John Tickle TLS set up help.

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coomo

coomo

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Guys.Just tuning last few details of my Norvin build.I cant get enough grip/purchase on front brake.The shoes are new (not sure what make,likely from Andover) I have new heavy duty cable & adjuster, courtesy of Johnsons.(slightly lengthened)
I adjust it out, until shoes begin to bind.Then slack off.Even pulling lever up hard, front wheel will not lock.Not much else I can do.
Or is there? I need a TLS expert with secret tips please!
 

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For max effect you need the shoes the EXACT diameter as the brake drum
This is only achieved by fitting oversized shoes and putting .020 inch shims on the flats and turning down to as above.
Best you can do is fit "slippers" onto the shoes to bring up the shoes to nearer the drum size.
Look up Norton others section on brake drums etc.
 
The length of the connecting rod between the two actuating arms may need adjusting to insure that both shoes
touch the hub at exactly the same time.
 
The angle between the cable and the lever it pulls is miles off in that picture. Is that really with new linings?

It should be acute at rest and almost reach a right angle when you operate the brake hard.

Are the levers on splines, or reversible to correct the angle?

Looks like your inner cable will be too short when you correct the levers.
 
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The recommended method of machining the linings of a TLS brake, is to fit a 20 thou of an inch shim between the end of the shoes and the cams. You can choose hard or soft linings. If the linings are soft, the brake will work well when it is cold. If the linings are hard, the brake will work well when it is hot. If the linings are hard and you hold the brake on while approaching a high speed corner, the leading edge of the lining can heat up and suddenly stick, launching you over the front, so always cut the leading edge well back, so the heat distributes more evenly. TLS brakes have more self-servo, so if you have a problem which causes the shoe pivots to be out of place, the self-servo can cause the brake to stay on after you have released it. This can cause the front of the bike to stay down in the corner and steer you off the road.

All of this can be cured by buying yourself a cheap Japanese twin disc brake set-up. It takes ten minutes to change the pads.
 
thanks for info Guys.looks like a need some drum checking/skimming and shoe arcing.i have a lathe in workshop.Time to check, and if need be strip the hub down.
 
acotrel said:
The recommended method of machining the linings of a TLS brake, is to fit a 20 thou of an inch shim between the end of the shoes and the cams. You can choose hard or soft linings. If the linings are soft, the brake will work well when it is cold. If the linings are hard, the brake will work well when it is hot. If the linings are hard and you hold the brake on while approaching a high speed corner, the leading edge of the lining can heat up and suddenly stick, launching you over the front, so always cut the leading edge well back, so the heat distributes more evenly. TLS brakes have more self-servo, so if you have a problem which causes the shoe pivots to be out of place, the self-servo can cause the brake to stay on after you have released it. This can cause the front of the bike to stay down in the corner and steer you off the road.

All of this can be cured by buying yourself a cheap Japanese twin disc brake set-up. It takes ten minutes to change the pads.
Click to expand...

Or on shoes, you could use one green and one brown lining so one works at slow - medium speeds and the other works at higher speeds!
 
acotrel said:
The recommended method of machining the linings of a TLS brake, is to fit a 20 thou of an inch shim between the end of the shoes and the cams. You can choose hard or soft linings. If the linings are soft, the brake will work well when it is cold. If the linings are hard, the brake will work well when it is hot. If the linings are hard and you hold the brake on while approaching a high speed corner, the leading edge of the lining can heat up and suddenly stick, launching you over the front, so always cut the leading edge well back, so the heat distributes more evenly. TLS brakes have more self-servo, so if you have a problem which causes the shoe pivots to be out of place, the self-servo can cause the brake to stay on after you have released it. This can cause the front of the bike to stay down in the corner and steer you off the road.

All of this can be cured by buying yourself a cheap Japanese twin disc brake set-up. It takes ten minutes to change the pads.
Click to expand...
Sorry Ive read this a few times and still dont get it.Fit a shim.Then what sorry for appearing daft.
 
Green lining are considered hard. They are made for London black taxis milk floats I kid u not.
Acotrel has been rabbiting about how he hates drum brakes for donkeys years, so no change there then.
The .020 shim is removed after machining of course. The slippers you can buy, they are permanently wedged in there. Hope u turned the brake arm to the correct position.
If you use the Norton search engine you will find my explanation on drum brakes setup.
 
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John Tickle TLS set up help.
Mine works a treat but, again, actuating arm angles are very different to yours...
 
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I've just noticed your first page picture.
As someone say previously arm on wrong way round, if that doesn't solve your problem, then that brake arm pivot is also wrong! Like 180 degree out. (Or not!)
 
coomo said:
Guys.Just tuning last few details of my Norvin build.
Click to expand...

Just remembered VERY IMPORTANT info for you - unless you already know.
Make sure the ends of your brake linings are bevelled (45 degrees minimum) to avoid potentially fatal auto-servo braking.
Happened to me 5 or 6 years ago - I was lucky to get away with a broken ankle and relatively minor damage to the bike.
If you already know - good, if not let me know and I'll post more info.

Edit: Details are in reply #11 of this thread - https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/john-tickle-brake-springs.21523/#post-321455
 
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