Loosening Mafac brakes

Am I missing something? I need to loosen some brakes to move them about, but when I squeeze the lever it looks like I have to remove the cable in order to get access to a hex nut.

Is that right? You have to reconnect the brakes even if you just need to move them a millimetre?

Don't you just use a cone spanner on the hex nut?

May need to slacken the mounting nut/bolt off a quarter of a turn (depending on how tight it is) then retighten with the cone spanner in place and the brake correctly positioned.

Would I really be able to get a little cone spanner in there? Do you get angled ones?

I feel I'm missing something obvious.

Ah. Thought you meant the calipers.

It'll be cable unhooking for that one. Only a 30 seconds job though

As long as the barrel is slotted

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If you disconnect the cable at the brake it will allow the cable to flex out of the way of a small socket, can then be easily loosened.

Thats if its not slotted!

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I think I understand. In which case I think it's not slotted, as the cable is threaded through a hole and there's no way to unhook the ferrule/nipple/thingy at the end.

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Unhook one end of the straddle wire on the brake to get plenty of room. I used a small ancient box spanner, is the nut 8mm so the campagnolo allen key/box spanner is another tool to use.

Keith

I am assuming these are Mafac Centtre Pull brakes not Cantilevers on frame bosses ?

1) Best if you remove the appropriate wheel. This will give you room to pinch the brake blocks together which will raise the brake arms and enable you to remove a straddle cable end from its hook on the end of one of the arms. Usually only one end of the straddle cable is removable.
2) Slide the straddle cable out of its pull hook and all tension is now removed from the braking system.
3) Returning to the brake lever there should now be enough flex in the cable to push it to one side with a screwdriver. You may be able to manoeuvre the nipple on the end of the cable down and out of the brake lever which will give you even more flexibility.
4) Place a box or tube spanner over the nut and a couple of turns should be enough to make the lever a bit loose on the bars so you can slide them into the position you want.
5) When all ok tighten up the nut, pull the cable back into position in the lever housing, place the straddle cable back in its pull hook, pinch the brake blocks together and reinsert the straddle cable end back in the end of its brake arm. As you release the blocks tension will return to the braking system.
6) Refit the wheel and check block alignment to the rim and use the screw adjuster ( I assume you have one on each brake system) to tension the cable to the right feel for you at the lever.

Hope this helps

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This thorough reply is much appreciated. However they are not centre but side pull calipers. You make me think therefore that the levers (old) are intended for canti/centre brakes and the existing component combo is all a bit of a bodge. Which is ok in a way as it means I'm not as stupid as I feared.