'44 Chief front brake

[Indiantim]

Hi Guys

I run an original sidecar on my Chief,it left the factory like this with a UK left side chassis, even has a sidecar brake! problem is with my wife in the sidecar I have trouble stopping it due to the famous Indian front brake! No mention of how many pounds the passenger is but she has lost 40lbs recently!

Any ideas on an up grade, don't mind how it's done as long as I don't have to cut or weld the original fork, and it has skirted fenders, even a disc brake??? I gotta stop this beast as on many road runs in Europe people do the unexpected and don't have stop lamps working.

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[Knotthed]

Will be interesting to see what kind of ideas you get.

First thing that comes to my mind is a later style wheel assembly. Not sure what they used, but I was fascinated with the adaptations that I saw on the Cannonball bikes this year.

It would likely only require a new link arm to connect it up if you can get the correct axle size setup and a couple of spacers?

Maybe some of the Cannonball guys will chime in here.

[exeric]

I had the same problem with my '40 Chief. I finally got fed up with it and resolved myself to try and fix it. I turned the drum which was irregular, and a bit out of round. I arched the shoes by putting chalk on the linings and sanding the high spots. lastly, I made sure everything from the brake handle, cable, springs, cam, and lever worked well, and smoothly. All of that made a world of difference. It's certainly not a disk brake by any means, but not bad. Personally, I hate to see an old bike with a retrofitted disk brake.

[Indiantim]

I've done the same and trued the brake shoes in my lathe, still not great, I agree about a disc brake but it could be hidden from view maybe? Best option at the moment would be to fit a triumph/BSA twin leading shoe brake plate as they did a 7 inch version.

Any one tried the 8 inch TLS from Europe see link: http://www.indian-service.com/MainAS.html. Also I heard that some one in Scandinavia was making something similar
.

[Greg H]

Tim, neatest disc brake set up i`ve seen is Kiwi`s on his replica bike
http://www.kiwi-indian.com/builds/a5100%20044.jpg

Was your bike original military UK import, real unusual with brake setup on left sidecar, was considering sidecar on my four, but oh the brakes!!

[cdf6333]

All the older bikes had the same problem. We used to joke that to go faster you could either turn the throttle or squeeze the front brake lever. But, I've tried all the mentioned tricks and the best, and to me only way, is to use a standard size brake drum, front and rear. Once you turn them, and I was an automotive machinist, the stopping power quickly drops. I think that new drums are available reasonably for your bike, get them and go to a Brake Shop, usually truck brake suppliers, and show them the drum, backing plate and all. They can install oversize (thicker) linings to snag as much drum as possible. It isn't expensive either, done every day in USA.

[Indiantim]

My '44 Chief was originally a military model and I got mine from a guy in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), The military powers in the second war had a batch ordered from Indian and couldn't decide what to do with them. They realised a Jeep was a much better prospect for un trained drivers. So they shipped them to the colonies. Quite a few have cropped up in the UK. Best thing is the outfit lived in a warm climate and has not suffered from corrosion, sidecar floor is original and even the wheel rims and spokes are as they left Springfield.

As to the brake I will try a new drum, and arc the shoes with over thick linings.

[Edd]

I have purchased the new 8" drum brake from Indian Service but yet installed it yet. Maybe this winter. Very well built and designed.

Ed