brakes

[tykenfitz]

im gonna build as mini bike soon but i don't get how the brakes work or what you need or how to assemble them the plan on here suggested using the sprocket as a brake how would i do that also fo the axle could i use bar that threaded the entire way?

[my_mini_bike]

well.. there are generally 3 different types of brakes for minibikes/gokarts
disc brake, drum brake and band brake.
A disc brake:
http://www.procarcare.com/images/shar/glossary/8852XG03.gif
A disc brake has two brake pads clamping down on a rotor connected to the wheel/axle [on the sites plans, to save time and effort they just used the sprocket as the rotor]

A drum brake:
http://www.procarcare.com/images/shar/glossary/8852XG15.gif
A drum bake is an internal expanding brake, a hollow drum is conected to the wheel/axle and inside this drum is two semi circle shaped brake pads which expand and push against the drum thus slowing the bike/kart down.

A band brake:
http://www.tres-angle.com/Merchant2/1wyg/st/bandbrak.jpg
A band brake is just the oppoiste of a drum brake, it is an external brake. a 'band' is looped around a drum. when the brake is applied the band tightenss around the drum and therefore slow the bike/kart down.

[athif]

u can buy a caliper for about 20 bucks, and just get a circular disc as a rotar, dont buy the heavy duty calipers, there like 70 bucks and u dont need all the power for a mini bike