Front brake

Information relating to the Matchless G2 or AJS Model 14 250cc Lightweight
Woodland
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Front brake

Post by Woodland »

Hi All
The front brake on my 1961 G2 is not that good, it all seems to be standard / working ok etc and guess they were never that good at stopping the bike.
Has anybody ever fitted something different which actually stops the bike? Any pointers in the right direction will be most useful
Gary
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Front brake

Post by Rob Harknett »

Woodland wrote:Hi All
The front brake on my 1961 G2 is not that good, it all seems to be standard / working ok etc and guess they were never that good at stopping the bike.
Has anybody ever fitted something different which actually stops the bike? Any pointers in the right direction will be most useful
Gary
How much do you use the bike ??? If you are not using it daily, he longer its not used, the longer it will take for the brake to clean up linings and drum. Unless you are forever cleaning each time use the bike. Test yours. Ride with the brakes on, perhaps for a few miles. To clean up surface rust etc inside. Even longer if you have spray the likes of WD 40 anywhere near the brake. If I have not used a bike for a while I would not trust the brakes to work if need be, with out doing this test. You should start to feel the brake bite. The longer the bikes been laid up the longer this will take. This is assuming your linings are OK, fitted correctly and brake adjusted up OK
Woodland
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Re: Front brake

Post by Woodland »

Thanks Rob, I will give this a try and see if it works, you might be right, the bike had not been used for a while
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Front brake

Post by Rob Harknett »

Woodland wrote:Thanks Rob, I will give this a try and see if it works, you might be right, the bike had not been used for a while
If new linings have been fitted could take quite a few miles to bed in. Some people now machine linings for a good fit. If just fitting linings putting things together, It could take many miles for brake linings to bed in. Tells you that I think in the instruction book, re running in procedure of a new bike. When I built an old prewar bike I just built it up and hoped all will be OK. New brake shoes fitted. They hardly worked at all, Must have taken a year of just a few runs to section meet etc. before the front brake started to work OK. Even lock the wheel. Back brake still useless. I took the bike to Brands Festival of 1,000 bikes. I did not think I would pass scrutinisers to get on the track. One guy held the front brake on and stood on the rear brake pedal. Other pushed. Bike never moved. Guy said got good brakes but U had to put all me weight on the rear pedal. No wonder I could not get it to work just using my toe. It was adjusted up really tight. I loosened off a bit to give a but more travel, worked ok I could lock the wheel. Still needs a mile or so if left standing, holding on the brakes till they start to bite. It is something you really need to do, so you know they will OK if need to.
SPRIDDLER
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Re: Front brake

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Hi Gary.
The front brake was never designed with today's traffic in mind. When I were a lad bike magazine reviews used to include the 'Stopping distance from 30mph' which was around 30ft. (Ref. Motor Cycling's 29.5ft stopping distance from 30mph for its 1954 T110 road test), and from 60mph (a speed at which most damage/injury might occur) it was 40 yds!
Pattern linings, unlike the originals, are asbestos-free and seem to me to be harder, requiring a greater lever force.
I spent quite a while looking into fitting a modern disc brake to my '54 G3LS but not only does this mean using the matching modern forks (upon which to mount the calipers) and modern wheel but some disc brakes are no better than you already have. I came close to fitting a front disc assembly from a Honda 250 but was told by an owner that it was 'total rubbish'. Whether this was a relative term I cannot say having never tried one but you need to consider it. You would also be obliged to notify your insurers of this modification, even though in theory it makes the bike safer to ride.
There can be several reasons why the brake isn't as good as it should be. 5 years ago I posted a long and detailed diatribe with suggestions on front brake improvement with photos which you will find within the link below:

http://www.jampot.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 66#p115566
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Which taken at the flood............'
56G80S
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Re: Front brake

Post by 56G80S »

I can vouch for the value of reading (and acting on) the tips / suggestions in that link.

I did.

Bookmark it.

Johnny B
SPRIDDLER
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Re: Front brake

Post by SPRIDDLER »

;) Not entirely original thought John. I first read about that in an article by Titch Allen, founder of the VMCC, based upon his experiments of 40 or 50 years ago.

There is also the twin leading shoe brake which is very similar to our single leading shoe design but instead of one cam and one fixed pivot it has two cams, one at each end of both shoes and (obviously) no fixed pivot which means that both shoes are leading shoes.
In an attempt to improve their single leading shoe brake Triumph (and probably others) produced a brake which although it still had only one moving cam the pivot at the other ends of the shoes was not fixed but floating. The floating pivot was at the end of an arm (looks a bit like a conrod) which enabled it move (a very small amount) about the axis of the drum centre and therefore both ends of both shoes would, in theory, self align to the drum.
Triumph self centering brake shoes.jpg
But I guess we all knew that anyway :oops:
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56G80S
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Re: Front brake

Post by 56G80S »

I've used the Triumph TLS and it was, in my opinion, effective.

Johnny B
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Front brake

Post by Rob Harknett »

I have a Suzuki front wheel in one of my 250 light weigh CSR's . Have to be care full not to hit that too hard, slightest touch and my pillion passenger, shoots forward to where I was sitting. I'm then on thank with my knees under the handlebars. So I have to try not to use the front brake.
SPRIDDLER
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Re: Front brake

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Rob Harknett wrote:I have a Suzuki front wheel in one of my 250 light weigh CSR's . Have to be care full not to hit that too hard, slightest touch and my pillion passenger, shoots forward to where I was sitting. I'm then on thank with my knees under the handlebars. So I have to try not to use the front brake.
Many a true word, Rob.............
Always warn. Final (521x640).jpg
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