Riveted shoes vs bonded, and vent blanking plates

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elefantrider

elefantrider

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I have a preference for riveted shoes for the front drum. Does anyone still sell riveted shoes of the correct dimension, or linings to make my own?

Andover's look semi-metallic. RGMs look non-metallic. However, both are bonded-only type.

Also, I have a few original-looking FT brake plates here. Some still have 1 or 2 of the stock aluminum vent blanking plates installed, but one has none! Assuming it is better to have them in, than not, even with more modern compound linings?
 
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One Old worlde famous British company still makes rivet shoes, but I understand they don't sell to the general public. . . .
 
not related to Nortons, but i'm on my 66 BSA spitfire project - front 190mm brake shoes are near impossible to find. located a shop that rebuilds brake shoes for vintage cars, bikes, etc. quoted me $100 (includes return shipping), to restore my original front riveted shoes. https://www.brakematerialsandparts.com/ no muss, no fuss. cutting corners on anything to do with brakes, especially on motorcycles, is no place to save a buck - JMHO
 
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I buy the andover bonded ones and add rivits myself.

I have personally had rear brake bonded linings peel off and a bike shop friends told me of several others he had seen. It often happens to bikes stored in damp conditions over winter.

Finding rivits is a challenge but I found a source in the US. I'll look for the address.

Maybe this place

Brake Lining Rivets | Clutch Facing Rivets | Automotive | Jay-Cee Sales & Rivet, Inc.

www.rivetsonline.com www.rivetsonline.com

It's easy to fit them but you need a drill press and to modify a drill with a Dremel so it has a stepped profile to give a wider cut in the brake lining for the rivit head and a smaller hole in the shoe.
 
johnm said:
I used those on my rear wheel and they do stop much better than any other lining I have tried. I use these and add a few rivets
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A couple years ago I was talking about these with Tim Beerpoot and he was interested in making Triumph shoes. I even found out the lining mfgr, but I don't think anything ever came of it.
 
gortnipper said:
A couple years ago I was talking about these with Tim Beerpoot and he was interested in making Triumph shoes. I even found out the lining mfgr, but I don't think anything ever came of it.
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My only concern is they look so aggressive they might wear the drum out. But they really do stop. My experience of Norton drum rear brakes is they are pretty soft and barely slow you down rolling down a steep hill. These ones will lock the rear wheel if you really try hard enough.
 
The oversize shoes I had fitted to my Norton rear could stop and lock the rear wheel easily enough, you sound like you just need to space out the shoes with some metal slippers to bring into closer contact with the brake drum so that nearly all the brake shoe comes into contact with the wheel drum.
Bottom line is, if your shoes are 45% in contact with the brake drum and you increase it to 80% , spot the difference!
 
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Onder said:
We used to rivet on aircraft brake shoes so stateside Spruce Specialties might be a place to look for rivets. But you would have to sort out the length you need.
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@johnm already gave that advice in #9 above:
Jason Clinton Manager, Jay-Cee Sales & Rivet, inc
32861 Chesley Dr., Farmington, MI 48336
Phone: 248-478-2150
Fax: 248-478-6416
Email: jason@rivetsinstock.com

Rivets, Rivet Nuts, Special Fasteners
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Size

BR4-6B

Length is 3/8 in
Head diameter 0.3 in
Body diameter 0.142 in
 
Bernhard said:
The oversize shoes I had fitted to my Norton rear could stop and lock the rear wheel easily enough, you sound like you just need to space out the shoes with some metal slippers to bring into closer contact with the brake drum so that nearly all the brake shoe comes into contact with the wheel drum.
Bottom line is, if your shoes are 45% in contact with the brake drum and you increase it to 80% , spot the difference!
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Actually in my experience the RGM shoes are a bit oversized and you have to arc them with a lath to fit.
 
johnm said:
Actually in my experience the RGM shoes are a bit oversized and you have to arc them with a lath to fit.
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Thats reasonable easy, just put a .020 tho shim under each flat of the brake shoe, skim down to the exact diameter of the brake drum diameter, remove shims, file 30 degrees chamfer on leading edges of shoes and you have a better brake.
 
I have heard some negative feedback on the stiffening plate kit but do not remember the exact reason or the source.

Maybe from the VintageBrake guy.

Is it still a worthwhile addition?
 
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I went with relining my original shoes. Should get them back in about 2 weeks, and installed on the bike for November. Out of the various lining materials offered, I went with the Ferotec 3920. A bit higher friction coefficient than MZ Gold.

Glued on and baked, no rivets.

Today's glue I'm told is very strong, and rivets reduce the life of the shoe by about half and run the risk gouging into the drum. Not a problem for the rear drum which is a consumable but certainly for the front.
 
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