What brakes are these?

[PaulC]

When I bought my bike, the auction description said it came with uprated front brakes, but didn't give any detail. I am curious as to what they are and wondered whether any of you might be able to identify them from the pictures below? Are they BSA or some other make? The air intake suggests they are designed to be used in anger. The diameter is about 9 inches.

Thanks for looking.

Paul

[chaterlea25]

Hi Paul,
I believe this is a Taylor Dow brake plate, it has the same linkages as the one on the single sided hub plate I have fitted on my SR
There was a thread on these recently but I cant seem to find it ??

HTH
John

[PaulC]

Thanks John. I've now Googled Taylor Dow and found a photo which matches. I see it's a "twin leading shoe" arrangement. You don't happen to have a layman's description of what that means, do you? Is it a BSA option or an after market upgrade?

Thanks

Paul

[chaterlea25]

Hi Paul,
The twin leading shoe brake is an after market upgrade
Well worthwhile having this fitted to your bike, rare enough and sought after
Twin leading shoe means that both shoes in the brake have their own operating mechanism and this is arranged to make the brake more effecient over the single cam (single leading) brake

HTH
John

[PaulC]

That's very helpful, John.

Many thanks.

Paul

[a10 gf]

You got real brakes, even with cooling. And they seem to fit in very well, the modification is nicely done.

[chaterlea25]

Hi,
The Brake plates were made to fit as a direct replacement of the original,
I would think a new cable was also needed

Be careful when riding in the rain or after washing the bike as the air scoop catches water 
In rainy conditions apply the brake every so often to keep it dried out

HTH
John

[duTch]

Be careful when riding in the rain or after washing the bike as the air scoop catches water 

Funny you should say that John, having a "Comical' front wheel on mine, which seems to work acceptably with careful adjustment, but I often look at the scoop and make a mental note to avoid low flying birds, dogs and small children, as I reckon they'd easily all be scooped in!!!
  I'm inclined to think that the big intake scoop should be at 180˚, ie; at the bottom, so that heat and dust (and munched up kids,birds and low flying dogs),can be drawn out by vacuum, as the wheel rotation (towards the scoop)really doesn't seem to lend itself to a compatible arrangement, due to potentially sucking fresh air in and trying to pushing the air out against the 'incoming' airstream (like a centrifugal fan).....???

 Otherwise Paul, it looks like you've scored well..just make sure you 'balance' the link rod/arms.

[PaulC]

Quote "..just make sure you 'balance' the link rod/arms".

Ooooh errr, duTch, that sounds complicated! Don't know how I'd go about doing that, but as she stops well, I'll leave well alone for now.

Paul

[duTch]

 Nah Paul, not hard, others may do it different, but on my Gutzi, (Beeza Conical wheel has different system) I disconnect the connecting linkage and holing tongue correctly, pull the two levers till drum contact, then with my third hand, screw the adjustable link-end (can't think the proper name), till the pin slips nicely in the hole...
...or you could undo the secondary link, and pull in the handle lever and nip up the H'bar adjuster to hold it in place while hands (2) and (3) do their stuff, thereby freeing up hand (1) to administer tongue lube...!

Good luck, and don't overdo the lube!

[Topdad]

On the other hand Paul you could adopt the BSA time honnered moto of " if it ain't broke don't try to fix it " and get used to the bike and brake and then when needed grow the third hand so effectively refered to by Dutch . ( Dutch glad you weren't descriping something complicated like ........doing the valves I'm going to need to rest after just reading that ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz )

[A10Boy]

The main benefit in the TLS set up is that both shoes have the self servo effect, rather than just one shoe in the SLS set up. The self servo effect is where the shoe pivots at the furthest end to the direction of rotation and consequently, the friction caused by the rotation of the drum pulls the shoe harder onto the drum. That is why it's called a "Leading Shoe".

In the SLS set up, the trailing shoe is inefficient as the forces are trying to push the shoe away from the drum rather than pull the shoe onto the drum. TLS brakes are not good in reverse for that very reason.