1968 shovelhead rear brake

[murph]

I'm working on a rear brake assembly that was sitting for some time on a 68 rear juice brake. The rear wheel cylinder was wasted and the rear hose was clogged up with crap. The front master cylinder looked good and pushed fluid through the rigid metal line to the rear without issues. I cleaned out the rear hose with compressed air and flushed it with brake clean and got fluid up to the new OEM harley rear wheel cylinder. I cleaned the drum up and the shoes looked ok so I reassembled everything. I was able to bleed the brakes easy enough and had brake when I spun the wheel and pressed the pedal.

I adjusted the shoes just shy of the drum and on first road test I have little to no rear stopping power. I double checked and bled the brake again but no better results. Any help?

[Rubone]

Most likely the rear hose. It is probably compromised so swelling under pressure, a common malady.

[murph]

OK makes sense, there is an indent around the hose where the support clamp attaches to the swing arm that wouldn't allow me to bleed correctly when it was secured. I am assuming this hose is correct and it attaches to the original banjo bolt fitting? Can anyone confirm? Thanks Rubone


https://www.ebay.com/itm/185507804323

[ryan]

The hose looks just like my 1969 flh rear brake.hose, yours should look the same.

[murph]

Ok thanks I'll give it a try and report back.

[ryan]

Does the one on your bike look different than the one you looked up?

[murph]

Yes, the end has a flat fitting with the banjo bolt going through it. I don't see that fitting on this hose. I assume I wll unscrew it off the old hose and reuse it?

[ryan]

Yes, the end has a flat fitting with the banjo bolt going through it. I don't see that fitting on this hose. I assume I wll unscrew it off the old hose and reuse it?

You are correct on re-using the banjo fitting.

[murph]

Ok new hose came, I installed it the brakes bled nicely. The old hose indeed was garbage. I checked the rear shoe adjusters again, the pedal feels nice and I have brake to the point you can't push the bike. I go down the road and hit the back brake and I have unimpressive little results. The shoes look ok as they still have meat on them and the drum wasn't bad that I could see. I cleaned it up with some sand paper and compressed air. What am I missing?

[RichO]

It doesn't hurt to have a brake shop arc the brake shoes to the drum to get max contact. I'm saying this in jest but please don't HIT the brakes. As a once m/c safety instructor, it's apply the brakes with constant increasing pressure. Also 80% of your stopping power is with the front brake. My '67 FLH gave braking a bad name. Since I rode alot of twisties out here it got disc braks for my survival. But done with no mods to stock parts so it could go but to not stopping if I wanted too. Good luck!

[Shovelhead68]

Both the master cylinder and rear brake cylinder are easily rebuildable ,I have so far always been able to find genuine NOS Harley brake shoes my first call would be to The Old Dude, they are available you my need to search. Also I have had to replace the rear brake drum the one I found was chromed, why?

[murph]

I own a stock 68 flh and it stops way better then the one I'm working on, so much so the rear brake will lock the wheel up if pressed hard enough in a panic stop. I'll revisit the shoes and drum and report back. Thanks for the input guys.

[RichO]

Murph I know you know this but you only have braking up to impending skid.

[murph]

Murph I know you know this but you only have braking up to impending skid.

I guess my point was a comparison from one to the other.

[BigLakeBob]

In the master cylinder what was that 'extra' rubber coated washer for that goes in the bottom, wasn't that when disc brakes were introduced or for drum? Do you have or don't have that and would that make a difference? Sorry, I always get confused on that washer, when or not when to use it.