Improvements in "Braking" technology

[Lucky_Lou]

Or how to get into trouble at a wedding.
When the 1920 Packard turned up to take me and my daughter to the church for her recent wedding i struck up a conversation with the Owner/Driver which involved sticking my head under the bonnet (hood) in my wedding suit, resulting in an ear bashing from the wife...
The guy turned to be a bit of a restoration fanatic with several old American cars and classic British bikes in his collection.
 He said his biggest problem on the Packard had been the brakes which were worse than useless in the wet, those good folk at Ferodo (Chapel en le Frith) just down the road made him a custom set of shoes for his "open" braking system which work in all conditions.
Pretty important when carrying precious cargo.
Lou

[Barry]

which involved sticking my head under the bonnet (hood) in my wedding suit, resulting in an ear bashing from the wife...

Nice one Lou.  

Just what I would have done. So the brake shoes act on the outside of the drum - is that right.


You won't be allowed to forget it for years to come ... "do you know what he did at Nicola's wedding"

 

[darrylri]

Looks like the "outside in" rear brake on my R52.  It clamps on a small drum that is a part of the exposed driveshaft.  I put some modern brake linings on that and now it will definitely slow the bike down, but it's easy to smoke it on a steep hill (the road to my house is between 16 and 26% and has a hairpin in it), so it's necessary to use the rear brake judiciously.  

[Lucky_Lou]

which involved sticking my head under the bonnet (hood) in my wedding suit, resulting in an ear bashing from the wife...

Nice one Lou.  

Just what I would have done. So the brake shoes act on the outside of the drum - is that right.


You won't be allowed to forget it for years to come ... "do you know what he did at Nicola's wedding"

 

Thats correct Barry the shoe,s operate in the opposite direction of modern drum brakes by clamping onto the cylinder leaving the shoe,s  outer case exposed to the elements.
Darryl i cannot say that i have had a close look at the R52 and its not clear in the photo, but it sounds similar what year is it ??
Lou

[darrylri]

Darryl i cannot say that i have had a close look at the R52 and its not clear in the photo, but it sounds similar what year is it ??
Lou

The bike is from 1928.  Look at the back of the transmission to see the brake.  There's a foot lever that sticks out, you step on it and it clamps the two shoes down against the drum that is a part of the driveshaft.  The shoes hang from a post that sticks out from the back of the transmission cover.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Cute little bridesmaids (flower girls?), Lou!  And they all speak that cute Brit-speak, too, I assume!  

[Milo_357]

... how to get into trouble at a wedding.
...my head under the bonnet (hood) in my wedding suit, resulting in an ear bashing from the wife...

Looks like the old ass+blender+puree button formula to me.  It's chapter one in "How to be a proper Neanderthal Husband".  I've a signed copy myself...

[Lucky_Lou]

Cute little bridesmaids (flower girls?), Lou!  And they all speak that cute Brit-speak, too, I assume!  

Ohh the Joy of language .... I was doing a tour of the Astro Dome in Houston ( is it still standing ??) when the guide went into his best Dick Van Dyke accent and asked if i was a Cockney ......... Dooh im from Yorkshire and not  in any way related to Anne Hathaway.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/25/odd-annehathaway-accent-idUSL5E7JP26B20110825

The Bridesmaids were not "Angels" all day but it was a perfect birthday pressent for me Rob.
Lou