H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres Front Brake Outrigger Plate conversion

[erik]

With return spring fitted! And Speet brakes. Erik

 

[vibrac]

Being a fan of the handlebar wiffle tree, the bridge plate strength is a bit academic (but we have to try and keep the 'look' in Landsdowne) also we have to fit a 19" wheel so the 18" wheel brake cable adjuster cross bar we used on the Comet (see below) had to go into two smaller blocks what we have done however is introduce two air vent holes in the plate , without a wind tunnel I have no idea if any of the extra air that passes through gets to the engine but anything that reduces the air dam at 130 MPH is worthwhile.

 

[Malcolm winder]

Much the same result can be obtained more subtly by making the FF32 bridge plate in thicker alloy, say 1/4" with milled pockets for the padbolt nuts and then making a revised F56 bush in a top hat form. Then you only have to rid yourself of flexure and lost motion in the handlebar lever and perch, the long cable, the cam sleeve, the brake plates, pivot pins and the shoes. Then, for a brief and happy moment you will have brakes as good as the 1950 road test! The Vincent pages of the Britbike Forum cover this as well.

I think I see where this argument is leading

 

[erik]

I like the balance beam it is so typical Vincent and live with it .

 

[davidd]

Malcolm,

The only problem with an outrigger balance beam brace is that you can bend the brake shoes radically without it. There are two problems with the shoes: they are soft and the H48s are also too soft. Heavy pulling on the brake lever puts a dent in the mild steel H48 after two or three good pulls and prevents the brakes from moving further towards the drum as the lever is pulled. The dent becomes a detent that stops the movement of the brake cam.

In the last discussion we had on brakes, no one could cite the math to back up the claims made that the Vincent balance beam provided more force to the brake arms than two cables running through two anchors.

There is nothing wrong with the outrigger design, but it is probably not the weakest link in the Vincent braking system.

David

 

[erik]

This is why I have the Speet brakes and I think the brakes from Black Flash are as well a superior design.Erik

 

[davidd]

Erik,

Both very good brakes, but no longer available, as far as I know.

David

 

[erik]

Mikhail Gorbatschow once said : Wer zu spät kommt den bestraft das Leben! (Life punishes those who come too late! Ed)

 

[bmetcalf]

@Black Flash has advised that a new batch is being made.

 

[davidd]

The new batch is the same batch he has been working on for a year. He plans to fulfill those orders that were placed, but no more.

David