H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres Alloy brake plates

Chris Launders

Chris Launders

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So I've had my front wheel with alloy brake plates out having the shoes relined, I have fitted them and had carefully re-assembled everything I thought, but when I tightened the front axle something was dragging, so after about twenty attempts taking the wheel out trying to finding the problem it turned out to be the bottom spring box bolts were sticking through just enough to press on the brake plates when the axle was tightened the last turn.

Something to watch out for.

As I could not be bothered taking the spring boxes off and shortening the bolts by this time I just fitted a large diameter 1mm thick washer between the brake plates and fork blade for the moment. I really needed a sit down and a cuppa after that.

I will of course be shortening the spring box bolts another day, and removing the washers.

Chris.
 
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chankly bore

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I've had to relieve the brake plate with a half-round file in the past to clear the bottom radius of the spring boxes. As I recall, the bolt should not protrude beyond the spring box surface if it is the right part.
 
Cyborg

Cyborg

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Chris…. I ran into that problem and a few others, including the fork blade pressing on the hex of the H14 anchor pin when the axle was tightened the last turn, which made the plate go slightly cockeyed.
 
Chris Launders

Chris Launders

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Cyborg said:
Chris…. I ran into that problem and a few others, including the fork blade pressing on the hex of the H14 anchor pin when the axle was tightened the last turn, which made the plate go slightly cockeyed.
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Thanks I must check hat out before removing the washers, one at a time.
 
Cyborg

Cyborg

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Chris Launders said:
Thanks I must check hat out before removing the washers, one at a time.
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It was a PITA, because I had to remove the anchor bolt and turn down the hex. To remove the ancho bolt, I had to remove the shoes. Everything had been buttoned up with Loctite. At least I hadn't used the 500 degree release stuff. Both sides were like that. Some of the problems were due to the fact that I didn’t have machine drawings and was flying by the seat of my pants.It all worked out in the end and the alloy (heat treated) plates definitely don’t flex around like the steel ones. I bought new steel ones for the B and they came pre-warped!
 
vibrac

vibrac

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chankly bore said:
Yup, I'm sure that the incredible braking figures set in the original road tests could not be replicated once the brake shoes and backing plates had "bedded out", to coin a phrase!
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I think the 1950's Road surface had some effect too, Proper small chunks of granite in real bitumen pressed in with a big big Robey tandem steam roller. real ratchet stuff and not a pot hole in sight.
 
Cyborg

Cyborg

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I had gussets on my Rapide brakes back in the 70’s. Not as elaborate as those, but definitely made a difference. The brakes were actually pretty good all things considered.

The first of many test fits. Lots of filing, grinding and machining left to go. The new lower spring boxes needed some fettling as did the fork blades. I dreaded removing material from them even though it was minor.
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