Drum Brake Lining

[Dirt Bike Dan]

The brake drums on my bike ('83 KDX250) are almost out of spec. My rear can hardly lock up the wheel. I doubt I could order a new hub, and if I could, it would be expensive. I don't want to spend big bucks on a 20 year old bike. Is it possible to have the drum relined/resleeved? (like a cylinder?) It looks like the hub is Al and the brake lining is steel. If it is impossible to reline, what else can I do to get my brakes back?

 

[JasonWho]

Hi, fellow 80's KDX'er. I don't know about relining the stock hubs, but I might have a couple of other possibilities for you. I don't know what your budget is or how original you are wanting to keep it, but here are a couple of suggestions:

You could buy a used wheel off e-Bay or similar - may be better, just as bad as, or worse than your hub, but price is not bad.

You could swap front wheel/forks/brakes to front disc brake, such as one from a later model KDX. This would give you much better front brakes AND front suspension.

You might be able to convert to disc brake in rear, but it is beyond the scope of this thread, really

 

[mxmatthew]

well i know next to nothing about your bike but my dad has resleeved his drums numerous times on his 79' IT250. I think he just took the wheel to a machine shop. :cool:

 

[Dirt Bike Dan]

Would any machine shop know what to do if I gave them the specs? Or would this be something to take to the, gasp, dealer service dept?

 

[reelrazor]

Would any machine shop know what to do if I gave them the specs? Or would this be something to take to the, gasp, dealer service dept?

HA!

The dealer service dept would look at you funny, and wonder why you don't spend ALL your money in their parts dept.

It is just a steel sleeve pressed into the hub. If you can find a general service machine shop they should be able to get or make a sleeve to fit. You might need to provide them with a nominal i.d. so they can turn it to fit your brakes.

 

[Dirt Bike Dan]

thanks for the replies.
looks like i'm going to be busy this winter.

 

[jmics19067]

another option is to have the drum cut and the original shoes relined with a thicker lining to match. probably the cheapest easiest way to get the brakes up to snuff. Any brake relining specialists in your area?

 

[Layton]

In the "good old days??" we would braze washers to the end of the brake shoe where the cam contacts it. The washer would take up the space of the worn brake drum.

Quite often the drum would be worn so bad that even new shoes would not work without the above modifcation. I can remember even having two washers on new shoes.

Make sure you put the same thicknes on both shoes.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dirt Bike Dan]

thanks again. I might try that washer thing until I can get them relined. (un)fortunately, this bike is before my time (i'm only 16), so i'm not reminiscing about the "good ole days" just yet :)