Topic: Recommendation for drum brake conversion

[nayto550]

So here's the dilemma... I am in possession of a '76 CB750F that is beyond what I consider workable quality for a restoration.  So obviously I feel the need to chop it up and build a bobber.   For a bobber however, I think the look of front and rear drum brakes is where it's at.

Rear isn't too big of a deal, I can find an 18" rear wheel with a drum.  The front seems to elude me though.  I've been able to find an 18" front drum from a CB400 (I think), but I want to keep the 19" front rim.  Right now I'm thinking I can take the drum hub from the 18" and lace it to a 19" rim, but I wouldn't have a clue of where to find the spokes for something like that.

If someone with experience with this could possibly point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated!

[Bakeoff]

You could always switch to a Norton or other British front wheel.  Many of those were 19".  The only issue I've come up with on the Norton wheels is the speedo is driven off the rear wheel...  Staying with a Honda front drum would eliminate that headache.

Spoke length, I'd call up Buchanan's.  I've heard of them giving great advice on spoke lengths on odd setups.

[Motoguy23]

For spokes you can go to buchanans spokes and they make custom length of spokes and everything.  My guess is it would be around $120 for new spokes everything else.

Just call them up and say you have a front drum from an insert year and make of bike and want to lace it up to a whatever sized rim and they'll ask you a few more questions like the rim hole diameter, nothing too complicated, and they'll get them too your pretty fast.

I had to find all this out too, laced a cb400 drum up to a 21" rim. 

[Duke McDukiedook]

Two drums?!?!?!

One drum is way more than enough risk for me.

[Motoguy23]

Yeah, the front drum in my case really didn't do much but kept me still at stop lights.  It did look pretty neat though.

but if you have the right following distance and are quick with a down shift you're fine.

[nayto550]

Two drums?!?!?!

One drum is way more than enough risk for me.

I like to live dangerously.
And thanks to Bakeoff and Motoguy for the lead to Buchanan's!

[greenjeans]

The early CB450's had a drum with a 19" rim.    You only need a small spacer to fit in between the fork legs.   The orange bike in my avatar
has that set-up.   You can also use the axle that you have.

I've just finished lacing up a 4LS drum off a 72 GT750 to a 19" hoop (they are 36 spokes) and required some machining on the brake plates
in order to fit them between the stock forks.  It will stop just fine.

[faux fiddy]

The early CB450's had a drum with a 19" rim.    You only need a small spacer to fit in between the fork legs.   The orange bike in my avatar
has that set-up.   You can also use the axle that you have.

I've just finished lacing up a 4LS drum off a 72 GT750 to a 19" hoop (they are 36 spokes) and required some machining on the brake plates
in order to fit them between the stock forks.  It will stop just fine.

Nice..

Some of the Yamaha had dual leading shoe hubs, not sure of 19"  size.

[nayto550]

Well, I found my wheels!  My friend up the road had a 18" rear from a CB750 and a 19" front that he said was from a 400, I thought the 400's had a smaller wheel though.  No matter what wheel goes on what bike, I got wheels that won't require modification.  And the best part is he only wanted $50 for the pair with axles and brake plates!