Ordered brake shoes, (and pads) and the Honda Lube on Friday, and took the bike apart today, and snapped some pics. None of it really looks too bad which was a nice change, and a relief.

I put the center stand on a 5/8 sheet of wood, which is just a shelf from an old entertainment center. This lifted the rear wheel about 2" off the ground, and left plenty of room for removal. The wheel pretty much dropped right out without any special "wiggling" or "fanagling"-
http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9080/bikesb2.gif


Here's the brake assy. Shoe's were nowhere near as bad as I was expecting, but it's still getting the new ones-
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5526/brakesxz7.gif


Brake "drum", smooth and shiny but no cracks or damage-
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5586/wheelbw0.gif


Inside the shaft coupling. It was good to see some grease in there, and the teeth in pretty good shape-
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/9915/shafths6.gif


And finally, the drive unit splines. Some grease, good shape, and a major relief to find to this will all be maintenance stuff and not major repairs-
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3418/spline1jy0.gif

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/2595/spline2sa1.gif


I know the pics leave something to be desired; I'm no kind of photographer, and the camera is nothing special.

All that stuff will get a major cleaning upon reassembly. All in all, it only took me about 30min I think to tear it down to this. Not bad for the first time, and I bet it'll be a whole lot quicker the next time. And I'm real relieved to not find any signs of butchering back here that I found in the carbs and engine. :smiley_th

Now if the UPS man would just show up..... :drool:

I spy something in one pic; that leads me to believe your getting it coastered, as well. :smiley_th

I had trouble getting my wheel back in, when I did my splines.

... I Did the MSF thing today. :)

I did the coaster's Mem. Day weekend, and just haven't put that stuff away. LOL

This job is finished. Picked up the Moly Lube yesterday, and wrapped it all up. (no assembly pics).

I bought EBC brake shoes, and they came with new springs, I don't know if all shoe sets do or not, didn't know the EBC did until I opened the box. Those springs are tough to re-assemble, I made it more bearable by finding somebody to hold the whole brake plate assembly still while I worked the springs on, and I got 'em both on without drawing any blood. ;)

What was worse than that though was that spacer on the axle for the rear wheel....

At any rate, the spline lube and rear brakes are done. Wrap up the fronts, hang the replacement exhaust system, and it's back on the road. Again.

You're giving me confidence that this won't be that terrible of a job to do when I replace my rear tire. 30 minute breakdown...then I should be able to do it in an hour :)

Maybe I won't need to replace my rear brake shoes, my marker is closer to the top than bottom and I'm not sure which direction it is going to show "Replace." How many coonskins for the shoes?

Those springs are tough to re-assemble, I made it more bearable by finding somebody to hold the whole brake plate assembly still while I worked the springs on, and I got 'em both on without drawing any blood. ;)


Good Job on getting the much needed preventative maintenance done :beerchug:

Question:
Did you have the springs on the pads before putting the pads onto the pins?

You're giving me confidence that this won't be that terrible of a job to do when I replace my rear tire. 30 minute breakdown...then I should be able to do it in an hour :)

Maybe I won't need to replace my rear brake shoes, my marker is closer to the top than bottom and I'm not sure which direction it is going to show "Replace." How many coonskins for the shoes?

It's really pretty easy, overall. Grab a Clymers, or print some threads from here, and it's like being walked through it. ;) The pointer moves "down" thru the scale as you step on the pedal BTW, and the shoe "kit" for the rear I bought for $30 plus some shipping.

Good Job on getting the much needed preventative maintenance done :beerchug:

Question:
Did you have the springs on the pads before putting the pads onto the pins?

Thanks, and no. I tried it that way, but it turned into a kind of wrestling match.

I put the shoes in place and then one spring at a time. Had somebody hold the assembly for me, then I grabbed the free end of the spring, at a 90 degree angle, with a pair of 10'' needle-nose pliers, and just stretched it to the other shoe. Typed out like this it sounds pretty easy, but it took alot of grunt, and a couple try's. I'll be searching the forums for the "easy way" next time I need to change them. :smiley_th

(I also have a pair of brake spring pliers for car drums, but they were useless here)

I haven't changed my rear brakes on the Vulcan yet, but on dirtbikes I would connect the springs first. Always seemed easier than the way you described.
But ya got it done, so ya shouldn't have to worry about for a good while now.

Here's the brake assy. Shoe's were nowhere near as bad as I was expecting, but it's still getting the new ones-
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5526/brakesxz7.gif

I bought EBC brake shoes, and they came with new springs, I don't know if all shoe sets do or not, didn't know the EBC did until I opened the box. Those springs are tough to re-assemble, I made it more bearable by finding somebody to hold the whole brake plate assembly still while I worked the springs on, and I got 'em both on without drawing any blood. ;)
What was worse than that though was that spacer on the axle for the rear wheel....

At any rate, the spline lube and rear brakes are done. Wrap up the fronts, hang the replacement exhaust system, and it's back on the road. Again.


Question:
Did you have the springs on the pads before putting the pads onto the pins?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=750Doug;59438]It's really pretty easy, overall. Grab a Clymers, or print some threads from here, and it's like being walked through it. ;) The pointer moves "down" thru the scale as you step on the pedal BTW, and the shoe "kit" for the rear I bought for $30 plus some shipping.



Thanks, and no. I tried it that way, but it turned into a kind of wrestling match.
I put the shoes in place and then one spring at a time. Had somebody hold the assembly for me, then I grabbed the free end of the spring, at a 90 degree angle, with a pair of 10'' needle-nose pliers, and just stretched it to the other shoe. Typed out like this it sounds pretty easy, but it took alot of grunt, and a couple try's. I'll be searching the forums for the "easy way" next time I need to change them. :smiley_th

(I also have a pair of brake spring pliers for car drums, but they were useless here)

I haven't changed my rear brakes on the Vulcan yet, but on dirtbikes I would connect the springs first. Always seemed easier than the way you described. But ya got it done, so ya shouldn't have to worry about for a good while now.

I`m bumping this up for pgchimp, and making a couple of comments. I`m thinking if you don`t have anyone to help hold the brake plate assembly down to the bench while installing the springs, you could bolt it to a length of 2" lumber clamped to the bench. A lag bolt throught the brake torque strap bolt hole (right side of pic with rusty bolt head protuding), and a couple of more at the other side with a washer to grip the edge of the brake plate assembly rim, might make it possible to do this alone. If you`re going to stretch the springs with the shoes in place I suggest that a pair of needle nose vise grips, instead of pliers, will help.

I`m not sure, but Hyper`s method for his dirt bikes,of hooking up the springs first, may even be possible with the assembly secured to the bench and one extra set of arms out of the way. This idea comes from usually having to work on autos without help, so I`m always looking for ways to do it alone. Just my 2 cents worth.

You make this look easy, I will doing this before spring and you give me encouragement. Thank you so much for the pictures, they are worth 2,000 words....

When I had the rear end apart and re-assembled the brakes I kept the springs on the pads and "folded" them back over the pins. It was a bear-cat but it did finally work.
Charlie

When I had the rear end apart and re-assembled the brakes I kept the springs on the pads and "folded" them back over the pins. It was a bear-cat but it did finally work.
Charlie

Hey bullwinkle, since this is a tech forum, we should use the correct technical name for the rear brake shoes, shouldn`t we? Brake pads are used with disc brakes. :doh::):) Sorry, too much free time on my hands and I couldn`t help myself. <BG>

I have a question though. Were you able to fold the brake shoes on by yourself, or did you have help? Some of those brake springs can be a real bear, as you point out. :rockon:

I put the break http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa70/AK82kz440/kickme.gif SHOES on myself and I didn't have it secured to the bench. Incidently I didn't have any help with the front pads either! http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa70/AK82kz440/bootyshake.gif

Charlie
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa70/AK82kz440/razz.gif

thanks for the pics. spline lube is top of my list. where did you get the honda grease?

I got mine from a local Honda dealer. It's usually a "on the shelf/stocked" item for them, behind the counter with their other specialty lubes.

Ron Ayers sells it as well.

I put the break http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa70/AK82kz440/kickme.gif SHOES on myself and I didn't have it secured to the bench. Incidently I didn't have any help with the front pads either! http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa70/AK82kz440/bootyshake.gif

Charlie
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa70/AK82kz440/razz.gif

I love your little animated characters. I was reading the Clymer manual after posting yesterday and putting the shoes on with the springs attached, and forcing the "V" down over the mounting pins is their recommended way. :smiley_th