Adding front brakes

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Would this work, it has a 131mm lock to lock, with a 2 1/4" distance between the flanges (36H)? Can it be re-spaced on each side by changing out the spacers behind the lock nuts?
hub.jpg
 
dracothered said:
How about doing something like this, do you think it will work?

Canti%20Brake%20Idea%201.jpg
ooo, I like that. what if you rotated the clamp 90 degrees so that both nuts were pointing toward you? Then maybe you could either just use the remaining exposed thread as the shaft for the cantis to pivot on...

that said, the ones kingfish posted have a lot fewer sharp edges.
 
Dr. Tankenstein said:
I just tried the OCC rear wheel on the front of the Beast.

The hub is too wide to fit the forks, so forget my band brake idea. Unless you make a set of triple tree forks using the trees from a motorcycle.....hahahahaha!

That would be light, not!
But man, it would make for big ol' chopper or boardtracker wouldn't it?


Cheers,
Dr.T

HAHAHA sure is!!! go check out my Batchetman Beach Cruiser! Had Lots of fun Making it and its surprisingly easy to pedal... :D
 
dracothered said:
Would this work, it has a 131mm lock to lock, with a 2 1/4" distance between the flanges (36H)? Can it be re-spaced on each side by changing out the spacers behind the lock nuts?

hub.jpg

Yes on re-spacing your standard rear hub for front Beast use. You may need to fine tune the spacing to get the disc to align with the caliper. Also note, you need to put the hub on the bike with the threads for the disc on the correct side so the disk will get turned inward (tighter). Wrong side and the disc will unthread when you hit the brakes. So the brake must go in the left side of the bike. Another option is a track or fixie hub that has a counter threaded lock ring to prevent the disc from unthreading that will allow for a caliper on either or both sides (I did dual front discs on my first Quad). Then the question is how to mount the caliper you have.

Because the hub flanges are closer together, you won't get as much "triangulation" in the spokes when viewed from side to side. The spokes will run more parallel to the center line of the bike. You may get more side to side flex in the wheel that might be noticeable in very hard turns. A triangle is the strongest geometric shape. That's why most wheels have flanges much wider than where the spoke holes are in the rim. On a Beast rim, the spoke holes are about the same distance apart. ~2 1/4" (I haven't measured). You could use longer spokes and lace in a x pattern, spokes from the right flange go to the left side rim spoke holes and visa versa. Either, straight or X will be more flexible side to side than the stock wheels. That might not matter with these wide rims and huge tires. I was looking at a Surly Necromancer with a disc brake and those wheels were laced up will all the spokes going to only 1 side of the rim. That looked pretty strange but apparently it works.
 
I wonder if a regular front derailleur hanger could be modified to brake bosses???
 
dracothered said:
kingfish254 said:
I wonder if a regular front derailleur hanger could be modified to brake bosses???
Using a derailer as the starting point is an interesting idea, I will have to look at one when I get back from the men`s retreat I am on.
The one I have looks as if it might be able to fit the fork tube, but I'm not sure if it has enough metal in the tab area that is where it hinges. The metal is about an 1/8" thick that clamps around the seat tube. Would it be strong enough to withstand the braking action though?
Front%20Derailer%201.jpg


Front%20Derailer%202.jpg
 
A lot of the modern MTBs that are sold at supermarkets and in catalogs, have disc brakes. So these bikes, when second hand will be low priced, and suitable as donors. These are often on steel hubs that are pressed together in in a hydraulic press, in the factory. It might be possible to dissasemble these hubs and put in a new, longer centre section. Or even assemble them with 2 disc flanges, so you could have twin discs like a motorbike.
If you cant get them apart, and dont have a hydraulic press to reassemble them. It would be easy enough to cut the centre of the hub tube. Then sleeve on a longer centre section onto 2 hub parts. If they are a good tight interference fit. They might not need welded. As a lot of steel hubs are just pressed together. No welding or glueing.
You would need different spokes as the disc hub flanges are digger diameter than a plain hub. Also the spoke flanges might be a different width.
As for a disc caliper mount. well maybe if you have a MTB frame with a rear disc. Its rear drop out could be either used as a pattern, so you could cut your own mount out of steel. Or even use the part of the frame, cut off. So that you have the mount going onto the axle, and then upto the disc calliper. Also have a section thats can be clamped to the fork leg..

As for using V brakes or Cantilever brakes. It looks like theres very little room between the fork leg and the tyre and rim, on the beast. So that might make it very difficult to set up the brake pads. And of course the cabling would be very difficult.
 

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