[galpinos]

Right, having just had the bike for a couple of weeks, whipped of the front wheel and chucked it in the camper.

After dropping the camper of, I thought I'd just pop the wheel back in and cycle home. No such luck.

The gap between the calipers seems to have closed up so the disc only just slid in and then preceded to rub all the way home.

I've whipped the wheel back off but can't see any really easy way of adjusting them.

If any one can help that'd be great!

(They're Shimano M486 btw)

[clm]

they can close up if the lever pulled without disc in.  prise back out with a screwdriver in the slot.  mine has hayes sole wgich have massive adjustment by cranking in a static pad on one side.  look on shimano website for adjustment.  there probably is some.  check you havnt bucledthe disc either in the back of the van,

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

If its just a matter of realigning them you can loosen off the main bolts, press the lever on hard and re-tighten the bolts. If that doesn't work RTFM

[galpinos]

Cheers everyone, I did RTFM but was a bit concerned about wrecking them so sort advice form the knowledge of ukb. I also couldn't work out which bit the reserve tank cover was. 

Opened the reserve tank cover, slipped the pads out, levered the pistons back, popped the pads back in, all hunky dory but the disc still catches ever so slightly. Going to have another fiddle.

What do people do when they take their wheel off in general? Do you put the pad spacer in to stop the pads self adjusting if you knock the lever?

Cheers for the help.

[highrepute]

What do people do when they take their wheel off in general? Do you put the pad spacer in to stop the pads self adjusting if you knock the lever?

In general, I don't use a spacer (this wouldn't be hard to do though). I have squeezed the brake lever while the wheel was a off before but generally it doesn't seem to happen.

[chris j]

If you don't have any pd spacers then get a 2p, wrap it in a layer of duct tape and diy pad spacer! I put them in whenever the bike goes in the car boot, saves time fiddling with a screwdriver/tyre lever to get the pads apart when you get where you're going and want to ride...

[SA Chris]

Is that your 2 pence worth?

Good plan though.

[Norton Sharley]

I'd use a 1p, half the price that way.