what are the Best front brake shoes(2LS)

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Northy

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HIYA PEOPLE COULD ANYBODY ADVISE ME ON THE BEST MAKE OF BRAKE SHOES FOR A A TWIN LEADING SHOE FRONT BRAKE.
 
I got the RGM shoes, which I understand are the same as the Commando Specialties, at least a few years ago. I've been satisfied with how I've been able to get the front TLS brake working, you can see my other postings. They are not a disc and need to be properly cared and maintained.
 
I concur with DogT, I put in a pair of RGM shoes and it transformed the braking from awful to quite good without any other modifications.
 
For road use you won't usually have to cope with brake fade, so you need linings that work well when cold. The supplier will know what his linings do in various applications. In the old days asbestos based ME36 linings were excellent for the first 3 laps of a 4 lap race on a 3Km circuit (there is sure to be a non-asbestos equivalent ). With a 250cc two stroke, the brakes used to fade on the last lap as the motor slowed as the crankcases got hot.
 
acotrel said:
The supplier will know what his linings do in various applications.
Click to expand...

Wishful thinking ?
These days, the supplier sells what he is supplied with. ?

Enquiring about softer linings for better instant response just gets blank looks.
Even from the brake lining folks these days.

Those linings mentioned above from RGM fit the bill ?
 
Be careful with all the modern bonded shoes.

Like Rohan said the vender sells what he can get.

If the bike is used intermittently. Stored over winter etc moisture gets under the lining and eventually the lining will peel off.

I have had it happen to me with rear shoes and I have knowldge of several more.

I bond and arc the shoes myself with araldite and add a few rivits for comfort.

If I couldnt do it myself I think I would go to Vintage Brakes in the US.
 
Without doubt, the best front shoe brake for a Commando using present day available components is oversized brake shoes riveted onto alloy shoes, use one brown and one green, the old AM3 and AM4, skimmed down to the exact drum size with .020” shims on the flats whn on a mandrel in the lathe.
Two green shoes ( a pair) are too vicious, don't ask me how I know :!:
 
I've just taken delivery of some Ferodo shoes (Federal Mogul), but can't say yet how they'll perform as I haven't built the bike yet.
Their disc pads are excellent, so I'm cautiously optimistic.
I've also sampled the 'delights' of AM4 green linings, and they certainly do deserve some respect - I was told 'be careful' and I thought he meant they wouldn't work... :oops:
I managed to stay on the bike - a Domi with a single leader on the front, and I've since fathered 2 children, so no lasting harm done.
 
I would say the am4 green linings are,or were the best as they are no longer available,unless someone knows of a source please let me know,however as b+ mentioned you need to be very carefull, with the first application.
 
I agree with the previous comment - just take care the first time you use them. You find that after you use them for a while they get a black sooty look and become smoother, then they are usually pretty safe to use. I fitted a set of green linings front and back to a friend's Suzuki Cobra. I rode it quickly down the front street and locked both wheels together in front of him. I kept it vertical pretty easily and just slid to a standstill. However after he'd seen that he refused to ride the bike. He was a racing car driver, and had ridden a Vincent around Europe. The linings can be pretty savage. The first time you use the brake, make sure it is in a straight line with the bike perfectly vertical and on a smooth bitumen road.
 
al,what I meant by first application was every time you get on the bike,when the brake is cold you don't want to be grabbing a handful,unless you want to throw yourself at the ground and HIT lol,the way to ride am4s is to feather the brake while accelerating just to get a bit of heat into them,they work better when hot than cold.
 
I don't find them scary at all. They were developed as a solution to premature brake lining wear on the London taxi cab fleet, not exactly a racy beginning. I don't imagine the cab drivers worry about warming up the brakes before applying. I sure don't with the Vincent, which has the green Ferodos all around. Great brakes tho.
I have new green Ferodo linings sitting in a drawer. Purchased those from Vintage brake about 5 years ago. The owner there mentioned that the green Ferodos were still available from the manufacturer as a special order, with a fairly large minimum batch size. I imagine that minimum batch size is easier for him to meet for Commandos than Vincents, tho he had both then.
Glen
 
glen you are right that they were developed for London taxis,but not for premature lining wear,they were developed to combat fade,stop start driving induces heat= fade,in a taxi it would,nt matter much if you locked up on first braking would it 4 wheels an all
 
Long time ago I raced my Commandos. A lot of racing, before they had the 'vintage' classes. 2LS brake was far better than stock Norton disc or Dunstall discs. Would lift the rear wheel under heavy braking. Secret was not the lining, though I mostly used 'green' linings, the secret was a brake stiffener plate. Don't know whether you can still buy them, but should be easy to make. I had stiff forks and good cables too. Also helped. And 'R' compound tires. Some of the guys did have their linings 'arced' but I never bothered.
 
I heard that way back when, Ferodo wouldn't sell them direct, but would fit them and match them to the wheel supplied by the customer - I was led to believe this service was only available to the racing fraternity, but I'll ask my VMCC racing friend, who knows more about such things next time I bump into him.
The factory was in Chapel en-le Frith last time I heard - not sure if it's the same 'Ferodo' where my shoes came from though!

Agreed that the AM4s grab like a grabby thing until warmed up; no different to race compound disc pads.
 
chris plant said:
al,what I meant by first application was every time you get on the bike,when the brake is cold you don't want to be grabbing a handful,unless you want to throw yourself at the ground and HIT lol,the way to ride am4s is to feather the brake while accelerating just to get a bit of heat into them,they work better when hot than cold.
Click to expand...

+1
 
chris plant said:
glen you are right that they were developed for London taxis,but not for premature lining wear,they were developed to combat fade,stop start driving induces heat= fade,in a taxi it would,nt matter much if you locked up on first braking would it 4 wheels an all
Click to expand...

The London Black Cab Taxis had reduced braking in the master cylinders to stop the drivers throwing their passengers on the floor :!:
When the two weekly comics were available in the UK there was an article once about how Ferodo did a bike test around Mallory Park testing brake linings. The result was that the Green was the best for the front and brown for the rear. :)
 
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