what can you do to make the rear drum brake better?

[shark1979]

i am new to this xs650. the rear brakes dont seem to work so great. i know that drum brakes are not known for being great brakes. is there anything i can do to help this?

 

[XSJoel]

Have you rebuilt them? That is where I started. Above and beyond that I would maybe Google "how to improve drum brakes".

 

[PetesPonies]

On my '75, the rear drum is the best brake.

 

[5twins]

Start with a total disassembly and cleaning. Go from this .....

..... to this (yep, same hub) .....

Mark the shoes "top" and "bottom" before removal so you can put them back where they were. Lightly grease the shoe pivot points, remove the pivot shaft from the hub and grease that too. Lightly sand the shoes and drum to break and remove any glaze. Lightly oil the springs so they don't rust.

If that doesn't help much, consider new Ferodo shoes from 650Central.

 

[jayel]

apply and hold rear brake pedal before final tightening of axle nut to center shoes to hub

 

[xjwmx]

You can adjust the shoes till they're real close to the drums, and set the brake pedal high so that your foot doesn't point too far downward when you've got it stomped. It will give the impression of a stronger brake. Careful not to lock it up at speed; can be hazardous to your health. Some people (including me) set the rear brake opposite of how I just suggested, for that reason.

 

[grizld1]

+1 to all of the above. And just as important, use 220 garnet paper (sandpaper with sand on it, not wet-or-dry paper, which will leave metallic deposits) and acetone for cleaning. Clean with acetone, bust the glaze with the 220, clean again with acetone, repeat as needed. Then bed those new Ferodo shoes in gently.

 

[gggGary]

Bonus the rear brake is very simple to work on just "fold" the shoes off the pivots replace them the same way. Work on the pivot shaft till it it turns freely. The ideal brake job involves turning the shoes on a lathe so they have exact same radius as the drum. But more than likely a simple clean up will return it to good function.

 

[cros36]

i tried to lock up my rear drum and i cant even come close to it. i roughed up the pads, cleaned them and everything. just can get them to work good. im defiantly going to be rebuilding my MC and caliper before i go on any real rides.

 

[XSLeo]

Not only do you need to cleanup the shoes you need to do the same for the drum.
Leo

 

[shotgunjoe]

If the rear brake pivot arm is incorrectly installed... even off by one tooth, it will SUCK. Ask me how I know.

Since fixing this on mine... the rear brake works well enough to throw me off the bike if not careful. Ask me how I know It didn't happen but close...

 

[Ton Up]

Two tricks we sued to do back in the day:

1) Cut diagonal line with a hack saw across the shoes.
Helps evacuate the dust and water faster.

2) Port the brake drum. This you will have to look up how to do.
It comes down to drilling holes in the brake surface part of the drum.
This does two things, It evacs dust and water out faster.
It improves on cooling.

My Ole mad who was a racer in the 40s and 50s, showed me who to do it.
Ive done the shoes all the way on my Dodge Dart, and they are as fast as disc brakes, with 1/3 of the weight.

When I get that far with my XS I'll post it.

 

[WacoBrian]

i took mine to a local brake and clutch guy told him the same, they dont work worth a crap, he resurfaced the hub and the brakes, works like a champ