rear brakes

[inxs]

- replaced your rear brake shoes? no apparent improvement in braking?

- no, youre not imagining it...this is not uncommon

- why not?

- the shoes have to wear in, this takes time...these are not trucks, where the brakes are specially machined to fit from newly replaced

- also don't forget that rear brakes arent intended to provide more than 25% of total braking, you don't want to go locking her up and losing it every time you want to stop

- you can help yourself though...

- bevel shave the edges of the shoes...after prolonged use the drum can wear to the form of the shoes...when this happens your new shoes wont contact properly until the edges have worn to the drum​

- when tightening up your rear axle nut, put your foot on the brake pedal, this locates the shoes as best possible, locating the brake hub optimally in the drum​

- be patient, they will wear in​

 

[BigGeorge]

INXS when you say bevel the edges you are refering to the leading and trailing edges of the shoes correct? Back when cars had drum brakes it was always policy to bevel the leading and trailing edges of new shoes. This is good advice for someone who doesnt have experience with drum brakes............BG

 

[Gordon]

Bg, I do believe he is refering to the side edges. The front & rear of the shoes wont' cut ridges into the drum, but the sides will.The front & rear can also be done, to allow the whole shoe to bite on the initial break in. The drum often gets a lip from the edge as the shoes wear down, and the bevel will allow the shoe to be inside that ridge.

 

[yamaman]

Though it doesn't mention preparing the shoes, a good article HERE actually a damn good site all around!
Also some good info from MMM HERE

 

[5twins]

For me, the jury is still out on this topic. When I got my 650, it had almost new rear shoes, EBC I think - they sucked. I aquired some different wheels - '77s - and that stock rear was much better. Then I got some TX750 wheels - bigger diameter rear hub and wider shoe - should stop better, right? well not so much. I will admit that the 750 rear brake is getting better as I put more miles on it. I think 35 years of inactivity may have something to do with that. Eventually I want to get new shoes from 3M. I thought it may be a problem for an old application like the TX750 but it turns out it's not. Yamaha kept using that same shoe on many bikes right up through the '90s.

 

[inxs]

- and set the rear brake cam lever as close to 90° to the actuating arm as possible...similar to this...

 

[Travis]

Just to be clear, you want the arm to be 90° to the rod once the brakes are applied. So that pic looks about right because the angle is just under 90° and once the brakes are applied, it will be right on.

 

[yamaman]

For me, the jury is still out on this topic.

The feathering & other preparation of drum brake shoes can be necessary on 2LS & 4LS type brakes (most particularly front brakes), as they can be very touchy on initial grab. A 1LS brake, like a XS rear does not have the same dramas associated with it (still can be a bit touchy when used on the front, not nearly as bad as 2LS though).

Top info HERE on the subject!

 

[yamaman]

Just to be clear, you want the arm to be 90° to the rod once the brakes are applied. So that pic looks about right because the angle is just under 90° and once the brakes are applied, it will be right on.

 

[inxs]

Just to be clear, you want the arm to be 90° to the rod once the brakes are applied. So that pic looks about right because the angle is just under 90° and once the brakes are applied, it will be right on.

- i should have made that clear, was surprised how long it took me to find that photo...too lazy to go out and take one of mine then transfer and download it
- nice links yamaman...good reading