff and they don't know a whole lot about bikes to ask them.

I know my disk brakes are Shimano Altus and the pads are round.

[RobAR]

Hi Chris. Welcome to BT!
Pads for disc brakes don't really come in 'sizes' but rather 'styles'. I'm assuming that ALTUS is actually written on your caliper. Can you get a small flashlight and look for a model number molded into the caliper body somewhere? See anything that reads like BR-M375?
The problem is that Shimano may, from one year to the next, change one little bitty thing about a system and give it a new Model Number. It may have simply been the pads themselves that were changed. It can be great fun if one has plenty of research time. Yeah, right!

[chris_the_outlaw3.3]

(06-16-2012, 08:51 PM)RobAR Wrote:  Hi Chris. Welcome to BT!
Pads for disc brakes don't really come in 'sizes' but rather 'styles'. I'm assuming that ALTUS is actually written on your caliper. Can you get a small flashlight and look for a model number molded into the caliper body somewhere? See anything that reads like BR-M375?
The problem is that Shimano may, from one year to the next, change one little bitty thing about a system and give it a new Model Number. It may have simply been the pads themselves that were changed. It can be great fun if one has plenty of research time. Yeah, right!

Thanks man. Well... there's a slightly huger problem now, when I was trying to get the pads out, I was trying to turn the main bolt in the caliper, thinking it would open the caliper more and it stripped and came off... There's a bike shop in a city like 3 hrs away. I might have to take it there. The only thing is I'm tight for money and don't want to have to pay much to get it fixed. Hence why I tried to tackle it myself. Big mistake...

[chris_the_outlaw3.3]

Here's a picture of basically the part I broke. I'll probably have to buy a new caliper. I hope their not expensive. I payed 180 for the bike and don't want to pay more than that fixing it!


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