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GTS drum brake mods

Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:40 am
by Lumpy
Has anybody out there worked out a way to make the GTS rear drum brake work any better than they do. I know it will never be as good as a disc rear end but surely some stopping power should come from them. I`ve replaced the brake shoes with a softer compound with little result.I`ve ridden plenty of Jap bikes with drums that will lock the wheel if need be and the main difference I see is they use a rod instead of a cable. If you watch your cable when brake is applied (when it`s on the stand of course)the cable tries to straighten out. I`m guessing that pulling power at the hub lever is lost through the the inner cable trying to straighten out the outer sheath. I`ve also been thinking of trying to modify the cam in the hub, perhaps this would make it a little more progressive and allow more leverage. Anyone out there tried any of these modifications or have any ideas as to others. A disc conversion would be expensive, fiddly and detract from the originallity of the machine.

Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:15 am
by BevHevSteve
If the radius of the shoe exactly matches the radius of the drum....... excellent stopping results.

If the radius is off, or just a small portion of a shoe is touching....... nothing.