Front Drum - XS500?

[beachcomber]

Another drum brake query - I've decided to use my spare XS500 rolling chassis as a base for my big single project.

Engine looks like being an LS650 Savage at the moment.

So the question is - does anyone know of a large / good drum brake that I might be able to use in the Yam XS forks?

 

[Tim]

Suzuki GT750 or GT550 4LS front drum. I put one in my XS650.

They're a wide hub - I had a couple mm milled off the brake plates to fit between the fork tubes, but ended up having to add a couple thin spacers (washers) to center the wheel. I didn't have an accurate measure between the forks before I had it milled down. I also had to have the non-clamping side fork tube axle hole opened up a bit to fit the Suzuki axle. The side of the forks that clamps was the same size as the Suzuki axle, but the 'nut' side of the axle was too big to fit through the hole in the forks.

The Suzuki nut is a sleeve / spacer type thing. No hole in the axle for a cotter pin, as the Suzuki forks clamp on both sides, keeping the nut from turning loose. I used loctite to keep the nut on and glance at it every once in a while. The other side is clamped down, so it's not like my axle is going to suddenly pop out even if the nut loosens off.

Dead simple setup - just run brake stays to the caliper mounts on the forks. Flip your 500 forks around so the caliper mounts face forward and cut the lower one off if you want a cleaner look.

You'll need either the Suzuki rim to go with the hub (chrome steel...) or a rim drilled to match the large hub. I used an 18" XS650 rear shouldered alloy rim and it went together well.

Not too many options out there for reasonable prices, if you want good performance. This thing stops really well. Weighs a ton, but looks great. Popular with the AHRMA racing crowd - expect to pay about $400 for a decent hub. Any less than that is a bargain. I got a real steal of a deal. Paid $500 for the hub, Buchanan stainless spokes, Borrani rim, new brake pads (4 of them), new cables (2) and the dual-pull brake lever.

The brake lever also has a switch built into it for the brake light, if that's a concern. Just make sure the lever still has it in it, as they can be removed and a lot of these hubs / levers tend to come from the racing crowd. You can buy 'new' ones for $80 on eBay, but used ones should go for around $40.

Here's my setup the day I bolted it on. Just hadn't shaped the brake stays yet, but you can see the one caliper mount gone on my XS650 forks.

 

[Tim]

Wheel in action at Deals Gap - hauled the bike down pretty good. I'd say as good as my R75/6 single front disc (which maybe says something about my BMW's brake pads )

 

[beachcomber]

Tim,

many thanx - couldn't have asked for better !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's WHY I love these forum postings. How long would it have taken to get that info. back in my day - before mobile phones and PC's !

Tim the installation looks OEM - a credit to you.

That's exactly the look I'm after. This particular bike is NOT intended to be a ragged arse speed machine - just for me to play with at my pace.

That was a major score for your set up - I'll have to see what I can scare up over here.

I'm taking a few short cuts with the XS500 CR - on account of I have far too many projects that require my cash being thrown at them. So wheels will be Gold powder coated to keep the cost down. I have a local blast / powder coating company that has been doing this for years - they don't even have to strip the wheel down first ! I was a bit sceptical at first, and then they called me down a few weeks ago to check out some they'd just done for a customer - awesome.

However, the single WILL be my last project and as it will be the closest in principle to my idea of a sixties Brit Cafe Racer - it WILL have to be right - so that means alloy rims.

Unfortunately I'm not so good with the computer, but I did a rough [ very ] mock up of the LS650 Savage engine in the XS500 frame, and it really does have the look of a Sixties Gold Star.

Tim, can't thank you enough for coming through with the detailed info on "how to" - I owe you one...................

 

[Wingspan]

Tim's helped a few of us out on this. I've got the same brake/rim combo in the works for my T500 and he's been a great help. Mine will be a bolt-on as I'm running the GT750 fork as well.

 

[Tim]

For alloy rims, the best bang for the buck seems to be the shouldered alloy rims MikesXS sells. $90 each for polished shouldered alloy rims. If I'm correct, Wingspan's post above shows one of Mike's rims.

They're DOT approved as well. I'm running 2 of the 18" WM3 rims, as they're drilled for the larger hubs. Tire options are a bit more limited when you're running 18" fronts, but Avon Roadriders (which I'm running) are available and work great.

My first iteration was an XS1 drum hub - the earliest XS650 variant. The braking was very weak, and then I stumbled across the deal on the 4LS Suzuki so I re-did the front end. Was well worth the time trouble and money.

Keep us posted! And keep regaling us with your tales of daring-do! They're great reading.

 

[Wingspan]

If I'm correct, Wingspan's post above shows one of Mike's rims.

You are correct, I did go with the MikesXS rims. I ordered my spokes from Buchanan's earlier today.

 

[beachcomber]

Just posted up on another thread - I managed to score a TT600 Belgarda motor [ with electric leg ] on UK E-Bay, so the Suzuki / whatever drum brake is now essential for that project.

The aggravating thing is that I'm sure now I saw one at the recent Classic Bike show in the autojumble - Ahhhhhggg.

The rims will have to be alloy, so I'll start scouting for those parts as well.