How do you open brake levers clamps so that the brakes move over the bars easier?

[midibiker]

Hi how do you open brake levers clamps so that the brakes move over the bars easier?
Because I don't want to force them over the bar and damage the paint on the bars.

I have two identical sets of levers, one set that is tight and another set glides over the bars absolutely fine.

I have put a flat screwdriver in the tight pair and tried to open them up a bit but they just go back to their shape.
It's annoying because I don't want them to crimp the bars or remove the paint.
They should just glide on an off once untightened.

Thanks

 

[Nabeaquam]

Rat tail file them bigger, or use a pry bar. Pry bars usually come in sets of 3 sizes. You might need a second set of hands and lube. If the clamps are alloy it will be more difficult as the opening is harder to stretch. You will most likely scratch the paint, unless you really stretch the opening. A file job will make the clamps too loose, unless you’re careful and lucky. It’s maddening.

 

[Woz]

Force in a custom made hard wood wedge into the clamp. It's the same with handlebar stems and handlebars. You only need a fraction of a mm.

 

[Nabeaquam]

Force in a custom made hard wood wedge into the clamp. It's the same with handlebar stems and handlebars. You only need a fraction of a mm.

I like this idea. Pound in something bigger with a sledge hammer. Put the brake levers on a vice opening and apply ergs. How elegant. Doesn’t work use a bigger hammer or harder force. That doesn’t work, spread the brake lever so a piece of frame tubing fits and reef it back, around and forward while the clamps are held in a vice. Goobered and chewed up with vice patterns and metal smears, yeah, probably, but your paint will be fine. If the bolt will no longer fit in the opposite threads, squeeze the hell out of it with locking plyers. This isn’t tongue in cheek, this is exactly how I would do it.

 

[Woz]

@Nabeaquam - since I'm from the land of wedge shaped cheese, which the entire nation is built upon, I can assure you that's how it's done.

 

[Nabeaquam]

@Nabeaquam - since I'm from the land of wedge shaped cheese, which the entire nation is built upon, I can assure you that's how it's done.

Here we could use pounded in deer bones or just figure it’s a triviality and go to the pub. Work on it again in a year or two, or never.

 

[novocaine]

can you get to both sides of the clamp bolt hole?
if yes, take the clamp bolt out, put it in from the other side (so it's threaded on the side with the bolt in now) and slide a shim of metal in to the slot. now tighten the bolt to spread the clamp.

 

[markoc]

can you get to both sides of the clamp bolt hole?
if yes, take the clamp bolt out, put it in from the other side (so it's threaded on the side with the bolt in now) and slide a shim of metal in to the slot. now tighten the bolt to spread the clamp.

Definitely this. A penny makes a decent shim. You won't need to "spread" it much, as has been mentioned. Gently does it.

 

[midibiker]

Rat tail file them bigger, or use a pry bar. Pry bars usually come in sets of 3 sizes. You might need a second set of hands and lube. If the clamps are alloy it will be more difficult as the opening is harder to stretch. You will most likely scratch the paint, unless you really stretch the opening. A file job will make the clamps too loose, unless you’re careful and lucky. It’s maddening.

They are brand new and I don't want to mess them up. They will probably only need opening by a few mm so I might try the pry bar method like you suggested.
Thanks

 

[novocaine]

Definitely this. A penny makes a decent shim. You won't need to "spread" it much, as has been mentioned. Gently does it.

I must be "considerable rich than yoooo" I use a 2p.