Service
instructions

MAGURA Carbotecture

Lightweight, sturdy and Made in Germany. All the details about the material of the MAGURA brake masters.

Many of the MAGURA components are still Made in Germany – they’re produced in our plant in the Swabian Jura, not far from the company headquarters in Bad Urach. These components include the brake masters made of Carbotecture and Carbotecture SL. MAGURA developed both of these materials in-house. Carbotecture SL consists of a carbon fibre-reinforced, high-tech polymer, a material that is extremely impact- and tear-resistant. It has a high degree of elasticity, which makes it extremely robust. Carbotecture has similar properties, but the fibres are made of fibreglass instead of carbon.

Both materials were developed by MAGURA, so the company is truly the architect of its own materials. The name of the basic material, Carbotecture, is a combination of carbon and architecture. Using several complex processes, a mixture of high-tech polymers and carbon or glass fibres is converted into a plastic granulate. The carbon fibres are optimally aligned during the processing from the granulate to the finished component, ensuring that future stress requirements will be mastered. Thanks to this Carboflow process, any desired shape can be realized from the granulate in the injection moulding process.

Our Carbotecture offers significant advantages compared to classic lightweight aluminium material – it’s 50% lighter than aluminium, but it has the same tensile and breaking strength! Carbotecture is quite simply a dream material, but we couldn’t have created it without our highly developed machines and processes – the material makes smooth surfaces possible, even for the most complex shapes, and one result of this are our rigid yet lightweight brake masters.

We are particularly proud of the GUSTAV brake master, as it combines details such as a 12 mm piston, screwed lever bushing, 7 ml oil volume and, above all, invisible EASY LINK integration in the smallest of spaces. This would not be possible with any other material! And even though the GUSTAV is full of innovative technologies, it is the lightest brake in its class.

BMW also relies on the unique properties of Carbotecture for its motorcycles – for example, the clutch master of the BMW GS is also made of this material. Yet another of our materials is Carbolay, produced in a fully automated textile process, during which the carbon fibres are positioned to master their future stress loads and then impregnated with resin, enabling Carbolay lever blades for the MT Trail SL and MT8 SL to be produced in an appealing and ergonomically optimized form – with perfect finger force transmission thanks to the components’ extreme rigidity and low weight.

The details in a nutshell

Carbotecture

• Plastic granules made of high-tech polymers and short carbon or glass fibres
• Any desired shape can be achieved thanks to the Carboflow process
• Complex shapes with smooth surfaces can be created
• 50% lighter than aluminium, but with identical tensile and breaking strengths

Carbotecture SL

• An enhanced development of Carbotecture
• Integration of medium-length carbon fibres
• Additional weight reduction with a level of resistance that has been increased yet again

Carbolay

• Positioning of the carbon fibres using a textile process to master future stress
• Fully automatic production without the usual manual work associated with carbon
• High rigidity of the components combined with low weight

LinearXL AirAnnex compatibility

RockShox uses an additional air volume chamber called “LinearXL AirAnnex” in the area of the post-mount brake caliper interface on the latest LYRIK and ZEB suspension forks. We are in continuous collaboration with RockShox to ensure full compatibility with our calipers.

Current compatibility status:

• 200 mm rotors or larger: All MAGURA calipers have shown no issues
• 180 mm rotors: Clearance issues may occur with GUSTAV and CLARA calipers (a rare case). Other models such as LOUISE and MT are not affected.

Whether before the first installation, after a long period of storage, after the winter break or simply now and again: it can happen that individual or several pistons in the caliper move sluggishly. Unevenly extending pistons can cause one or more pads to rub against the rotor and generate grinding noises.

Push the pistons back completely.

Caution! Metal can damage the pistons; we recommend using a tire lever or similar tool.

To check whether mobilization is necessary, it makes sense to remove the brake pads first. This gives you a better view of the pistons. To do this, remove the pad retaining screws and remove the pads upwards (for 7.x and 8.x pads), or push the pads back completely and remove them downwards from the brake caliper (for 9.x pads).

Place a suitable open-end wrench lengthwise through the rotor slots of the brake caliper. The open-end wrench should fit tightly into the rotor slots; if there is excessive space, a different open-end wrench must be selected. This serves as a limit to prevent the pistons from falling out.

Then apply the brake several times to pump out the pistons. Caution! Only ever operate the lever blade with little force, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the pistons once they have been pumped against the wrench.

Observe the movement of the pistons: if the pistons move very unevenly or individual pistons do not extend at all, mobilization can help. Proceed as follows:

Again, place a suitable open-end wrench lengthwise through the rotor slots of the brake caliper. Then apply the brake several times to pump out the pistons. Caution! Only ever operate the lever blade with little force, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the pistons once they have been pumped against the wrench.

Preferably use the MAGURA transport lock to push the pistons back into their original position, alternatively the MAGURA Wolf-Tooth-Tool or a plastic tyre lever. In all cases, avoid extending other pistons when pushing pistons back in to prevent individual pistons from falling out.

Repeat this process several times until the pistons are mobilized.

MAGURA HS:

HS rim brakes are a closed hydraulic system, so storing a bike on its rear wheel, transporting it in a horizontal position or turning the bike upside down has no adverse effect on the function of the hydraulic components, provided that they are correctly bled & filled.

MAGURA MT:

If the open hydraulic system of a disc brake is perfectly filled and bled, storing the bike on its rear wheel, transporting it in a horizontal position or turning the bike upside down will have no adverse effects. However, since the perfect filling level cannot be seen from the outside, it should always be assumed that there may be residual air in the system.

If there is residual air in the hydraulic system, e.g. after the brake cable has been shortened or the brake has been insufficiently filled or bled, the residual air from the expansion reservoir can enter the brake system circuit either through vibrations or if the bike is positioned on its side or upside down. When the brake is then actuated, the result can be a spongy or completely missing bite point – and in extreme cases, total brake failure.

This is why MAGURA highly recommends that bikes with open hydraulic disc brake systems are placed in an upright position during maintenance & repair tasks, storage and transport. Alternatively, if the running wheel is mounted or the MAGURA transportation retainer is used, you can shut off the expansion reservoir by actuating the lever, thus preventing expansion reservoir air from entering the system. Use an elastic band to hold the lever blade in a pulled-on position. Due to the permanent actuation of the lever, the piston overruns the inflow to the expansion reservoir, thus closing the system. This allows the bicycle to be individually positioned for transport or storage.

For more information on our braking systems, please refer to the relevant user manuals.

If your HS rimbrakes make a noise during braking, we recommend the following measures to eliminate the various causes.

Check if the wheels, hubs and axles are mounted correctly:

Make sure, that the wheels are mounted correctly, and that the hubs and axles are mounted without any free play. Also check the spokes for the correct tension.

Check screws and bolts for the correct torque:

Make sure, that all surrounding screws are torqued to the correct torque. Please use the torque for each mounting Option. Please check the attached download document.

MAGURA Evo2 Mount: upper screws 6 Nm, lower screws 6 Nm but the QR screw 4,5 Nm

MAGURA Easy Mount: upper screws 4 Nm, lower screws 6 Nm but the QR screw 4,5 Nm

Align the brake pad height

Align the brake pad to the rim. Check our Youtube Videos for detailed instructions: https://youtu.be/BLmAjlw4Txo?si=lq6BZrIC1aaQTmYz

Check the rim and brake pad wear

Make sure that both surfaces aren´t worn out.

Check the matching friction surfaces for dirt

The coefficient of friction is subject to changes caused by dirt on the rim or brake pad. The changed friction value can lead to vibrations, resulting in noise. Clean the rim thoroughly with methylated spirits, hot water, a soap solution or brake cleaner.

IMPORTANT: BED-IN BRAKE PADS
The bed-in phase is essential to ensue you get maximum braking power out of your new brake pads.

Upgrade your rimbrake with a brake booster

A MAGURA brake booster (Art.Nr.: 0721907) stiffens the brake and can eliminate vibrations and noises.

Choose the right brake pad type

MAGURA is offering four different brake pads for rimbrakes. Choose the black or red pad for uncoated aluminium rims. Choose the grey and green pad for hard coated aluminium and ceramic rims.

Safety information:

We strongly recommend that you read the enclosed manual/operating instructions before using MAGURA products. Always observe and follow all instructions for assembly, operation and maintenance in this manual and the operating instructions of other manufacturers whose products are used on your bicycle – and please don’t overestimate the products’ abilities. Have assembly and maintenance work carried out in a specialist bicycle workshop or in an authorized MAGURA Service Centre, where a professional job is guaranteed.

Please note that MAGURA only specifies a nominal design thickness (e.g.  2.5mm* / 2.0 mm* / 1.8 mm*). This is communicated for compatibility purposes, i.e. for assigning the brake discs to the respective disc brake systems.

These specifications are to be understood as purely constructive nominal dimensions for the identification and technical design of the products and *are subject to the production-related general tolerances.

However, the specified minimum thickness, which indicates the absolute wear limit of the brake discs, must be taken into account as an absolute fixed dimension, which must not be undercut. If the thickness falls below the specified minimum thickness, both the function and the safety of the corresponding products can no longer be guaranteed.

The difference between the MT5 and the MT7 lies in the detail. As well as a different brake transmission ratio, the details of the brake calipers differ.

Upon close inspection the MT5 has a noticably larger airspace between the rotor and the brake pads. The reason for this is a greater piston retraction space as a result of different contruction on the inside of the caliper. Overall this means that the MT5 is easier to set up without grinding and has a bitepoint that feels less direct than the MT7.

With a higher transmission ratio, the MT7 offers overall more braking power und a more direct braking sensation. The bite point however feels slightly softer that the MT5.

Note: The described differences also apply to the MT Trail Sport (using the MT5 brake caliper on the front wheel and MT5 brake master) and the MT Trail SL (using the MT7 brake caliper on the front wheel and the MT7 brake master).

Important: We recommend not to switch parts of the MT5 and MT7 because they have been individually adapted to each other. Due to the individual differences of both models we do not recommend nor approve combinations of the two.

You can find both brakes online via magurausa-shop.com or worldwide via our dealer search.

General information about the design of the MAGURA MDR-P rotor

The MDR-P rotor from MAGURA is a two-piece high-performance rotor in semi-floating design, which is characterized by high heat resistance, especially under heavy demand use.

The two-piece design and in particular the gap between the outer and inner ring allow stress-free expansion of the outer ring without affecting the inner ring as the temperature increases, so that the rotor does not deform or warp which could cause noise and uneven braking.

During braking, the Dovetail design between the outer and inner rings also allows the braking force to be transmitted via the disc and not the rivets. This allows better support and thus a higher resistance of the disc as well as an optimized service life.

Distinction between “semi-floating” and “full-floating” design

Semi-floating and full-floating rotors differ in how the outer ring can move in relation to the inner ring. Both designs allow movement in the direction of travel, but they differ in the lateral direction of movement. Full-floating brake discs can move laterally whereas with semi-floating rotors, the outer ring can NOT move laterally to the inner ring using conical spring washers located at each rivet.

Semi-floating rotors with spring washers lose their tension during repeated heat cycles and can thus cause strong grinding and increased noise. MAGURA therefore uses a semi-floating design for the MDR-P, so that the outer ring can move to the inner ring in the direction of travel. This mobility is provided in the construction.

Lateral play is not provided for MDR-P brake discs. Even stronger rattling noises or ringing due to loose riveting are not due to the design. In both cases, a more detailed examination by your specialist dealer is requested.

How do organic and sintered pads differ?

The general opinion is that sintered (metallic) and organic pads differ significantly in normal use. Despite these differences, the compounds can nevertheless be very similar.

During the production process of organic brake pads, various components and fillers (including metals) and a base compound of synthetic resin are combined in a mixing and pressing process based on hydrocarbon compounds (organic chemistry). Since this process can sometimes contain up to 60% metal as a filler, they are often also referred to as semi-organic. Accordingly, organic coatings also contain metallic components and vice-versa, so the differences between the two pad types are often less than expected, and both can achieve similar properties.

Another fact to consider is that organic pads can only be compared with one another to a limited extent. They’re composed of many different organic and metallic components. A wide range of properties can be achieved depending on how these components are combined. There’s no standardized definition for the use of the terms organic, semi-organic and metallic, and this makes comparison between manufacturers difficult. MAGURA classifies the different types of pads as follows:

• Organic: <30% metal content
• Semi-sintered: 30-60% metal content
• intered: >60% metal content

Which materials are used for MAGURA brake pads?

MAGURA uses an organic pad compound with a metal content of up to 30% for all its bicycle brake pads.

Why does MAGURA only use organic brake pads?

MAGURA is convinced that it can achieve the best pad properties by combining a wide variety of organic and metallic elements. The high organic content also isolates the pad’s heat from the calliper more efficiently. This ensures more consistent performance and protects the components of the calliper.
All current MAGURA disc brakes are optimized for organic brake pad compounds with a metal content of up to 30%.

Which pads is MAGURA offering?

Click here for an overview of our pads. Or shop them online at Magura USA | Shopping for Magura or via our dealersearch.