CB550 rear drum lever

[shovel383]

So I picked up a cherry '74 CB550 and I'm collecting parts for the cafe conversion. I already had a Pro-Tek shift side rear-set for a '99 SV650 that came with a track bike a few years ago. I found that Pro-Tek would sell me the parts I need for the brake side much cheaper than any other rear-set option. Plus I love the look.

My plan is to go with clamps on the frame tube as I have seen many others do but I'm struggling with the brake linkage a little. One option is to use the stock front pivot and retain the linkage from there back but I have also seen linkage built that eliminates that. I have never seen the inside of a motorcycle drum brake so I don't know how the mechanism works.

Here is my question: Can the shaft on the drum rotate either direction and still work? The lever mounted on my rear drum points down and is rotated CCW when I press the stock pedal. In the picture below (and another I found on a '77 CB550) the lever points up and rotating CW.

V

 

[crazypj]

work, or work properly?
The pic is a terrible set up, angles all wrong and it will 'pulse' with suspension movement.
brake rod lifts up before it operates brake arm :
I guess looking pretty is more valuable than not crashing into solid objects? (although front brake should do minimum of 60% of stopping, usually more)
An awful lot of people use similar set up to the one shown, I wouldn't do it though.

Stock, the operating cam puts maximum leverage on the 'trailing' shoe and less leverage on the 'leading' one
Reversing the lever puts maximum pressure on leading shoe and trailing shoe is pretty much along for the ride.
It will work but brake will be more 'grabby'(difficult to control) and less effective
I would make a parallelogram link to cut down original pedal.
Not as clean looking but will feel pretty much same as stock

 

[shovel383]

I was coming to the same conclusion on my own but it always helps to hear someone else say it. I didn't think about reversing which shoe takes the brunt. Excellent point.

Since I posted the question I was able to get the back wheel off to see inside and how it operates. I also got my rear sets mounted and can now figure out how to run linkage to the stock pivot.