Installing Back Brake - F-Set rotor

[Claude]

This is the installation for upper and lower cables on an older F-Set Rotor. The F-Set Pro is found on frames with an access port, small coin-sized hole in the headtube to allow access to changing cables a little easier.  If you can do the older F-Set you can handle the newer one. 

One note since there isn't much about the F-Sets out there.  The bearing cups and bearings for the F-Set Pro are a different size diameter than the older F-Set and replacement headsets you might find in the US.  In other words they do not necessarily crossover frame to frame.

For setting up the actual 990's and brake shoes - see Levi's front brake how-to.

Things you need:
Two linear cables, preferably teflon-lined.  Odyssey Slic are always good for housing.  I have began using 1.6m guage steel cables for the actual cable though.  It will fit the housing and will reduce the breakage.  The main problem to overcome with the F-Set is that you will see there is metal on metal when you pull - the cable get's cut by the rotor is pulls.  Getting 1.6 guage will help as well as the next tip.

Get a small strip of cable housing for mountain bikes.  This is different than normal housing, it's a strong plastic that basically just protects bare cables on gearing on other bikes, is barely bigger than the cable itself.  Most bike shops will have it and will probably give you a small strip for your needs.  I cut a small tip off and slid it to the ends or each cable so that it fit inside the rotor hole.  This will give a little more cusion between the metal and the cable.



Knarps/bullet - at least one for the top cable.  Some kind of cable barrel end.

Tools: Wire cutters, crescent, lithium grease, wrench for top cap, allen wrenches for your stem.

Press in any cups and races you need.  Grease the bearings well and go ahead and set them into the bearing cones.  If you have a front brake cable you can either run it through the fork and leave it out the top so that everything goes over or install it later. 

Put the fork through the headset and hold.  Sometimes it may take a friend to help you until you get the hang of putting this all together.  Some of the frustration is just getting it all to connect at once.




Thread the lower cable into the F-Set Rotor. Welded Barrel on top.  Add the small strip of housing/plastic and pinch at the very end so it stays in the rotor hole.  Run the cable out through the hole in your frame for the cable.  Then place the rotor over the fork and allow it to slide down into the headtube. 





Then grease the lower cable.  Add the housing stop and the teflon housing.  You will notice that I drilled another cable hole so that the cable was more out of the way for tricks. 



Go ahead and run cable through the guides and wait to trim until you are done with the headset.



Thread the top cable through the F-Set top.  Leave the welded barrel underneath for the rotor since it is stronger.  Add a housing stop on the topside (mine was a small washer).  Grease the cable well then add the housing.  Wait to trim and knarp until you get the rest setup.



Now this is the hardest part.

Place the F-Set top over the fork and slide most of the way down.




You will have to leave it about half an inch above the bearing for a second while you guide the cable into the top part of the rotor.  Make sure the cable is being routed to the side of the stem you want.  I think the left side works smoother, right above where the lower is pulling.

Guiding it into the rotor will take a little work and once you get it you have to pull the cable tight, minimize the fork moving back and forth and try to get the rest of you stem and stuff on without it slipping out. 



You can see the rotor hole in this picture that you are aiming for




NOTE: If you get your stem on and pressed down.  You should be able to pull the lower and upper cable back and forth - feeling them pull each other.  If you can't do this there is a high chance that the top cable slipped off the rotor and you will need to go back to here and try again.

Once you get the cable in, set the top on the bearings.  Slide the plastic fork piece in that sets the top and presses it down.





Then your stem and handle bars.



If your cables seem to be pulling back and forth fine by hand go ahead and tighten down your top cap and stem.





The only thing to do now is make the right length trim for your top cable. To do this you must setup the lower cable first.  Make sure that the lower cable is hooked up to your brakes and that it is pulling the rotor all the way down.

Then take the top cable, push the housing all the way down and sort of eye ball where the knarp should be for your lever.





When it is done right and greased it should work fine.

[Wouter van der Linde]

yeah i tried this the lowest cable is ok, but the second cable keeps slipping out of that open hole..