Shimano Brake caliper missing part

[OctaneV8]

Any ideas what bit is missing from this caliper?

I picked up a bike today with hydro-disc brakes, only issue is the seat post is stuck and the brake caliper seems to be missing what I can only describe as a heat-dissipation / finned component - what is this part circled below? See photo of mine on the right.

[Barchettaman]

Eh? I don’t think it came with the fins. Not all do.

Lots of ways to unstick a seatpost - Google is a good source. Go slowly. Good luck.

[PulsatingStar]

The fins are on the brake pads

[OctaneV8]

Thanks for your quick replies! Have sprayed some aerokroil around the seat post clamp part of the frame. When persuaded back and forth the seat creaks suggesting it's moving minutely... have tried hair drier and hot water. Will do some more research!

I gather the previous owner fitted new pads without the fins.

Brakes are squealing like a pig too, any ideas?

[frisbee]

Could just be cheap crappy pads. Or contaminated. Worst case the seals are failing in the calliper and have contaminated the pads.

[Your Dad]

Looks like the brakes have been bodged.

The pads should be held in with a bolt and then the bolt secured with a split pin. Someone's lost the bolt and just used a split pin!

I wouldn't be riding that above walking pace fixed.

Edited by Your Dad on Thursday 9th May 07:04

[m_cozzy]

Its fine to use a split pin. Genuine shimao pads usually come with a new one. It is however in the wrong was round.

[GOATever]

OctaneV8 said:

Brakes are squealing like a pig too, any ideas?

Those look like metallic pads. Switch to semi metallic. Resins don’t work well when they’re hot ,Metallic don’t work well when they’re cold, and they tend to squeal until they do get hot. Semi metallic are a good intermediate choice.

[dodgyviper]

The fins are there for heat dissipation - depends on which pads you buy - I've got fins on the front but not the back (calipers came with the pads like that).

Bought a spare pay with fins, but could have gone without

Suspect these are only noticeable if you're doing manic downhilling.

Depends on the calipers but mine come with a bolt rather than a split pin (slx m7000)

[walm]

Your Dad said:

The pads should be held in with a bolt and then the bolt secured with a split pin. Someone's lost the bolt and just used a split pin!

Which is absolutely fine.

[Nealio]

The finned pads are 'Ice-tech' ones - more expensive and intended for extended downhill riding.

Higher level kit (SLX, Saint, XT, XTR) comes with the threaded pin and R clip, lower level (deore etc) gets the split pin. It's fine fitted either way round.

[walm]

Nealio said:

Higher level kit (SLX, Saint, XT, XTR) comes with the threaded pin and R clip, lower level (deore etc) gets the split pin. It's fine fitted either way round.

I didn't know those things were called "R clips" thanks!

[OctaneV8]

Much appreciated thanks for your replies! The bike shop said stick with the pads on there for now... they also found the discs hadn't been correctly tightened as they had a dull resonance when tapped.

The seat post was initially a three-man + large adjustable wrench job. Once the inital friction was overcome, it still took a good 5 mins of rotational loosening to completely liberate the seat post from the frame.

Now off to buy an external bottom bracket spanner tool for tightening the rotors a bit more.

Also on the lookout for a low torque wrench 4-6 Nm for an equally low price. Unfortunately the decathalon btwin £6.99 beam style tool I've been recommended is not currently available)

Thanks again

Edited by OctaneV8 on Friday 10th May 22:37