Author Topic: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums? (Read 3266 times)

aslakeview · « **on:** September 01, 2006, 02:24:26 PM »

Hi

I have an old Aspencade trike with a pinto rear end on it. I am using a motorcycle front brake lever to work the rear drums but do not have enough piston stroke to make it work properly. Is there anyway to change the rear drums to a disk so my brakes will work properly? Or would there be another rear end that would come with a disk break that is similar to a pinto's wheels bolt pattern? I have had a trailer built with the same pinto rear end and am using the spare tire for both the trailer and bike. Thanks, Ralph.

77turbopinto · « **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:13:56 PM »

From 83, ALL Goldwings had the linked brakes (that I hate). Because of that, the front master is very small and the rear master is larger (bore). I would think that using the rear master would work much better as it is designed to work one front caliper and one rear. The 82 and earlier wings have non-linked (to the rear) dual disc front brakes, so if you got a front master from one and use the later rear master...

As far as changing to rear discs, it would only be better IF the wheel cylinders were BIGGER than the calipers you plan to use. From the trikes that I have seen, most have narrowed 6.75 open rears. As far as I know, there were no 6.75 rears that had discs from the factory, so you might need a different rear and shorten it, some custom axle shafts, or some aftermarket kit. The 87/88 Turbo Coupes have rear discs with the same bolt pattern, but they have 8.8 rears (Trac-Loc).

You are NOT planning to run without front brakes... RIGHT??

Anyway, Welcome. Please post some pics, I have had wings for well over 20 years and I would like to see your trike.

Bill

fast34 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 03, 2006, 03:58:31 PM »

I beleive the early ford escorts have the same bolt pattern as a Pinto, and i think the rotors were a slip on design, which would make an easy disc conversion.

aslakeview · « **Reply #3 on:** September 14, 2006, 01:54:48 AM »

I've been told that there is a company called CSC that can modify the brake reservoir and piston to increase the pressure to the rear drums. I am still trying to find how to contact this company to see if they can also help me out. I've looked online and also phoned some dealers without any luck. Right now I am relying mostly on the front brakes, as the rear brakes are the ones that I've having trouble with. The front works well but I would have a lot more confidence if I can have the rears working decently. How I use the rear brakes is with my thumb, I pull in a front brake lever that is mounted backwards onto the clutch side. I've been trying for 3 years now without too much luck as this seems to be a new area for most people. I've had lots of good advice but not sure of where to start. The advice I've had has been from finding a master cylinder that has a 5/8 bore instead of the half inch, increasing the rear wheel cylinders, replacing the rear wheels with disks, also changing the brake lines to steel braided lines. To me increasing the master cylinder to 5/8 and changing to braided lines seems to me to be the most logical and cost effective but I am not positive. I have limited mechanical experience over the last 15 years since I was paralyzed in a car crash and have forgotten a majority of what I had learned from my father 25 years ago. I must of hit my head but I think that I'm just forgetful, if you don't use it you lose it. That's my excuse anyway. Thanks, Ralph.

These are my trike picture including the rear brake lever, you can see how my chair is hooked up to a winch that lifts it up and down to save my sore old back.

http://www.a-s-lakeviewbedbreakfast.ca/trikewcside.jpg
http://www.a-s-lakeviewbedbreakfast.ca/trikewheelside.jpg
http://www.a-s-lakeviewbedbreakfast.ca/frontbrakelever.jpg

77turbopinto · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2006, 06:14:41 AM »

OK now I see what you are doing. I did not know how you need it to be done. Let me think about it a while.

Bill

aslakeview · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2006, 01:55:33 PM »

I contacted CSC this morning and the person who I spoke with told me that they did not work on the 1200's. I should be able to get a 1500 that has a dual disk to do the same thing and have that converted shouldn't I? But even if they increase the size of the piston would that be enough to work the rear hydraulic drums?

77turbopinto · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2006, 02:44:08 PM »

Yea, not too many places deal with the 1200's anymore. I have heard there are kits out there to un-link the brakes, but I have never seen them. All the 1500's have the smaller front master. A machine shop might be able to make the bore bigger, but then you will need the guts for it and it might get tricky. IMHO: Your best bet for a front master is a pre-83 wing or any other dual disc bike.

If that is a stock rear with the brakes made for a 2400# car, they are way too much for a 1000# trike anyway. I would think that a small light car with rear discs (saturn?) might be a good idea (depending on more details than are here, like time, money, tools....). You need to look at piston size and compare.

Where are you?

Bill

77turbopinto · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2006, 10:33:27 PM »

Had a thought: You can get calipers sleeved (Corvette ones are done with S/S to keep them from rusting internally) to a smaller size and get smaller pistons, or maybe use the pistons from a bike. That would match the sizes and with the brakes made for a heavy car, it should provide the power needed.

Bill

aslakeview · « **Reply #8 on:** September 15, 2006, 03:30:06 PM »

Thanks for all the advice Bill. I'll go over these ideas with my mechanic and see what we can come up with. We are just north of Kelowna in a small community called Lake Country, it is in between Kelowna and Vernon, BC. It is one of the wine and fruit districts here in Canada where we have around 300 miles of area north to south, probally close to a 1000 sq miles would be my guess.

77turbopinto · « **Reply #9 on:** September 15, 2006, 06:25:20 PM »

I wish I had more to offer.

There are creative ways to adjust the brakes front to rear in separate systems. Here are some of the ways I can think of or have done (in linked systems in cars): bigger pads/shoes, smaller pads/shoes, grinding material off pads/shoes, trim meat off rotors/drums, change rotor diameter.

Good luck,
Bill

aslakeview · « **Reply #10 on:** October 24, 2006, 08:21:41 PM »

Hi Bill

I did as you suggested and added a new master from a bike that had a dual disk on the front. At least now I can use the rear brakes, but they still won't lock up. I spoke with my mechanic who converted our 4Runner over to natural gas since he has retired and was riding a Goldwing for years. He suggests that I get a brake booster from a small sports car and add a vacuum line in the intake to run it. He told me that he will stop by next spring when he returns home from his winter in Mexico and install it for me. I think that now I will have decent brakes by next summer as the bike has retired for the winter. Thanks very much Bill and fast34 for all of your help, Ralph.

77turbopinto · « **Reply #11 on:** October 24, 2006, 08:32:45 PM »

Glad to help.

I don't know, but trikes I have seen tend to have wide rear tires (lots of grip) and I am not sure that you would want to lock them if you could, ever. One would think that one tire would always lock before the other, even if it is ever so slight. Given the contact patch diferential between the front to the rear tires, it might induce a hard pull to one side, and might cause the front tire to skid sideways and be useless. I have no first hand knowledge IF this could/would occur, but I have ridden trikes and 3 wheelers, and they do re-act in their own way.

I wish you continued good luck with your project.

Bill

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Author Topic: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums? (Read 3266 times)

aslakeview

Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

77turbopinto

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

fast34

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

aslakeview

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

77turbopinto

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

aslakeview

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

77turbopinto

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

77turbopinto

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

aslakeview

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

77turbopinto

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

aslakeview

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?

77turbopinto

Re: Anyway to change front disks to the replace rear drums?