06-03-2019, 12:56 AM
Jon,
With the brake cam set at the angle shown in your above picture you have already lost some of your best braking effort as with brake levers past vertical or right angles to the cable pull (the effective lever is shorter as discussed at some length in a rather boring earlier discussion).
The brake cams are handed offside to nearside (but not front to back as listed in the modern spare parts lists from suppliers) and must be fitted to produce the correct angle in the brake levers - rearward facing at the back forward facing at the front.
The cotter slope can contribute here but as I noted in an earlier post with my 'long' cotter and return spring the front cotter must be in 'backwards'.
Talking of cotters - I found that a recent batch of brake lever cotters (5/16" dia) in Club spares were wrongly made with the 1/4" BSW threaded portion central instead of offset- as all early bike users will know this is totally wrong and doesn't allow for the necessary cotter pin 'ramp'. Beware and check if buying new cotters.
The short brake levers are not shown as being handed in the Austin 7 Spares catalogues or modern spares lists but I am sure I have seen a nut flat machined on the side of some levers (none to hand to check) making them handed ?
With the brake cam set at the angle shown in your above picture you have already lost some of your best braking effort as with brake levers past vertical or right angles to the cable pull (the effective lever is shorter as discussed at some length in a rather boring earlier discussion).
The brake cams are handed offside to nearside (but not front to back as listed in the modern spare parts lists from suppliers) and must be fitted to produce the correct angle in the brake levers - rearward facing at the back forward facing at the front.
The cotter slope can contribute here but as I noted in an earlier post with my 'long' cotter and return spring the front cotter must be in 'backwards'.
Talking of cotters - I found that a recent batch of brake lever cotters (5/16" dia) in Club spares were wrongly made with the 1/4" BSW threaded portion central instead of offset- as all early bike users will know this is totally wrong and doesn't allow for the necessary cotter pin 'ramp'. Beware and check if buying new cotters.
The short brake levers are not shown as being handed in the Austin 7 Spares catalogues or modern spares lists but I am sure I have seen a nut flat machined on the side of some levers (none to hand to check) making them handed ?