CSR front wheel

[klaus]

Hi i am looking for a front wheel of a CSR model AJS for my model 8 AJS as I am told this is the way to get a better front brake,i looked into trying to get twin leading shoes but told this cannot be done,i know the CSR is 17 inch wheel but I am sure I can get it rebuilt to 18inches,has anybody done this or improved their front braking on a model 8? thanks klaus

[Rob Harknett]

I have an old Suzuki front wheel in one of my 250 CSR's, it does not look too much out of place, being a bit like the late Norton front wheel used on Matchless. Its the best front brake on any of my old bikes. I have to watch it with my wife on the pillion or I end up sitting on the tank.

[ditchweed]

what model was the Suzuki wheel rob, did you have to modify it.

[Rob Harknett]

what model was the Suzuki wheel rob, did you have to modify it.

The wheel was in the bike when I brought it. Pic below, perhaps someone knows what model year the Suzuki wheel is.
The only mod. appears to be at the bottom end of the brake anchor arm. A bolt seems to have replaced what appears to be a slot where a tab on the Suzuki forks would had gone into.

1000.jpg

[Stuoyb]

I recall that the 1966(ish) Suzuki T20 front brake was the item of choice.
The Suzuki brake had a boss with slot machined in that located on the fork leg. This needs to be machined down, drilled & tapped so it can be bolted to the torque arm.

[Rob Harknett]

13914.jpg

I have just has a close look at my bike Stu. the brake plate is not bodged to fit the arm . The anchor arm is not bolted to the brake plate, it has a one piece part with a tab, circular spacer and threaded stud. This appears to be a Suzuki part, so perhaps a tab on the forks never fitted in the slot, instead fitted to an anchor arm much like the AMC arm. The part fitting in the slot is so perfect, with the circular part of the casting acting like a thick washer/spacer against the slot, it must be a Suzuki part made for the job its doing.

[Stuoyb]

Rob, It's not necessarily the same brake as the one that I saw done. That had the fork leg locating slot machined down, drilled & tapped to attach to the brake arm. It looked very well done and not at all a "bodge".
T20 front brakes were plentiful in the late 70's/early 80's before the 'bikes became classics.
They still come up on ebay uk occasionally and there's one on ebay.com at the moment.

[Rob Harknett]

Rob, It's not necessarily the same brake as the one that I saw done. That had the fork leg locating slot machined down, drilled & tapped to attach to the brake arm. It looked very well done and not at all a "bodge".
T20 front brakes were plentiful in the late 70's/early 80's before the 'bikes became classics.
They still come up on ebay uk occasionally and there's one on ebay.com at the moment.

Of course Stu, but I thought I would take a closer look at the wheel in my bike, burried 3 deep in a poorly lit shed. At first it looked like it was bolted on, but was suprised to find the nice neat fitting, insted of it being drilled and taped leaving the slot part, instanly showing it had been bodged. Milling away the slot on my plate would also take away a lot of the added strength, leaving just a much weaker alloy plate.

[ditchweed]

this looks vaguely hopeful
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/suzuki-t500-F ... 2c98a05e9e

[Rob Harknett]

Very much like my wheel, slightly different slot, perhaps the type Stu refers to.