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I recently replaced the brake pads of a Tektro Dorado system. But now I cant hardly turn the wheel, the clearance between pads and disk is too small. Bleeding wont help, that's only to remove air. The auto adjustment (wear correction) must be reset, but how?

Thanks

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Reset to default
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Usually you can just push the pistons back into the calipers. Remove the wheel, remove the pads. Get some kind of tool suitable to prying, such as plastic tire levers or a wooden lever. Insert it between the pads. Push/pry slowly and firmly and the pistons should retract.

I've read that metal tools (e.g. screwdriver) are not recommended because they might scratch/chip the surface of the pistons. I don't know if this is an issue with metal pistons, but more likely to be a problem with ceramic pistons. Perhaps someone can correct me in a comment if I got this wrong.

I've done this with Avid Elixir 5 brakes. I don't know if all hydraulic brakes work this way.

I've had cases where this doesn't work, and the solution was to remove a small amount of brake fluid.

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  • Shimano brakes here and a plastic tyre lever works fine.
    – chored
    Mar 18, 2015 at 21:07
  • Further to Nik G's answer. If brute force doesn't work then the only option is to remove fluid. The correct way to do this is to re-bleed the system. The practical way is to loosen the reservoir cap slightly so air/fluid can get through (no need to take it the whole way off) and reset the pistons then retighten the lid. Wrap something around the reservoir to catch any excess fluid. By removing fluid you theoretically run the risk in the future of when the pads wear down a lot you may one day reach a stage when there isn't sufficient quantity to fully extend the pistons which = no brakes.
    – DWGKNZ
    Mar 19, 2015 at 21:36
  • OK, thanks, The first time I did this wrong, I did not open the reservoir. So when I pushed back the pistons , they slowly came back. This could be the reason.
    – Rob Frohwein
    Mar 20, 2015 at 16:25

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