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+--- Thread: Brake levers (/showthread.php?tid=3969)
Brake levers - Tom Coates - 03-03-2020
Will long levers fit on the rear of an uncoupled brake car (1928)? I have had a look and suspect that they would foul the springs.
What is the view on fitting them to the front? Is significant modification needed to extend the handbrake travel or will they work if everything is set up properly? My suspicion is that they will just cause the front axle to twist more and be counter productive.
RE: Brake levers - Bob Culver - 03-03-2020
The twist of the front axle does not much matter with uncoupled brakes provided handbrake lever does not run out of travel.
With less side to side compensation the early fronts seem more prone to brakes catching when turning, which can be dangerous. Important that the extend levers fall reasonably on the line of the kpins, esp if close adjusted.
RE: Brake levers - Howard Wright - 04-03-2020
Hi Tom
At the rear the levers do foul the axle casing if they are adjusted correctly (ie leaning backwards). I’ve put longer levers on the front of the special and They seem to operate fine with the unaltered uncoupled brake lever mechanism. However I haven’t run the car yet so time will tell!
I think the front axle was unaltered when long brake levers were introduced and only changed when the Giling set up was fitted. So axle twist, hopefully won’t be a problem.
Cheers
Howard
RE: Brake levers - Reckless Rat - 04-03-2020
You don't really need too much braking at the rear. If the back wheels lock then the car will spin. My RP has a later semi Girling front axle and with the longer levers I just could not get the braking properly balanced front to rear. Once I changed them to the shorter ones everything worked fine. A good set up involves a front bias.
RE: Brake levers - AustinWood - 04-03-2020
I had long rear levers on the RK fabric I ran in the 60s.
To avoid them fouling the springs I swapped the cams side-to-side and had the levers pointing upwards. They certainly worked but the movement of the axle over bumps caused the pedal to move. I also broke 2 brake shoes.
I have long levers on the front of my current RK and have modified things a bit to get more travel on the handbrake.