Drum brakes locked...

[CarlGit125]

I'm relatively new to the biking business, I've had a CG 125 (offroad) for the past two years but I haven't ridden it for around 7 months. It's been stood ever since. This morning I dug it out and started lubricating all the cables, squeezing levers etc. to give them a chance to fully lubricate, as I used to do. The throttle and clutch were fine. My front brake lever has always been stiff but when it came to lubing it today, the lever didn't move at all. I managed to pull it on once (after much tugging) then I had to let go because my fingers were crippling, and now it won't budge again... but I can't even move my bike! I'm not sure if the cable has got itself stuck or whether it's something inside the drum. So now my front brake is locked on and there's nothing that will budge it.

It's kept in my garden under a tarpauline, and I've never experienced this problem before. What do I do now? Any ideas what it could be?

P.S. Excuse my newbie-ness.

[Kickstart]

Hi

I would expect a cable to snap before it got this bad, so doubt it is that.

My guess would be the shaft going into the drum as seized. Look at the drum and the cable will connect with a lever, and that lever pivots on a shaft going into the drum. The other end of this shaft will be shaped so that as the shaft rotates it gets wider, forcing the 2 brake shoes apart and only the inside of the drum.

Take the front wheel out. Disconnect the cable. Use a rubber mallet to tap the lever on the drum back (ie, opposite direct to the way the cable pulls it). Hopefully you can then get the drum apart. Then get the shaft out of the drum (watch out for the springs holding the shoes going flying) and clean it up and lube it.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[CarlGit125]

Thanks for the advice, I'll do that right away. Just knocked it back into place with a hammer and squeezed... locked again.

You'd think I know more about bike maintenance after two years, wouldn't you?

[Kickstart]

Bet you won't do that again!

Good luck sorting it out. Just watch out that you do no get any lube on the actual friction surfaces of the brakes.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[BenBray]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Not sure from your description. I would hope a new cable would not fail. Can you post some piccies of the set up on your bike.

However one thing to watch out for with drum brakes is that if the brake shoes are badly worn then the shaft that pushes them apart can turn too far. Imagine is it a bar like this "-". When you press the brake it rotates like this "/". Fine. However if it is badly worn it will go far enough to be like this "|" where is might stick and even go further like this "\" where it will stick.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[judderman3000]

no relevance to me being keith and all but, i had the same problem on my simson, (no jokes required) but it was the pads itself that were the problem, hope this helps
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Judd - Hornet 600 (restricted) Micron Can, Belly Pan, Custom rear end, Single seat cowl, need to sort front end out e.g. headlights and USD forks...

[BenBray]

Cheers for both of your replies.

I cant be bothered to drag the bike to the end shed, move a load of stuff and take a look at it, when I'm pretty sure the sun will rise tomorrow morning. I have a fairly good idea what I'm looking for now though, so I should be able to sort it.

Cheers guys,

Ben

EDIT: Just played about with it, stepdad thinks the spring might have gone. Going to take it to the place that sorted it all out tomorrow and get them to sort it all out for me [free of charge ]
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Current Bike: nc30