Broken HFX-9

[Dantes Inferno]

Hey
I just smoked a tree and my rear HFX-9 brake lever popped out. I stuck it back into place but then I went and did the eagle mountain gravity bowl and upon landing the lever popped out again. From now on the lever does not stay in and it seems the socket where the push rod from the lever goes into has lost its seal on the ball. I need a fix badly, whistler next weekend and im poor, even if its a jimmy rig fix. Please no smart ass stuff like get new brakes, i plan on it soon enough.

Thanks.

[Scott C]

Get new brakes.

[downstairs]

mine did same thing on eagle so i used an elastic to hold it in, and ill probally run the elastic for as long as i have that brake

[switch]

A retaining washer on the push rod keeps the push rod in from pulling out. Usually the washer will deform by flaring, allowing the lever to pull out.

To fix, pop the snap ring off, pull out the push rod, replace the retaining washer, and put everything back together. You can just flatten out the retaining washer and put in in backwards too (you put in in backwards so that it has a little more resistance to flaring).
This is fairly simple to do, and it is done easier if you unscrew the push rod so the lever comes off and is out of the way.

Check out the pic here:
http://www.hayesdiscbrake.com/pdf/MasterCylinderRebuildEnglish.pdf

[Jay T.]

i have an hfx9 in my t0ool box with the same issue, but when my buddy had it he just taped the lever up good and it couldnt pop out anymore

[ShoreIH]

electrical tape that sucker in.

[Robot]

Switch is right. If you can't / don't want to do it yourself, take it to your LBS. It's not as cheap as using tape, zip ties, or elastic bands but it's a cheap fix and it'll bring your brakes back into form.

[Chuck D. Railer]

i just put a zip tie around my bar and over the lever, preventing it from being able to pop out. ran like this for ages. the repair kit is like 20 bucks i think, so not too expensive, but the zip tie fix worked great. rode silver star a couple of times and didn't even notice the tie. actually, i think you could run this fix for a long time, and it would work.

[trillion]

If the C-clip is too deformed to use you might be able to get one from a hardware store rather than bucking up for the parts kit. Either that or be real nice to your LBS and see if they have an extra one sitting around.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Elastic bands are best temp fix IMO. They still allow the lever to pop out under heavy stress, saving the lever. Fixing it properly is really the way to go. I know a guy that had the same problem last time I was at Whistler. The LBS charged him $15 to fix it. Skip lunch and you'll be able to afford the fix.

[Supervokes]

Just pay the $20 to have it fixed properly at your LBS (or before you ride at a Whistler LBS).

Its not worth putting yourself at risk riding Whistler because of a broken brake lever of all things.

[switch]

Geez - fix it properly. It took me 15 minutes to do it myself the first time I tried. I did another one for a friend, and it took 10 minutes. A bike shop can do it in a few minutes, and shouldn't charge you more than $15.

[Dantes Inferno]

ok, thanks guys!