Hitchcocks Forum

Some of you guys may remember a thread I posted a while ago about my near suicidal twin leading shoe front brake. Just to remind... I'd fitted our host's replacement shoes plus a heavy duty cable and cleaned and lubed the bits that needed cleaning and lubing, but all to no avail. The bloody thing still wouldn't do its job. Well now thee hundred miles later I've just re-balanced the shoes a la our host's 'Technical Notes' and hey presto! it works! I mean it REALLY WORKS! I've just been out for a spin and at last I feel capable of an emergency stop and I've taken a disc conversion kit off my Christmas list. Thanks to all who gave really sound advice to my original post.

Great to heat that RIGGERS ------------- now have a go at my mod. for the rear brake improvement by converting the shoes to fully-floating. And all you will need is 2 x Nyloc nuts and 2 flat washers. It's easy-peasy.

Hi Alan. Having secured my two nuts and washers what do I do with them? Cheers mate.

------------Oooh !!! the temptation for an "Alternative " answer. The short version is}----strip the backplate assy. completely. On the expanding brake adjuster you'll notice that the factory has done the securing nuts( which clamp the adjuster to the backplate) up tight using shakeproof washers. The holes in the backplate need to be elongated. Re-assemble the adjuster only this time use a flat washer onto the backplate and a nyloc nut just nipped up to allow the adjuster to "float" but with no sideplay. Apply a little brake grease---re-assemble shoes etc. JOB DONE!! Both shoes can now self-centre with wear---something they couldn't do previously. I did this on my Bullet 65 a few years ago as they are notorious for having weak--if not non-existent rear braking due to that poor cross-over shaft design. Certainly made a difference. I can't remember how much of a slot I opened the 2 holes up to exactly but it doesn't need to be much---just as long as the shoe assy. as a whole can centre itself.

----------additional} It might be that I used a flat washer on either side of the slot. So you might need 4 then.

Cheers mate. I'll keep your posting and give it a go sometime.

Alan, the original British Enfields use a very similar set up to this allowing the shoes to self centre.