[LukeCB]

Just replaced the shoes for my rear brake and got the wheel installed back on the bike. After taking the bike off the jack, I noticed that the rear brake pedal had way too much range (~3 inches), so I just turned the adjustment bolt clockwise (in), which solved this problem. The range is now about 1 inch, which is what I want.

But, this has given way to another problem: now that I have turned the adjustment bolt in a good deal to fix the range of the pedal, this has changed the resting angle of the brake cam, so the brake shoes are now about 30% engaged when the pedal is at rest. Obviously don't want that.

I'm almost certain I correctly re-installed the brake cam onto the spline, as the punch marks on both are lined up. It seems that the two competing factors are 1) the range of the brake pedal and 2) the position of the brake shoes at rest, and I can't fix both of them, it's like an either/or situation. So I'm pretty lost on what to do.

 

[WintrSol]

Did you check for the punch mark on the cam and arm? This is mentioned in the manual for 68 up, and I suspect it's true for the 67 as well.

 

[LukeCB]

Did you check for the punch mark on the cam and arm? This is mentioned in the manual for 68 up, and I suspect it's true for the 67 as well.

Yes, the punch marks are exactly lined up.

 

[66Sprint]

The "Ball" end of the FRONT brake lever has in excess of 3" of motion to allow "feel" and control.....
WHY would you expect the rear brake to be set-up and adjusted any differently?.......

Did you "arc' the shoes?......

 

[LukeCB]

The "Ball" end of the FRONT brake lever has in excess of 3" of motion to allow "feel" and control.....
WHY would you expect the rear brake to be set-up and adjusted any differently?.......

Did you "arc' the shoes?......

1) my thoughts were that when the adjustment bolt is tightened or loosened, the brake cam’s resting angle is altered on the spline, which alters the position of the brake shoes in the drum. I could be incorrect

2) no I didn’t, just simply took out the old shoes and replaced them with the new ones.

 

[66Sprint]

#1)... WHAT bolt?.....There is the rear brake rod, its spring, the brake arm joint, and the rear brake nut....NO BOLT.... Brake cam angle/engagement with shoes changes, NOT arm with cam splines......

#2)... IF you want the brakes to function correctly, you must fit and install them properly.........

 

[WintrSol]

The "Ball" end of the FRONT brake lever has in excess of 3" of motion to allow "feel" and control.....
WHY would you expect the rear brake to be set-up and adjusted any differently?.......

Did you forget the /sarcasm marks? My manuals say about 3/4" movement of the foot pedal; part of this is because the foot pedal doesn't need as much mechanical advantage as the lever, because feet are just stronger than fingers.

@LukeCB: Yes, the adjustment nut (not bolt) moves the brake arm, which turns the cam, and the cam moves the shoes closer to the drum. Even if you didn't pre-curve the shoes to match the drum, they will eventually do it themselves; braking force will be somewhat reduced until they do. I find the rear brake is more than strong enough to lock up the wheel, so curve-matching during break-in shouldn't make the brakes less effective, IMO.

 

[66Sprint]

Agreed Rick....But because the lever is so much longer (larger circumference to it's described circle) each inch of travel represents many less degrees of arc motion back at the brake arm.... Because his shoes weren't arced to the inner curvature of the hub, a bulge (actually the smaller radius of the shoes) insures that a smaller contact area will occur until they wear down appropriately......I'd GUESS the nut adjustment is only about one to one and a half turns away from not rubbing, but that means that longer pedal travel will exist until bedded and readjusted....Had they been arced, proper pedal travel adjustment would already be possible.......

 

[WintrSol]

If you think about it, without presetting the pad arcs, the proper adjustment will still be possible to get the correct pedal travel, but will go out of adjustment more quickly, until the pads curve themselves to the drum. It's kind of a pay me now, or pay me several times later proposition.