Over the years I have seen a few Nortons with a hydraulic front brake conversion, utilising parts from some car or van, does anybody know what the donor vehicle was?, I know there are probably dozens that would do, but scrapyards don't let you wander around anymore so I could do with having more information, I would like to give it a try because, in theory at least, it ought to work really well, and if it did I might try making an alloy brake plate, does anybody know more?
efficiency
Friend of mine did similar conversion using brake plate from morris 1000, idea was to improve brake from single to twin leading shoe without spending much money. Not difficult to do if you have access to a lathe to remove outer part of backplate and make up spacers, like one in above pic was for norton hub.
This was many years back when Minor parts were almost free, main cost was Jap master cylinder and custom hose. Last year I mentioned it to him and asked how good it was, unfortunately his evaluation was don't bother it was not much better than original.
If you really want to stop get a Commando disk wheel and fork leg and fit larger disk than standard and modern caliper, mine is from Hinkley Triumph. If you have access to lathe and milling machine you can turn down original Norton disk and use it s a centre to mount large rotor on buttons.
Regards Martin
- Log in to post comments
Well, "not much better" is…
Well, "not much better" is still better.
- Log in to post comments
well have a go
Dear Niall,
Why not have a go, parts are still available. Just be careful as car parts are handed, if you want brake on right you need offside bits otherwise you will end up with twin trailing rather than leading shoe. Also watch out for size, early morris 1000 had 7 inch front brakes, later had 8 inch ones, same shoes as Conical hub brakes on Trident and OIF BSA . Choose a master cylinder for single front disc as it will be smaller piston diameter.
Good luck
Martin
- Log in to post comments
This is the picture of the…
What's the purpose of the…
What's the purpose of the two steel straps between each shoe and the drum?
- Log in to post comments
What's the purpose of the two steel straps between each shoe and
Hi David,
Can I guess that they are there to keep the brake shoes in the correct place? Car brake plates often had 'fully floating' brake shoes, which might have caused brake drag issues on the bike?
Just a guess anyway.
George.
- Log in to post comments
The late Malcolm Saggers did such a conversion, as my ex factory prototype Matchless twin had a hydraulic front bake that Malcolm built. The first owner sold it after i had bought it, and replaced it with an AMC front hub. I have pictures, but the web site will not let me down load them. Malcolm used the brake cylinders from an earlier mini, but Malcolm passed away many years ago. I have tried to attach the pictures but the web site does not allow me to do so.