8" Diam Front Brakes by VOCSC

rwhitne2

Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Any one with experience using the 8 in front brake mfg. by Hugh McAllister? My bike is a unrestored D Shadow w/ 12000 orig mi - runs fine. Brakes - the usual.
 

Vincent Brake

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
best brake

what can I say, its twice as heavy and double surface does not give you double braking force, twin leading shoes does, even more when at both sides, so if you want to give them a try, and convert to the 2x2LS conversion kit, made UK looks, Dutch quality, (all duch drivers use em) see advert in MPH
thanx for starting this thread.

vincent brake speet
 

Attachments

  • 2x2LS1.jpg
    2x2LS1.jpg
    19.1 KB · Views: 86

vapide

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Are the 8" brakes really twice as heavy?

I'd love to see a shootout between the 8" and the 4LS brakes, and see which really work best. Oh, and an optimized set of standard brakes (heavy cables, all reinforcements, stiffeners and braces, skimmed-to-fit-new linings, and maybe Lightning plates) as a control.

I think both of the new brakes setups have a problem all too common with Vincent parts. They are made in tiny batches, so they are expensive, which means not many sell, which means they only get made in tiny batches. I find it hard bring myself to spend "real" money on any mod when I know I will have to take it off in another 5 or 10 years, and reinstall the old parts if I can find them, so I can sell the machine for $37,000,000 on ebay.
 

mercurycrest

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Are the 8" brakes really twice as heavy?

I'd love to see a shootout between the 8" and the 4LS brakes, and see which really work best. Oh, and an optimized set of standard brakes (heavy cables, all reinforcements, stiffeners and braces, skimmed-to-fit-new linings, and maybe Lightning plates) as a control.

I think both of the new brakes setups have a problem all too common with Vincent parts. They are made in tiny batches, so they are expensive, which means not many sell, which means they only get made in tiny batches. I find it hard bring myself to spend "real" money on any mod when I know I will have to take it off in another 5 or 10 years, and reinstall the old parts if I can find them, so I can sell the machine for $37,000,000 on ebay.

I have two sets of 4LS Brakes on my B and on my D.... they work!.... We damn near killed ourselves on some uphill twisties am few years ago on the D due to the combination of high speed cornering and a sophmoric repoir between man and machine with green ferodo stock brakes! I don't have any experience with the 8" ones. But, If you want cheap parts, buy a Yugo...:D
Cheers, John
 

martinamotor

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Are the 8" brakes really twice as heavy?

I'd love to see a shootout between the 8" and the 4LS brakes, and see which really work best. Oh, and an optimized set of standard brakes (heavy cables, all reinforcements, stiffeners and braces, skimmed-to-fit-new linings, and maybe Lightning plates) as a control.

I think both of the new brakes setups have a problem all too common with Vincent parts. They are made in tiny batches, so they are expensive, which means not many sell, which means they only get made in tiny batches. I find it hard bring myself to spend "real" money on any mod when I know I will have to take it off in another 5 or 10 years, and reinstall the old parts if I can find them, so I can sell the machine for $37,000,000 on ebay.

Buying all the stock brake parts,comes to approx the same money as the 4LS Brakes.
When crashing in some one, because of bad brakes, that will be expensive!!!:eek:
 

rapcom

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Scary logic and false economy

" I find it hard bring myself to spend "real" money on any mod when I know I will have to take it off in another 5 or 10 years, and reinstall the old parts if I can find them, so I can sell the machine for $37,000,000 on ebay"

I do hope this comment was meant wholly as a joke.
50 years ago, the Vincent had good brakes that were well able to keep you out of trouble. The other traffic on the road also had drum brakes, skinny tyres, and was more considerate.
Today there is far more traffic, driven by thoughtless and inconsiderate drivers chatting on their mobile phones, listening to their music players, and virtually all of them will have disc brakes, and ABS, and better tyres, and you will have NO chance of outbraking them with feeble standard drum brakes.
Anything you can do to improve matters in your favour has to be money and time well spent, whether it be by fitting heavyweight cables and ribbed drums, or TLS conversions, or 8" brakes, or discs.
It is no consolation being able to shout "It's original!" as you slide into the back of a truck.
 

vincenttwin

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I have a set of 8" ones on order for my B ,the maker has to mod them a little bit as my B has bramptons , if you want your Vincent to look right stay with the old brakes, but do not ride it, Sooner or later you will not be able to stop and it will hurt.
pete
 

timetraveller

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
As a person who once had his back wheel in the air during an emergency stop and recalling that once Vincent brakes were regarded as the 'best' I think that many people have to sort out their brakes set up first before doing serious mods. Having said that my brakes are not standard but are Shadow drums, Electron plates , extra thick twin cables and have shoes where the hollows are welded up, machined to the same curve as the rest of the shoes and then have one and two thirds linings glued and riveted to each shoe. There is still no point pretending that they are as good as disks, twin leading shoe or, probably, the 8" items but I have yet to try a set of those. Just to interject some facts in to the matter I just weighed a standard 7" Shadow drum and one of my Electron plates complete with the shoes, linings etc. One drum 3lb 15 oz (1.79 kg), one brake plate 2 lbs 10 oz (1.18 kg). My understanding is that the ratio of the weight between the full complement of 8" items and the full complement of standard (i.e. with steel brake plate) 7" items is 1.42 : 1. Whatever you have, happy riding and stopping.
 

Ian Savage

VOC Vice President
VOC Member
I agree that first job is to set up the standard brakes correctly.

At the Austrian rally I lent my B twin to someone to collect an inner tube and he said how good the brakes were. When we put his wheel back in I could see why he commented his f/brake was adjusted all wrong I re-set and every time I saw him after that he was smiling.

That said I have got twin discs on my C tourer as I would nomally use it 2 up and loaded and I've have had a few heart stopping moments :eek: when the bike wouldn't stop with 'standard' set up at speed on motorways.
Ian
 

Alan J

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Brakes!!

If you must have the best in terms of stopping power, I agree with Mr. Savage!! saying that, I,m still riding around on very original brakes on my outfit!! Perhaps it's time I opened my wallet!! Ouch!!
 
Top