major issue with new front brakes - helped!!

[Bazlerker]

I am in the process of fitting new drums, backing plates etc acquired from Erich - north German section..
With the speedo drive gear in place the backing plates are held apart by the thickness of the gear to the extent that the nuts affixing the backing plates do not reach the threads on the axle..I removed the speedo drive gear to double check, and confirmed that is creating the issue..

Is there anyone who has fitted these brakes who can help?...

 

[davidd]

Bob,

I for one am not following. I went to the site but I do not see any brake plates listed. Are these stock plates or Lightning style plates?

The speedo drive gear is recessed on the hub. How is the brake plate hitting the gear before it is hitting the hub?

I have used Lightning plates or the 8" brakes. Neither use nuts on the hollow axle, but the change in dimension on your set up is what bothers me.

David

 

[nobby]

My lightning-type plates neither use nuts E80 on the axle (as on MO45), it all fits exactly, it is not a pleasure to assemble... My plates were manufactured before 1980 (I was told).
Since recent I fitted the speedo gear, have been shimming for ages to get the squeek out of it! Had to replace the alu H55 for the normal H47 felt washers...
They work now perfect, last weekend I had the sidecar hooked to the 600 and was the leader of a tour ride with almost 30 Vincents, a substantial part of the ride was in modern traffic. Some of the riders complained about the amount of (red) stoplights. But my brakes performed wonderful!
Are we talking about the plates from Erich Kruse or other?

 

[ossie]

on my speedo drive it is threaded so you can move it in or out.
i fitted a new set of gears recently had a problem as the shaft that the nylon gear fitted on was too long.
i had to grind the end to fix problem.
with the wheel in take off the gear drive and measure from the outer face where unit fits to brake plate
then from under the flange on drive to the nylon gear .
this measurement should put the nylon gear in line with the drive gear on the wheel

 

[ossie]

from brake plate to gear on wheel.

 

[Bazlerker]

David - these are cast aluminum backing plates, lightning style..There is a cast-in boss on the back of the backing plate that rubs up against the speedo drive gear, and thus prevents the backing plate nuts from engaging the threads on the axle - the backing plates are being held too far apart by the interference with the speedo drive gear.. I think the answer is to machine off the boss..

 

[davidd]

Thanks Bob. I am still a little confused. Cast plates should not use nuts. They are designed to be thick and stiff. Machining them to accept nuts would seriously lessen the stiffness. But if I can be of any help, I have photos of the inside of the speedo side plates for the 8 inch brakes and the 4-LS brakes which are both Lightning style plates. You can look at the machining and see if you can spot something. Write me at daviddunfey@hotmail.com which is a new email for me.

David

 

[Bazlerker]

The nuts supplied are perfectly round and fit into a round recess machined into the outer face..Since asking this question I have had an amazing amount of help, including assistance forthcoming from the maker...Wow..I even had a Vincent restoration expert call me to offer assistance...So wonderful, really..and so appreciated.
I even had assistance from a major parts supplier..whats amazing about that you ask?....Well, I didn't buy the brakes from him...
I pity the owners of lesser marques who must soldier on without the benefit of the VOC community..
So.. Thanks to Robert Watson, Glenn Bewley, Russell Kemp, Vince Lonsdale and all the folks who responded to my posts here and on the VOC facebook page..J