10 replies to this topic

[slogger]

The rebuild has taken a bit of a back seat due to the fact that my Beta has a poorly back brake and the fact that the Fantics front set up is doing my head in!!!!

The problem I have is that the previous owner (bodger bill......) was running a front brake cable with two adjusters on the front fork leg to get the cable to fit. I have ordered a new cable and it is the same lenght as the bodged one so I still appear to need two adjusters which cant be right.

I have stripped the drum and even turned the cam 180 deg incase it is of set, but its not. Their is some play (about 15deg) in the arm as it has worn but this is not enough to warrant the double adjuster.

Can you help with the following:

1) It would be good to understnad the correct measurements of a correct set up. Can anyone provie me with overal cable lenght and the lenght of exposed wire to nipple with one nipple tight against the outer cable shield. This will eliminate the fact that the supplier has sent me the wrong cable
2) Has anyone had a similar issue with front brake arm play and how did you resolve it
3) Any other thoughts on my dilema would be appreaciated.....

Rob

[htrdoug]

Dig yourself up some of these:

sourced at a bike shop or automotive store

Use it at the lower end of the cable to set the inner strand length to just where you want it,Wrap the end of the arm with duct tape to prevent loss in case it pulls off(I have never pulled off a bolt on adjuster that was tightened properly,just ones I bodged the soldering job on)

[anyoldiron]

What sort of condition are your brake shoes.?You might find new shoes will take up all that slack in the cable.Suprising how much slack worn shoes give to the cable.I had a similar problem with a front drum brake.Thought the shoes were ok and the cable was wrong but it turned out to be the other way round and problem solved.

[axulsuv]

OK here goes !
1 ; check lining thickness , the new ebc 's i've got out in the shop are just a hair under 4.5 mm ...
2 ; Check the length of the anchor strut , it should be about 8 inches bolt hole center to center ...
3 ; Length of brake arm is just under 4 inches overall ...
If all of the above is correct , let me know and we'll measure the axle to cable mounting lug to make sure the bodger didn't change the slider ...
Glenn
And Doug ! you still can't solder !?!?!?

Edited by axulsuv, 08 April 2010 - 10:07 PM.

[htrdoug]

axulsuv, on Apr 8 2010, 06:05 PM, said:

OK here goes !
1 ; check lining thickness , the new ebc 's i've got out in the shop are just a hair under 4.5 mm ...
2 ; Check the length of the anchor strut , it should be about 8 inches bolt hole center to center ...
3 ; Length of brake arm is just under 4 inches overall ...
If all of the above is correct , let me know and we'll measure the axle to cable mounting lug to make sure the bodger didn't change the slider ...
Glenn
And Doug ! you still can't solder !?!?!?

Yes,I can solder But occasionally I'm using old cables and old cable ends and things don't work out as well as I hope.I use a solder pot per Flanders website and flux and it usually works just fine. Whenever I try to buy cable ends the local Motorcycle shops don't ever have just what I need 'cause nobody makes cables themselves it seems these days(need to check with chopper shops since they have to make up cables for Ape's)

Just giving the OP and quick and dirty method to solve his problem,bolt on cable ends work just fine.

BTW,the bestest thing you can do for old drum brakes is to sand the parts of the shoe that is making contact with the drum everytime you take the wheel off,eventually you'll have solid strong brakes without drilling out the center hole or sending the wheels out to have the shoes turned on a lathe.


P.S. the cable end that just pulled off of my clutch cable the other day was the Factory made end

Edited by htrdoug, 08 April 2010 - 10:58 PM.

[axulsuv]

gee'ezze I was just teasing ya !!!

[slogger]

axulsuv, on Apr 8 2010, 11:05 PM, said:

OK here goes !
1 ; check lining thickness , the new ebc 's i've got out in the shop are just a hair under 4.5 mm ...
2 ; Check the length of the anchor strut , it should be about 8 inches bolt hole center to center ...
3 ; Length of brake arm is just under 4 inches overall ...

All the above near identical. Linings are about 4mm, anchor strut the same, as is the brake arm so that does seem to lead to a duff cable ?????

The one provided is as follows:

Outer shroud = 34 inches

With bar end nipple tight against the shroud I have the following from the bottom end shroud:

adjuster = 1.5 inches
excess cable to lower nipple = 4.5 inchs ( from end of adjuster)

[axulsuv]

A quick look at my cable while installed ... looks like your inner strand is about 2 inches to long ! in relation to the outer case . I'd use a cable end like doug suggested or Get the correct cable ...

[slogger]

Hi Doug,

Just to confirm,

Are you saying that on your bike once the cable is in place with the handle bar and fork leg adjusters in a "reasonable" position, the length of the inner strand from the bottom of the fork adjuster (ie where it comes out of the bottom of the fork leg adjuster) to the nipple (ie brake arm) is about 2 inches ??

Rob

[htrdoug]

slogger, on Apr 11 2010, 12:51 PM, said:

Hi Doug,

Just to confirm,

Are you saying that on your bike once the cable is in place with the handle bar and fork leg adjusters in a "reasonable" position, the length of the inner strand from the bottom of the fork adjuster (ie where it comes out of the bottom of the fork leg adjuster) to the nipple (ie brake arm) is about 2 inches ??

Rob

I cannot measure mine as it's apart,I'm swapping on a Fork from a later model Beta and will have to fabricate a custom cable stop and build a cable to fit,You should verify that your brake anchor is the stock one,if it has been replaced with a fabricated one it could have repositioned the lever in relation to the cable stop.

[axulsuv]

Rob ; The exposed inner cable at the bottom of my fork leg , with the cable installed is about 1 3/4 inches . The adjuster at the bottom of the cable on mine is 2 inches long overall , And it is screwed into the forkleg about halfway . Measure from your axle to the cable adjuster mounting lug , Mine is about 5 1/2 inches ...
Glenn