Front brake identification

Fast Eddie · Nov 23, 2023

Anyone ID this front brake? I’m pretty sure it’s not a Grimeca, Suzuki, Robinson, Fontatana…

kommando · Nov 23, 2023

Looks custom, very similar to two BSA 8" single sided brakes fitted back to back which I saw online some time ago but can't remember where.

Found it

BSA Gold Star Brake Conversion - RealClassic

One front drum brake not good enough for you? DBD Brian grafted two BSA 8” front drums together to improve the braking on his Gold Star. Here's how he ...

www.real-classic.co.uk

Fast Eddie · Nov 23, 2023

My old Vincent came to me with a double sided BSA brake like that. The work of Bruce Main-Smith in the early 60s (it weighed a ton though, so I never used it and fitted a nice 4LS instead).

kommando · Nov 23, 2023

The one in the pic is also 2LS from one lever each side, so unless there is an internal link its never going to match a 4LS.

Triton Thrasher · Nov 23, 2023

I say this a lot about people’s specials- I would secure the brake cable further away from the tyre.

Also- I don’t fancy that torque arm in compression. Hope it’s a lot more rigid than it looks.

Hold on- one more thing still bothers me…

Has he reversed a set of BSA sliders and spindle? You know, the spindle with a left hand thread to safeguard against it unscrewing if a bearing gets sticky?

YukoNorton · Nov 23, 2023

maybe something here:

Victory Tech Papers

British Twin Leading Shoe Brake Comments

British Twin Leading Shoe Drum Brake Comments

kommando · Nov 23, 2023

A lot of Pop rivets to count too.

May be best we don't know where or what it is

Triton Thrasher · Nov 23, 2023

kommando said:
A lot of Pop rivets to count too.

May be best we don't know where or what it is

Hope it’s nowhere near me on the road.

It’s blurry. Those could be button head screws holding the torque arm to the fork. Aren’t they always fully threaded? That’s not a good fixing for a stressed safety critical part.

Holland Norton Works · Nov 23, 2023

Grimeca, 2LS originaly fitted on classic Laverda 750 rear side (brake plate on the opposite side)

YukoNorton · Nov 23, 2023

looks like a cable on the other side of the tire too, so 4LS.
and where does that cable on this side go...under the fender?

B+Bogus · Nov 24, 2023

YukoNorton said:
looks like a cable on the other side of the tire too, so 4LS.
and where does that cable on this side go...under the fender?

That got my attention too. Why route the link cable under the fender - it's an accident waiting to happen?!

Fast Eddie · Nov 24, 2023

Yes I noticed the cable too. Perhaps its not as it seems, but it looks like the cable crosses over under the mudguard and links to the lever on the other side of the drum.

Clearly that seems not to make sense, on many levels, but it’s what it looks like to me…

B+Bogus · Nov 24, 2023

Fast Eddie said:
Yes I noticed the cable too. Perhaps its not as it seems, but it looks like the cable crosses over under the mudguard and links to the lever on the other side of the drum.

Clearly that seems not to make sense, on many levels, but it’s what it looks like to me…

I can only assume that whoever fitted the mudguard wasn't paying attention. The cable looks long enough to run over, and not under the mudguard.
Either way, it's a strange implementation, and a twin pull handlebar lever would surely be a better, and much safer solution?

Front brake identification

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