Rear brake cable route?

Previously Alan Throssell wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm just fitting a "low level" Interstate exhaust system to my 1972 Commando(having removed my more commonupswept pea-shooter system) and am having difficulty finding the best route for the rear brake cable. Is there anyone who has the "low level" system fitted that can advise how the cable is best routed? (I'm going low level exhaustsystem to gainclearance for my Krauser panniers).

Regards, Alan

Alan, whatever you do with the cable DO NOT insert it in the gap between the upper and lower bolts fixing the silencers to the main support brackets. It may look neat but is potentially lethal.

Here is a picture showing the correect route......I hope

Hmmm...the 1973 brochure appears to show the cable routed between the mounting plates..

[IMG]http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg164/commando16h/NOC/Afbeelding%2087_zpsj9dgusz2.jpg[/IMG]

The 850 Mk1 brochure from later in the year though shows it routed behind. Probably not clear enough to help much.

[IMG]http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg164/commando16h/NOC/Afbeelding%2088_zpslq6w0aoo.jpg[/IMG]

Not a lot of help, Al. Sorry about that !

Here it is on my 68 model. Suggest you keep it as straight as poss.

This bike is an import from the US to Australia and note the incorrect extended silencer mounts that were already on it.

Note: I had to put a return spring on the pedal though even after oiling the cable and stripping/cleaning/greasing the brake acuator.

Patrick

The early traditional Norton silencers were mounted lower and parallel with the ground, but the run of the brake cable is effectively the same as in my photo.

If you want to fit a spring to the rear brake pedal then this is a better bet. As well as aiding pedal return it will also hold the brake pedal in the normal position even if the cable breaks. It is available from Norvil, and I guess other Norton parts suppliers.

Incidentally the rear brake cable for your silencers appears to be listed as the same part number as on mine.

Ref the pedal return spring, I think the part number is 064172, but haven't got the parts book to hand. I would strongly reccomend if you don't have one, fit one. As Michael points out, it doesn't just act as a return spring, but stops the brake pedal falling to the ground & digging in to the road surface with the inevitable results should the cable fail. A lesson I learned the hard way many, many years ago.

Regards, Tim

Spot on Tim. The spring is ;listed by Norvil as 064172 as you say. I cannot imagine what it must be like if the cable snaps and the brake pedal drops and digs into the tarmac.

Michael

1. Not to worry folks - I tried one of those springs last year to get my bike thro' the Police Inspection here in Perth. (e.g. MOT) but gave up as I couldn't get it to fit in the space between the pedal and footpeg bracket.

A spring was needed primarily to pull the brake switch to 'off'.

My spring does also support the pedal with all the rear brake tension slackened off - so it will also hold the pedal up if the cable breaks.

I like the rear brake pedal set high giving me maximum clearance at the shoes so wonder if that combined with the older type parts might be preventing me from getting the suggested spring from fitting?

I've attached a pic of the spring and ask if it is the correct one and best way to fit it.

Cannot get the system to allow me to post two pics so will post a pic of my set up with the tension slackened off as part 2. I'm happy with it as is but any suggestions are most welcome.

Previously patrick_lindsay wrote:

2. Here is the view with all tensionslackened off.

Previously patrick_lindsay wrote:

3. Here is the pedal to footpeg clearance with the pedal fully up.

Patrick here is how the return spring fits. It simply goes around the boss in the rear brake pedal so no extra clearance is required from standard. HTH.

Patrick another angle showing the spring fitted.

Very many thanks Michael, I'll re-try again later when I pull it all down to do the isos/S/A bushes.

(Suspect the spring normally sits in the relieved face area of the brake pedal locating boss but the machined area is not accessible for this purpose unless I set the brake pedal rest position much lower like yours - my brake pedal may also be different on it's inside clearance)

Patrick.

Previously michael_jobson wrote:

Previously Alan Throssell wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm just fitting a "low level" Interstate exhaust system to my 1972 Commando(having removed my more commonupswept pea-shooter system) and am having difficulty finding the best route for the rear brake cable. Is there anyone who has the "low level" system fitted that can advise how the cable is best routed? (I'm going low level exhaustsystem to gainclearance for my Krauser panniers).

Regards, Alan

Alan, whatever you do with the cable DO NOT insert it in the gap between the upper and lower bolts fixing the silencers to the main support brackets. It may look neat but is potentially lethal.

Whoops, guess the previous owner of my beast went for asthetics then!Here is how its currently routed (71'), ill have to change out.

That is a killer. simply run the cable behind the inner mounting plate. It is long enough.

Good one Michael, thanks for the tip on this.

The cable routing is a bit tricky and sadly I don't seem to have found the best yet either. However, as far as cable breakage goes, I have cut an inch out of an old bicycle inner tube and slipped it over the pedal and the footrest mount. It doesn't change the operation of the break, is a great failsafe AND means the break light switches off properly. Cheap solustion...

Rupert

The cable routing is a bit tricky and sadly I don't seem to have found the best yet either. However, as far as cable breakage goes, I have cut an inch out of an old bicycle inner tube and slipped it over the pedal and the footrest mount. It doesn't change the operation of the break, is a great failsafe AND means the break light switches off properly. Cheap solustion...

Rupert