classic motorcycle forum
Motorcycle Discussions => British Bikes => Topic started by: Oggers on October 08, 2020, 10:25:15 AM
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Gents
66 Bonnie is fitted with a TLS - Twin Leading Shoe. Essentially on application of the brake, the forks judder and there is quite a bit of chatter from the brake knocking against the retaining tab on the offside fork. I have checked the head bearings - no problems there, so I am guessing it is the brake itself somewhere. I have little experience of these things, so some advice as to any adjustments I need to make or what to look for would be most appreciated.
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Have you set it up properly so that both shoes touch the drum at the same time? It's a bit complicated to explain but essentially you disconnect the linkage between the 2 shoes then apply both fully with a spanner on the spindle nuts. Then you can set up the linkage so that the clevis pins just slide in.
Other faults may be slack in the pivots / cams / wheel spindle fit in the backplate.
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Ian
No - haven't touched it at all. Was waiting for advice before I do so! Many thanks for the steer though.
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1st step with any braking problem is to take the shoes out and eyeball them.
If they are worn/ridged/knackered, there is not much mileage in persisting with them ?
Rusty linings or excessively dusty or grease leakage or out of round are other possibilities.
Hopethishelps.
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Have since disassembled. Shoes like new, inner surface fine, linkage fine. However, the large recessed hex nut securing backplate was not tight, and as Ian states, pretty sure shoes were not "balanced".
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That slack nut would give you the judder, but obviously you need to get the adjustment right as well.
You do know about leaving the spindle nut slack, putting the brake hard on then tightening the nut to centralise the shoes?
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Good advice for SLS brakes but as the adjusting rod will likely be adjusted after the spindle nuts are tightened it's not so relevant on TLS.
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True, but I'd get the linkage about right then do the centralising then readjust the linkage. A bit of a faff but should get good results.
I have to say I've only had one bike with a 2LS (Triumph unit 500) but it worked very well after tweaking it.
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Those Triumph 2LS brakes were among the best; when I worked for the Met Police, [or polis or da feds as is now PC talk] I had one know it all police rider who always tried to tell me that the front brake lever should not have so much travel, normally we'd set them up so they didn't bite until almost right at the bar. I let him get on with it after he came the heavy, it wasn't long before it threw him off.
$%^
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I've got one on my T100R. Faultless braking.
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Not only very good but very attractive too. Shame the groupthink of Slumberglade Hall changed the design to the ugly conical hub version. :'(
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Where I am at now is as follows
Reassembled with large 31mm or so recessed nut done up tight
Not loosened the spindle nuts
Front spindle arm pulled to brake on position as far as it will go - held with wire
Link piece fitted to front spindle arm
Rear spindle arm pulled on as far as it will go
Rear of link piece adjusted so clevis pin slides through.
Lock nut done up
Brake fitted up again. Feels far better with the front wheel off the ground, but not been on a run just yet.
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Sounds good. Let us know how it performs on the road.
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Ian
Thanks again for the steer - much appreciated. I am somewhat concerned as the bike has only has 1300 miles after a total resto by the PO. Things like this brake should have been sorted. Only the other week I also had to pull the clutch apart, clean all the plates, dress the splines, adjust the pressure plate as it just was not engaging gear properly. It is fine now, but this is basic stuff. I worry somewhat about what I may find next! Engine should be fine as it went off to a decent builder and it does sound glorious.
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Only 1300 miles since a "total resto"?
Sorry, that's not a "good" recommendation but a worrying one! Poorly adjusted brakes and clutch on something that some one spent a lot of time and/or money on are possibly good indicators that his enthusiasm surpassed his skill levels.
I'd spend a bit of time going over the whole thing carefully if I was you.
Brakes and clutch are pretty basic stuff to get wrong.
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Rex
That is precisely what I was getting at. Fortunately, engine/box excepted, I cannot think there is much else of serious concern. The 1000 or so miles done by me should have thrown it up by now. Already checked out head bearings, fork oil, chain, rear brake, swing arm - nothing looks to be amiss. Short of partially stripping it. fully even, not sure what else I can usefully do.
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Fair enough. I wasn't trying to be critical of your bike in any way, just that when you see some supposedly rebuilt bikes at shows etc and there's very basic and fundamental faults you think that clearly chrome was more important than functionality.
Then when you move on to the various genres of custom bikes and the whole issue of piss-poor engineering is magnified by a factor of ten..at least. ;)
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Don't mind crticism - as long as it is constructive. I had inkling the PO was not of our ilk - let us say. Bit more show than go certainly. He had an E-type Jag in his garage which he thought was worth 50% more than what it really was, plus he rode some large vulgar chrome thing rather than the Bonnie. He does seem to have genuinely spent the money on the Bonnie given the parts bill, just not so sure he has put it back together entirely correctly.
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There are many various ideas about what a total restoration comprises - some people think that a quick waft with a rattle can does the job.
I've never bought a "restored" bike for this reason - for peace of mind I'd need to check it all anyway so might as well start out expecting to.
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I feel the same, plus why should I pay for someone's cheap chroming and poor restoration work?
Aside from that, the restoration is a major part of the enjoyment.
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Yes, in fact often more fun than riding them (not the Norton ES2 of course, but possibly the Fanny-B)
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I do think at some point that I would disassemble the Bonnie to engine and frame, then rebuild as I see fit, though I am not pursuaded the engine and box require attention given the huge rebuild file written by the builder. I am not doing it just yet. I want to actually ride the thing, and to be fair to the PO, the rest of the bike seems - at this point anyways - in reasonable mechanical order.
I too enjoy restoring, but I have a limit. Chrome, rims, exhaust which are a pile of rust is an instant turn off - mainly due to the cost of restoring/replacing them - as is any major issue with the engine or box. Not that much difference price-wise these days between something that requires a huge amount of work and something that is half decent needing only a modest amount of remedial work.