Sturmey Archer drum brake is grabby
08-04-13, 09:10 PM
#1
aka Tom Reingold
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Sturmey Archer drum brake is grabby
I have the Sturmey Archer X-FD hub on my Raleigh Twenty now. (This is an old folding bike with 20" wheels.) The brake works very well, but it has a pulsing grabbiness. The hub has not had many miles, though it's over a year old. Is it a defect, or does it need service? Or do you need more information to give ideas on this?
Thank you.
Thank you.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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08-04-13, 10:15 PM
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I'd open it up and clean the inside of the drum.
08-04-13, 10:22 PM
#3
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Front disc in my 20" Bi Fri PL is rather abrupt too , need for modulation has me being careful with the hand Lever..
brake : wheel size related?
My UK SA made drum brake pair, is Quite smooth braking , it is 25 years old too .. and in 26" wheels..
[Bike wears Nokian studded tires for the black ice days, now, so smooth braking is welcome... ]
bedding in may need patience?
brake : wheel size related?
My UK SA made drum brake pair, is Quite smooth braking , it is 25 years old too .. and in 26" wheels..
[Bike wears Nokian studded tires for the black ice days, now, so smooth braking is welcome... ]
bedding in may need patience?
Last edited by fietsbob; 08-04-13 at 10:26 PM.
08-04-13, 11:27 PM
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It's easy enough to open the hub and pull off the brake unit intact to inspect, and give the brake track a wipe with acetone to make sure it's clean and dry. If that doesn't solve it, it's barely possible the drum is slightly warped. Or if the bike has been sitting unused there might be some rust spots.
Eons ago I fixed a few of these by trapping a strip of super fine emery cloth around the brake shoes, assembling and riding slowly while lightly dragging the brake. This doesn't work for more than very slight warping, but it solves the rust issue very well.
Sometimes, you can smooth them out by simply riding while dragging the brake for a while.
Warning, riding while dragging the brake makes heat, and the hubs can heat up pretty quickly, so stop and rest it to cool at regular intervals. You can test for temp with a wet finger, but it's surprisingly easy to get burnt.
Eons ago I fixed a few of these by trapping a strip of super fine emery cloth around the brake shoes, assembling and riding slowly while lightly dragging the brake. This doesn't work for more than very slight warping, but it solves the rust issue very well.
Sometimes, you can smooth them out by simply riding while dragging the brake for a while.
Warning, riding while dragging the brake makes heat, and the hubs can heat up pretty quickly, so stop and rest it to cool at regular intervals. You can test for temp with a wet finger, but it's surprisingly easy to get burnt.
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FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
08-04-13, 11:43 PM
#5
aka Tom Reingold
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Thanks. That's a lot of helpful information.
As you may remember, this bike came with deplorable brakes. I'm still using the original rear brake, so your warning is serious. I can't depend on the rear solely if the front fades, but I'm not worried.
As you may remember, this bike came with deplorable brakes. I'm still using the original rear brake, so your warning is serious. I can't depend on the rear solely if the front fades, but I'm not worried.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
08-05-13, 09:57 AM
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This past Saturday, I disasssembled my SA XFDD drum brake because of squealing and a bit of grabbing. I cleaned up the assembly, cleaned the shoes with acetone, lightly sanded the drum and shoes, and then put it all back together. The brake worked perfect on my commute this morning. No squealing or grabbing and it seemed that stopping power had increased. Spending 15 minutes on the job worked wonders. The only real hassle (minor) for me was aligning the reaction arm to the dyno taps.
