CB550 Rear Brake Issues

[sxecafe]

Looking to get the Rear Brake set up on my '74 CB550 honed in. There is a fair amount of play and I cant get the positioning correct.

Really thinking of a rear disc conversation or a brake cable. Anyone done either with success?

 

[crazypj]

You have something assembled wrong.
550 rear brake works OK as is but REALLY needs dual disc up front

 

[teddpage]

Are you running rearsets? I couldnt figure out why my rear brake had a lot of travel until i made a brake lever stop. If this is your issue i can post a pic of my quick fix

 

[sxecafe]

Yes. I'm running rear sets. And that seems to be the issue... it's like a MILE worth of travel.

PJ, I'm running dual disc up front. Swapped an old GL1000 front end.

 

[teddpage]

Here's a shot of my quick...ugly fix. It locates the pedal where you want it...then you can adjust the brakes with the adjuster screw.
Hope this will help you. (its the ugly lil bracket that has the bolt with 2 nuts securing it...pretty much dead center in the picture)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

[crazypj]

Need to post a pic.
The common 'bent brake rod' doesn't improve things
I should have remembered about forks/brakes

 

[teddpage]

Good point PJ. I welded in gussets when i bent my brake rod. It still flexes a bit, but i can lock up my rear wheel...so i know its working ok

 

[crazypj]

It probably locks up easier than stock, you have maximum leverage on the 'self servo' leading brake shoe

 

[timdaugherty]

If this is anything like mine (CB450 K6), then you'll want to adjust the brakes so it's engaging the brake lever enough to limit travel, but not so much that it actually engages the brake pad to the drum. Hope that makes sense. Essentially, from the natural stop of the brake lever (on the drum) to the point where it's actually engaging the pad to drum, there's a ton of travel. So take up some of this slack (this is where a "stop" for the arm on the rear set comes in) so the travel is minimized. You'll want to adjust it so you aren't causing friction on the pad/drum, however.

Hope this makes sense and applies to your issue! Let me know if I need to explain any of this in a different way.

Tim

 

[crazypj]

Problem with adjusting it for minimum clearance, as suspension goes up and down, brake may either drag or actually come on

 

[sxecafe]

All that makes perfect sense. Thanks, guys.

PJ, even if the brake arm is on the bottom of the swing arm?

Also, should the spring at the actuator be in front (closer to the rear set) or behind (closest to the back of the bike) of the actuator?

 

[crazypj]

Doesn't matter, if you move the pivot point further from swing arm pivot it moves through a different arc.
I first had it happen on a trials bike around 1971~72, someone had busted the cable then fitted a solid rod.
If you rested foot on brake pedal, you could feel it 'pulsing' as suspension moved up and down
Made brake useless except to lock wheel