Subject: RE: new subscriber
Author: Zink, Rich, ITD
Date: May 28, 2003, 2:09 PM
Post ID: 1713171373
Shawn,
First thing to learn is that the brakes were never meant to stop, maybe slow
down a little but surely not stop ;-)
That being said I got lazy and cut/paste from my archives (with recognition
to the original posters) the following. Hope it helps.
And welcome to the very knowledgeable and low-key group of folks here.
Rich
After looking for some time for a procedure for fine tuning the
connecting linkage on the front brakes for optimum performance, I found
the following on Paul Friday's UK site for the Nuovo Falcone
(http://www.devce.demon.co.uk/falcone.htm). Made more sense than other
explanations I've found, and worked terrific on the Eldo and Ambo I've
tried it on so far.
Front brake performance on the '73 Eldo was less than perfect, with a
fair bit of lever travel from engagement to real stopping power,
tendency to squeal at low speed, and suddenly grab with slight
additional effort. Ambo police just weak performance on front stopper.
Blocked/jacked up the front end so the wheel just cleared the ground,
released the cotter key and pulled the pin closest to the end of the
brake tie rod that adjusts, and locked the wheel with the cable adjuster
so that wheel can just be turned with reasonable effort. Then adjust
tie rod length so that with lever on second shoe engaged by hand you get
about twice as much resistance to wheel turning as with one shoe.
**Check it with the pin installed, not just by eye, as there is a tiny
bit of unavoidable play in the linkage. Pin everything back up and back
off cable adjuster again. Result: about as good a front brake as you
could want without discs--great feel and progressive action, just like
the designer intended. (Discovered the Eldo had uneven pressure on
shoes, and Ambo was definitely braking with one shoe only!!)
Paul Friday's original instructions: Setting up the Twin-Leading Shoe
Front Brake
Following a recent embarrassing meeting with an MOT tester, I became
aware of the need to set up the twin-leading shoe front brake, and in
fact it could not be easier.
The problem is that unlike a single leading shoe which automatically
holds both shoes against the drum to almost exactly the same degree, the
twin-leading shoe can be used with the owner oblivious of the fact that
only one of the shoes is in fact in proper contact.
SO to set the twin-leading shoe front brake, remove the split pin
through the pivot pin on the connecting rod at the end nearest the
inline adjuster. Then tighten the cable adjuster on the lever or the
front brake plate so the brake (for one of the shoes anyway) is hard
applied. Then slacken off the locknut to the clevis and alter the
position of the clevis on the connecting rod so that the hole through
the clevis lines up through the lever when the other shoe is applied by
hand.**(NOTE my refinement to this technique above--JW) When this is
so apply the lock nut on the connecting rod and reassemble the mechanism
with new split pins wherever you have disturbed them. Then re-adjust the
cable for use. The brakes will probably take two days to bed in then
WOW.
John Wells in PA
-----Original Message-----
From: shawn walton [mailto:swal-@ca.imshealth.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 1:54 PM
To: Loopfram-@topica.com
Subject: new subscriber
Hi guys,
I have an 73 850 eldo up here in Montreal.......................
Also, can anyone give me directions on setting up the front brake. I
have never owned drum brakes before as my last bike was a KLR 650 and
before that, a 73 honda 550.
Thanks a lot,
Looking forward to your emails.
shawn