H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres Poor brakes, 1948 HRD rapide.

[Eric]

Hi,
Jeff has finish his rebuild, but not happy with the brakes.
When, Jeff bought the bike, it had hard brake linings, metal wire in the brake lining material.
Brake's where not to good, Jeff has done a lot of work on the brakes.
Bike has shadow ribbed drums, Roger Slater, black lightening rep brake plates.
Welded up the scallops in the brake shoes and fitted longer soft linings.
Skimmed the the brake drums, skimmed the linings to the drums
Heavy gauge brake cables, bridge on brake shoe pivots, to stop flex.
Front brake, has extended brake cam arms.
Rear brake very poor, front brake just usable around town, at speed watch out.
Vincents, where said to have good brakes, what to do next.
Brake's,are squealing a lot the moment.


Thanks, Eric.

 

[timetraveller]

Hi Eric. have you made sure that the angle between the cables and the extended brake cam arms is about 90 degrees when the brakes touch. Also, with the replica Black Lightning brake plates did you make sure that the hole in the centre is larger than the hollow axel so that the brake plate can be centred and then did you apply the brakes hard, to ensure that the plates are centred before tightening up the tommy bar spindles. Clamping these is what centres the brake plates with the BL type brakes. If this does not do anything take apart and see where the linings are touching. It is quite common for the linings to have to bed in and the brakes readjusted when everything is new. The set up you describe should give you good brakes if the linings are suitable for use on cast iron.

 

[vibrac]

timetravelers advice is spot on
You could read stuff for hours on this forum about brakes thats what the search box (Top RH) is for...

 

[stu spalding]

Hi,
Jeff has finish his rebuild, but not happy with the brakes.
When, Jeff bought the bike, it had hard brake linings, metal wire in the brake lining material.
Brake's where not to good, Jeff has done a lot of work on the brakes.
Bike has shadow ribbed drums, Roger Slater, black lightening rep brake plates.
Welded up the scallops in the brake shoes and fitted longer soft linings.
Skimmed the the brake drums, skimmed the linings to the drums
Heavy gauge brake cables, bridge on brake shoe pivots, to stop flex.
Front brake, has extended brake cam arms.
Rear brake very poor, front brake just usable around town, at speed watch out.
Vincents, where said to have good brakes, what to do next.
Brake's,are squealing a lot the moment.


Thanks, Eric.

Hi Eric, check out the Bert Weisz mod in MPH 821. A fellow rider tried my bike and said that if his SLS had been as good he wouldn't have bothered with TLS. Cheers, Stu.

 

[Chris Launders]

I have exactly the same set up and mine are great but you HAVE to apply the brake before tightening the spindle, mine squeals when I first use it.
Chris.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Hi,
Jeff has finish his rebuild, but not happy with the brakes.
When, Jeff bought the bike, it had hard brake linings, metal wire in the brake lining material.
Brake's where not to good, Jeff has done a lot of work on the brakes.
Bike has shadow ribbed drums, Roger Slater, black lightening rep brake plates.
Welded up the scallops in the brake shoes and fitted longer soft linings.
Skimmed the the brake drums, skimmed the linings to the drums
Heavy gauge brake cables, bridge on brake shoe pivots, to stop flex.
Front brake, has extended brake cam arms.
Rear brake very poor, front brake just usable around town, at speed watch out.
Vincents, where said to have good brakes, what to do next.
Brake's,are squealing a lot the moment.


Thanks, Eric.

Some of the early slater plates, The hole was not in the middle, Are the linings touching most of the way ?. Cheers Bill.

 

[nkt267]

I had fun!!! fitting a set of those to someones bike

 

[vibrac]

Some of the early slater plates, The hole was not in the middle, Are the linings touching most of the way ?. Cheers Bill.

Dont blame Roger too much he was saving up for his Laverda project an whoever erd a bout them?

For those who were not around the slogan was (whoever erd a bout Laverda)

 

[Eric]

Hi guys,
Jeff's rapide, does not have taper roller wheel brg's, it has been modified to modern spec.
The bike, now has polished 304 stainless hubs, with sealed ball brg's, as later british bike's do.
All parts are now perfectly concentric no play, original spindle still used for clamping.
To look at wheels, you cannot tell, they been modified.
Jeff, spoke to the guy at Saftex, where the shoes where relined.
When Jeff mention that the brakes squealed, he said linings are to hard.
The shoe's, have their std grade road linings, at the moment.
He recommended a soft woven lining, which should give good brakes.
Jeff, wants to take the bike, to this year's Isle of Man Classic TT.
So, good brakes are a must.


Eric.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Dont blame Roger too much he was saving up for his Laverda project an whoever erd a bout them?

For those who were not around the slogan was (whoever erd a bout Laverda)

I fitted mine the night before Cadwell !, Big Mistake, Hairpin, What hairpin, Straight on !. Cheers Bill.