PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Information relating to the Matchless G80 or AJS Model 18 500cc Heavyweight.
StephenG80
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:42 pm
Location: ARGYLL UK

PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by StephenG80 »

OK - having just greased the front bearing I was looking forward to a straight forward assembly but oh no, either I have missed something very obvious (doh), or PO is now definitely off my Christmas card list :x

Background: before disassembly there would be a bit of a click from the front end when using the front brake on a ride for the first time. I had put this down to worn steering head bearings, it was nothing major so I just put it on the to do list. Then when taking the front wheel off to check the front wheel bearing I found the reason for the click. The bolt (3) was missing and the other one holding the stay was a little lose, meaning the front brake stay was moving a little at the top, where it was held by the single bolt, when the front brake was used for the first time, making the clicking noise. I presumed the missing bolt (3) had just come lose and fallen out.

Wind forward to present: As you can see in the picture below, having replaced the missing bolt (3) and put the front wheel on, the hole in the stay (1) cannot be lined up with the hole in the brake plate (2). :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: . The only way to make it line up is to take out the bolt (3) and pivot the stay forward slightly on the single front bolt. :shock: :shock: ie how it was set up before I disassembled it.
Capture.JPG


So the questions- have I missed something glaringly obvious or are there different stays on different models eg a G9 say, which this might be off, which won't fit without such a dangerous set up on a G80S (1954)?

Anyone with any ideas?

Thanks
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
1608
Member
Posts: 2493
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by 1608 »

I can only think you have an earlier stay ( anchor) perhaps from a single sided hub, or a later wheel and hub perhaps. But, however you get over the problem the subject of the correct shouldered bolts and being of a good fit are paramount. Please update when you've got it sorted, always interested in the outcome of these problems.
Last edited by 1608 on Sat Jul 21, 2018 8:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by cfaber »

Something's off. Here's mine off my '54 18S

Image
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
StephenG80
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:42 pm
Location: ARGYLL UK

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by StephenG80 »

cfaber wrote:Something's off. Here's mine off my '54 18S

[img]https://odysseystream.com/images/jampot/post
You've got different forks to mine cfaber - mine don't have the in front of spindle mount for the mudguard, but your stay looks like mine should look :beer: .
JimFitz
Posts: 663
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:27 am
Location: Kent, England

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by JimFitz »

Could the stay have become slightly distorted at the top tee piece through being used with a single bolt. If so would it be possible to "persuade" it back in line with some heat, a vice and a hammer? It looks worse than it is - you are probably only about 1/16" out at the top hole
The bolt at the bottom into the brake plate is quite critical and life threatening if it falls out. I make sure it stays put by drilling a hole across the head and lockwiring it to a hole in the stay.

Jim
Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die.

1952 G80 rigid, 1960 G12 DL / Watsonian Monza, 1954 G80S.
StephenG80
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:42 pm
Location: ARGYLL UK

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by StephenG80 »

JimFitz wrote:Could the stay have become slightly distorted at the top tee piece through being used with a single bolt. If so would it be possible to "persuade" it back in line with some heat, a vice and a hammer? It looks worse than it is - you are probably only about 1/16" out at the top hole
The bolt at the bottom into the brake plate is quite critical and life threatening if it falls out. I make sure it stays put by drilling a hole across the head and lockwiring it to a hole in the stay.

Jim
Hi Jim,

I was horrified when I found this re the potential for a very serious accident - she ain't going anywhere until sorted. I don't think the stay will have gone out of shape through having a single anchorage, but someone on a face book group suggested slackening everything off and starting with loosely bolting the stay to the backing plate etc. I think that might work as, you are right, a mere 1/16 at the top would sort it. once its all lined up I'll be taking it all off and drilling the bolt to to the backing plate and the two bolts at the top for locking wire - belt and braces!!
User avatar
Duncan
Member
Posts: 2118
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 1:00 am
Location: HAMPSHIRE UK

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by Duncan »

It could be that the fork leg has been repaired with a thread insert that has not go in the correct location.
User avatar
robcurrie
Member
Posts: 957
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:33 pm
Location: Limpopo SOUTH AFRICA
Contact:

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by robcurrie »

The curved brake lever is also from the later models where the lever is at the top of the brake plate.

Rob C
Mick D
Posts: 2886
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:44 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by Mick D »

Hi

From the parts lists it looks like you have a bitza hub / brake plate - the 54 shows the brake lever pointing to the rear and hence used a different torque stay, (with the cable facility at the rear), pt no 018655. Edited to add - looks like the parts manual illustration is misleading :roll: .

Your brake lever looks identical to my 60 one, formed to fit inside the slider above the wheel spindle.

I'd study the parts lists in the archive to try and determine what you've got.

Regards Mick
SPRIDDLER
Member
Posts: 8542
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: PO - front brake stay - wrong type?

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Here's my original May '54 G3LS front brake. One previous owner.
(It has the correct '54 slider as cfaber's but a later mudguard, hence the lower front mudguard stay lug is not used).
The inner cable 'adjuster' plates on the brake arm are experimental and non-standard!
2018-07-22 Front brae '54 004.JPG
2018-07-22 Front brae '54 007.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at the flood............'
Locked