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Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 5:59 pm
by jawa-enfield
After 2 hubs, many(!) different linings, hours of adjusting and testing, brake cams in different dimensions, a-symmetrcal 'new and improved' brake plates, drums with too much graphite in them?- I dare not to count how much money i think i am throwing the towel in the ring regarding the D.L. enfield front brake.
It acts against all rules of mechanics and physiscs..

I am wondering, are there data about fitting an non-enfield hub with ditto brake plate ('68-70 BSA/Triumph, or Grimeca?) in an 4-speed enfield bullet?
Maybe that of a ducati-Conder A350?

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 6:17 pm
by Wheaters
My experience of the Bullet twin leading shoe front brake has shown me that it works quite adequately when properly adjusted but if not adjusted quite right it can be really poor.

I can only wonder....What technique have you been using to adjust your brake?

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 7:42 pm
by black fingernail
You need to read Pete Snidal's manual. He shows each step clearly, you can find it on the internet.
It really is not that difficult if you set it up in order, one problem I had, was getting it to bed in after it was set up correctly, it had been incorrectly set for a while before I got her, and the shoes were worn in the wrong place, so I had to rub them down a bit to level them up.
Now they are set up and bedded in, they aren't that bad, not comparable to disc brakes, but suit the performance adequately.

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:45 pm
by windmill john
I’m new to Royal Enfield and my Bullet has a TLS. I think it works pretty well.

I fitted a drum brake R60/6 wheel to my R65, that too had a TLS. As long as you chamfer the two leading edges, this also helps to stop grabby brakes when damp. Get the set up spot on, they are very good. I’ve read the technique on Pete’s site, but haven’t needed to do it yet, but as mentioned, I’ve done it in the past on other bikes.

It’s all in the pedantic set up; oh, also give them a bit of a sand to help bed in too.

Maybe Jawa should buy a complete second hand wheel?

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:01 am
by Aethelric
When I got my sixty-5 I decided to put in brand new british linings, set it up properly and remove the front brake mod that allows the cams to be adjusted independently.
I did all that, and the brake was awful, much worse than before I started. An inspection showed that the lining were only making contact in the middle. I spent a good few hours with emery paper stuck on the drum trying to arc the linings in to the same radius as the drum.
But I decided my old linings weren't that bad so I gave up. I also had to redo the mod to adjust the cams independently again.
It actually works very well. The MOT tester was surprised how good it was. But I am prepared for a long job when the linings need replacing.
My other bike is an R65 to BTW :D

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:18 am
by Davedup
The bonkers thing is, I found the Indian shoes better than the UK available ones.
Might have been a fluke for me though.

Dave

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:28 am
by Daiwiskers
Don't really want to say this but
There is a lot of misinformation out there about adjusting TLS brakes
You have to shorten the adjustment rod
A lot of the information on the net state's that you lengthen the rod
this is wrong if you follow this advice you will be pushing the first shoe against the drum and pulling the second shoe away from the drum

Cheers Dai

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:32 am
by stinkwheel
Thing is, they are still remarkably shonky brakes for a TLS setup, even when working well.

The front wheel mounting is very simple. I suppose you could fit just about anything providing the overall width is not wider than the fork spacing and you can slot an anti-torque tab/rod in there somewhere (again, you could easily bolt a plate onto one of the mudguard lugs for a torque-arm). You'd just need to get someone to turn you up a spindle. Not a particularly big job for someone proficient with a lathe and you would probably manage to fit WAY better nuts and threads on there. Speedo drive might take some imagination but you can fit a rear wheel one with a little modification of a standard rear hub and spacer (on the level of a hand-file and some emery cloth) and long speedo drive cables are available off the shelf.

OPs user name suggests he's also got/is into Jawas. Could you use a Jawa front end? As I recall, the TLS brake on my old .638 had a similar torque-reaction groove to the bullet. You can buy brand new Jawa brake plates from India and the wheels are universal.

The very best TLS drum I've ever had was on a Kawasaki S2 Triple. They also have a built-in speedo drive. You could literally stand that on its nose if you wanted to. I'd imagine they would be like rocking horse poo though and priced accordingly.

Some of the 1970's lightweight (125-350) Honda aircooled twins had a very neat TLS front end. As I recall, a CB175 front brake plate was a popular upgrade for the MZ boys at one point. Again though, rarity strikes, they aren't getting any newer or easier to come by.

Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:52 am
by windmill john
stinkwheel is right, as long as it fits between the forks.....

I had to resize one spacer and then get a local engineering firm to turn down part of my R60/6 axle to suit my R65 forks.
I did have to make two small plates to move the mudguard up , as the R60/6 wheel is 19 inch and the original is 18 inch.

Here you go Aethelric, my wife is still angry at me selling Schorsch; she's right, should've kept him.

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Re: Front brake, rebuilt with non enfield parts, looking for info..

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 3:15 pm
by Davedup
I had an R65 the same colour! Took her down to the south of France. Ran like a dream.
(Sorry off topic)
Dave
windmill john wrote:
Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:52 am
stinkwheel is right, as long as it fits between the forks.....

I had to resize one spacer and then get a local engineering firm to turn down part of my R60/6 axle to suit my R65 forks.
I did have to make two small plates to move the mudguard up , as the R60/6 wheel is 19 inch and the original is 18 inch.

Here you go Aethelric, my wife is still angry at me selling Schorsch; she's right, should've kept him.


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