MC5 brakerod (1977)

[Lloyd Boland]

Yesterday while racing, I thought I was having motor failure as the bike was gradually slowing down the last lap.  As I pulled into the pits the bike slowed even more and I shut her down.  I tried to roll her back to my truck but the rear wheel would not turn.  Ah, the brake rod was severely bent down locking the rear brake.  I don't know if I got hit during the race, there was some close racing, or if I somehow pushed it down with my boot. I bent it back up and the brakes seemed to work fine, and it ran ok in the second moto.

The question, has anyone ever addressed this?  I have not looked too closely at the rod yet.  Do they need reinforcing?  Is there a heavier rod or cable system?

This is the first time this has happened so I don't think it is a big issue, just a thought.

Thaks.

Lloyd

[G Ellis]

Run your brake arm and brake rod to the top. Problem solved. Later Gary

[tomale]

to be honest, I have never had a problem with the rod bending and causing the brake to lock up.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74'250 hare scrambler (project)
74' 1/2 440 maico
78' 440 maico
72' cr125 Husky (project)
74' TM125 suzuki
93' RMx 250 suzuki

[Lloyd Boland]

Gary, help me out here.  I looked at the alignment of the brake rod, if I turn the brake up facing upward, it looks like the rod would run right through the middle of the shock.  It currently runs under the bottom shock mounting bracket on the swing arm.  Thanks for the input.

Lloyd

[Larry Perkins]

We always used a piece of innertube wrapped around the place where the brake rod and the arm came together to keep it from coming out but that might not have been what caused it to bend.  I have had that happen.  I don't think getting hit would bend it as it flexes a decent amount.

Larry P

[Lloyd Boland]

Thanks Larry. I also use a piece of inner tube to keep the rod in place just to make sure the rod does not pop out.  On this occasion the rod did not pop out, but it bent considerably.  If I took a straight line where the rod would typically run, it was bent down several inches, +/- 6 inches below where it would typically run, and it also has a pretty good bend in it very near the arm at the rear wheel.  

Thanks for the thought.

Also, inner tubes come in very handy, on my CZs we actually use them in the same way as on the brake arm but also run them to the axle to act as the return spring.  The return spring on the CZ does not work very well.

Lloyd

[Larry Perkins]

Lloyd,

I could see where you could get hit and bend it close to the arm.

Larry P