Hitchcocks Forum

Just finished restoration of a 1958 super Meteor and installed four new brake shoes in the front hubs... Performance of the front brake is not good and will barely stop me. Anyone got any ideas please??

FOUR new brake shoes?

Presume this is the double-sided brake operated by 2 separate cables?

I have the same on my Connie and did the same (4 new shoes). Same problem.

Cause of my problem was that the drums had been skimmed in the past so the new shoes were unable to make contact all over as they were of a different radius to the drums.

Solution for me was new oversize linings which were then machined to suit the drums (by Classic Brake Services in Whaley Bridge). Great job!

Stephen

Stedman, have you followed the set-up procedure correctly? Including allowing the brake plate cam bushes to float? This brake can be very effective (although it doesn't have the instant bite of a larger single drum or disc, obviously!) and the one on my 1953 Meteor will lock the front wheel under extreme circumstances, ie, blind car driver!

REgards, Mark

Make sure that both the cam bushes are free to self centre and not over tightened.

Just beat me to it Mark.

No worries Dennis, you usually think of something I don't in any case!

REgards, Mark

As mentioned by others, both cam housings must be free to JUST slide on the brake plates.


Both cables must be adequately lubricated, and adjusted so that the compensator beam is sitting square to the pivot.


If you have fitted new Indian shoes, it is advised to check that the Pivots and Cam faces are true and square to each other? (Pattern shoes are often rubbish). Sit the shoes onto the pivot with just one spring to locate the shoes; do both pivots sit flush? Next look at the shoes cam faces and see if they are sitting square onto the cam? Work the brake arm slowly to ensure that the cam is evenly 'wiping' across the face.


Have you deglazed the drum surfaces?


The Cam housing, Cam shafts, and pivots all need a THIN smear of HMP grease...


Have the leading edges of all four shoes been slightly chamfered? (needed to minimize 'grab")


No matter what, all new brake shoes need to be progressively bedded in via series of repeated and controlled stops. Starting from a low speed: 30mph to a complete stop, 50mph to 20mph, 60mph to a stop. Allow to the Hub and linings to cool somewhat between each series stops, and progression of increased speed and applied pressure.
Even so, brake shoes often need some time to fully bed in. Mechanical drum brakes are not like disc brakes and need a wee bit of patience before they become fully effective...
The Shoes that you have bought have NOT been radiused to match you drum, so be prepare for it take a while (a few days) for the linings to bed onto the drums.

In all fairness, I think Mark's brake is an exception to the average. Often, even when settled-in and well set-up, this brake is not dramatically wonderful. We've got used to really good brakes on more recent machines, and these are no match for modern brakes. This is not in any way to contradict the excellent advice that folk have given on this thread!

Presto you are correct that modern brakes are far better than the brakes on these bikes.

When these bikes were designed/built tyre technology was also inferior and did not have the grip of current tyres, this is why bike makers deliberatly built bikes with strong rear and weak front brakes to prevent the locking of the front wheels with subsequent accidents.

As Mark says with careful assembly and setting up these twin 6" brakes can be very good and with a strong grip locking the wheel is possible as it is with my Super Meteor, the front brake on these bikes is probably one of the best on any bike of the time, but you have to understand it and set it up correctly.