Technical Brakes & Tires

[ianhowe]

Hi all,
A couple of questions , firstly I have a set of R rims to go on my L, what tire size would you go for , I want while walls ? & secondly the brakes are shocking, is that just drums or do I need discs, maybe original ones are working as good as they can ?
Any advice would be most welcome
Like the look of the ones on the attached pic

 

[the hobbler]

Hi all,
A couple of questions , firstly I have a set of R rims to go on my L, what tire size would you go for , I want while walls ? & secondly the brakes are shocking, is that just drums or do I need discs, maybe original ones are working as good as they can ?
Any advice would be most welcome
Like the look of the ones on the attached pic

Normally, and properly set-up, the brakes on a 500 are pretty good (for their age). Various things can affect the way they work (a) the lining on modern 'pattern' brake shoes seem to be slightly thinner than the factory original (b), the friction-pads on the 'self-adjusting units seem not to be as 'grippy' as the original and (3), the 'pattern' brake-shoe return-springs are slightly too short, and therefore when extended (by putting on the brakes), they have too much "return pull". Couple this with the slightly 'less grippy' brake shoe adjusters, and you have a situation where the shoes are being pulled to far back from the brake-drum. Middle Barton Garage can supply brake-shoes for the 500 made to the original specifications, and when overhauling the brakes, use the original springs if at all possible, or GENTLY and CAREFULLY extend the 'pattern' return springs out to the same length as the original springs.

 

[Ant Knox]

Work carefully around historic vehicle brakes (since many old systems contained asbestos), but in addition to what Tom says, it might help to de-glaze the friction face of the drums too. I know with the old Vespas I worked on, decades of dirt, rust and friction material could form a glass-like layer on the braking surfaces which greatly reduced their performance and could foul new pads.