H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres Right Front Brake Plate

[LoneStar]

Included with the parts comprising my Rapide basket case was a front brake plate, suitably cut out for the speedometer drive. This pleased me, as making it unnecessary to acquire one elsewhere. I duly sent it off to the powdercoater, but on looking at it again I noticed a strange feature. The cutout for the speedo drive is positioned exactly opposite where it is on all the other plates I've seen. But why?

• For some Vincent variant with a speedo drive positioned behind the fork?
• For some Vincent variant with the speedo drive on the left side?
• Mistaken production by a dyslexic aftermarket supplier?

All the MO drawings I have show the opening in the usual place, to the front of the fork. I notice that its torque stop and shoe pivot posts lack the X-shape staking seen on most originals, suggesting an aftermarket product.

Anyone seen one of these before?

 

[chankly bore]

These things are risky enough to use anyway, being 70 years old and prone to bending and abuse and the non-standard method of affixing a critical component might make it even less trustworthy. Notwithstanding the powder coating I'd say it is only rustworthy. I've had a torque stop pin tear out in a minor accident, not a trick I'd like to repeat. The brake pivot pins have possibly been welded in, it seems. As an exercise see if they are parallel and perpendicular to the plate. I wouldn't trust my scrawny neck to it!

 

[Bill Thomas]

Maybe used on the rear ?, After fitting Tele forks ?.
I use a Bicycle speedo to get over that problem.

 

[brian gains]

excuse my lack of Vinnie knowledge but was it a different configuration for the Brampton set up ?.

 

[Chris Launders]

Before the internet when things were much harder to get perhaps the only speedo drive that could be found was an opposite rotation one, so this was done to fit on the LH side, I have a friend who has done this on the rear of his special as the drive side is fitted with a cush drive instead of the drum and has discs on the front.

 

[A Nut]

Bramptons used the same position for the speedo drive as Girdraulics. I think Bill Thomas explanation is the most logical. I don't like the attempts to weld the shoe pivots in place of staking and would advise against using it.
Brian Werrett

 

[Bill Thomas]

You have to be so careful with stuff from ebay now !,
After all these years stuff has been drilled shortened and all sorts,
Burman boxes not for comets ?,
A wheel hub which had been shortened etc,
Bigend with bits missing.

 

[Cyborg]

I believe I have one that is still in good shape. It spent it’s life in Canada, so it was in hibernation for most of those 70 years.

 

[vibrac]

My bet is the rear wheel incidentally I have seen a rear fixing with a single rear drum and sprocket and on the otherside a speedo gear on the hub and a simple skeleton strap that carried the speedo angle drive.