hello and looking for advise

Gene Nehring

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi,

So my dream like many of you has come true and I have a acquired my first Vincent, a 1951 Comet. It was owned by an elderly gentleman who could no longer kick it over and he has passed the torch on to me.

I was out riding for the first time since buying the Comet and the front brake cable pulled off the brass end at the handle. I have repaired the cable, but I am new to the dual break set and need a layman's guide to rebalancing the break set up.

I have read some posts but I cant find a step by step guide and I don't have a copy of know thy beast. If someone could point me in the right direction or to a relevant post it would be much appreciated.

I will join the VOC as soon as I can.


Thanks,

Eugene.

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Monkeypants

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
hi there are other vincents on saltspring, one of which is being used to rideto Wyoming at the moment. (Norton Rally)
 

Bazlerker

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Join the VOC because there is a world of advice available to you from your fellow members, then acquaint yourself with one of the many really nice folks who sell Vincent parts. All of the spares companies sell all of the various manuals that are available. There are some spares that you should keep on hand - I keep clutch & brake cables as well as an assortment of fastners on hand.. Lastly - join the Vancouver section of the Vincent Owners Club..they are extremely knowleadgeable and friendly. It goes without saying that you should keep a supply of Bombay Sapphire Gin and a selection of good single malts around when the Vancouver section stops in to visit.
Feel free to pm me for help - though I dont know much about Comets I can lie convincingly.
 

Gene Nehring

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Yes, As I understand there is two Rapides on the island. I have seem them being ridden around but do not know the owners well as of yet.
 

Bazlerker

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Take a bottle of Gin (Bombay Sapphire) and sprinkle it liberally on your front lawn...it will attract any Vincent owners within sniffing distance..
 

Gene Nehring

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
will do! I have also made an online application for VOC membership, which I understand takes a little while.
 

davidd

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Eugene,

Welcome! The brake works much like a side pull brake on a bicycle. It will pull on one side and you want to adjust the other side so all of the shoes, left and right, are hitting the brake drum at the same time. To start, make sure that the cable is pulling the left and right levers on the brake at 90 degrees. Much lower or higher and you are giving up the best leverage. If you have trouble getting the lever in exactly the right spot, take the nut off and there is a serrated washer underneath. If you index it 90 degrees different, it will change the adjustment slightly. While doing the adjustment, I try and make sure that when the lever on the brake is at 90 degrees to the cable the shoes are extremely close to full on the brake, namely, the less travel in the lever on the brake the better. Once the levers on the brake plates are as good as you can get them attach the cables and see if you can adjust them so they will pull both left and right levers the very small distance so they reach full on at the same time.

You may encounter lots of little problems. The cables may be stretched or not correct. The shoes may be worn and not trued to the drums. The return spring or springs might be fighting you, you may have adjusted the levers on the brake so that the shoes on one or both sides are so close the the drum that they are on all the time. Just ask more questions and try to eliminate the problems one at a time.

Good Luck

David
 

Monkeypants

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Would that happen to be Derek Daines old Comet?
Glen


ps the previous post under my name was from Michael Vane Hunt, who owns one of the Saltspring Rapides.
 
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