Rear Brake Adjustment Question

[Matt Robins]

Hi,

Here's probably an easy one from a rookie. I have a Heinz 57 Panhead with a hydraulic read brake. I recently adjusted the primary chain and drive chain. They both needed to be slightly tightened. Once I was finished, I checked the rear brake pedal and it would barely move when I pressed it down and it stayed on. Before I get to tearing this up, can anyone point me in the right direction? Wouldn't think the adjustment would need to come at the piston rod adjuster would it? Thanks for any help you can give me!

[koanes]

Sounds like you created a bind in the backing plate and drum assembly or you pinched a hydraulic line with the rear chain adjustment. I would crack the bleeder to see if it frees up if you don't see anything obvious with a visual inspection. In the original application the hole in the swingarm for the brake plate anchor bolt was oval and allowed for centering the brake shoes in the drum, if your conversion does not allow for that, the front shoe may be forced against the drum. There are shoe stops in the backing plate that may allow you to give the front shoe some room. The square head is part of an eccentric that contacts the shoe. If you can get it to move, you can experiment with direction of turn to see if you can get it loose.

[Matt Robins]

Well I loosened everything up and still had the problem with the pedal, so I cracked the bleeder as was suggested above and then tightened it again and was able to press down on the brake. After five or six pumps it was back to barely moving and the rear brake would stick unless I pulled back on the pedal a little with my shoe.

One other question, how tight should the brake sleeve or anchor nut be tightened? I tightened it, put the lockwasher over it and then tightened the axle nut to the 50 pounds the Clymer manuel lists (I've heard this manuel sucks and I have a copy of the original Harley manuel too) but then the lockwasher split in two and broke. Normally I just tighten it pretty tight and call it good. How tight should it be and what's the alternative to a new lockwasher besides ordered in the $40 kit from J&P? Thanks for any information you can give me! I appreciate it.

[BigLakeBob]

How about a picture of the rear setup showing the backing plate. Since this is a non stock setup it would help to see it. Sounds like a bind to me, by backing off the hydraulic pressure it allowed the bind to relax, but once pumped up it put it in the bind again. Then of course it could always be a master cylinder problem. Assume everything worked before the adjustments? How long have you ridden this setup?

[rousseau]

If you can get it to release by pulling back on the brake pedal, sounds like you have no "freeplay between the pedal rod and master cylinder. Adjust it to where there is at least 1/8 inch clearance.

[Matt Robins]

If you can get it to release by pulling back on the brake pedal, sounds like you have no "freeplay between the pedal rod and master cylinder. Adjust it to where there is at least 1/8 inch clearance.

That was it. I must have had a bind with the backing plate to begin with because I had messed with that rod afterwards and didn't adjust it back. I loosened everything up again at the wheel, tightened it back up and adjusted the rod by the mastercylinder and it seems to be good to go now. I'll take her out tomorrow night and find out for sure, but as on now I can apply the brake and when I let off the pedal, it releases. Thanks guys!

[MJW]

A picture would be interesting to see how you used the hydraulic backing plate on a rigid,did you add a plate under the axle nut to bolt the plate? just curious..Mike

[Matt Robins]

Actually Mike, it's a 54 powerplant in a swingarm frame.