Baja warrior, new brakes lock up

[SudsierStar9]

I just finished rebuilding my baja warrior minibike and extending the frame to fit a clone 420cc. I bought new brake pads for the bike and it had been a couple years since it rode last. The brakes keep locking up every time i use them and disengage when I roll the bike backwards. I was thinking maybe they're installed wrong, or i think i jeard someone else talking anour a spacer on the inside of the brakes that I might be missing? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Bansil]

Drum brake? I don't know about these brakes. But missing shoe springs, cups etc will let shoes rotate with hub and lockup, pushing backwards will rotate back freeing them.
Shoe hold springs in this picture

This is car type, not sure how these work tho

 

[BrownStainRacing]

I just finished rebuilding my baja warrior minibike and extending the frame to fit a clone 420cc. I bought new brake pads for the bike and it had been a couple years since it rode last. The brakes keep locking up every time i use them and disengage when I roll the bike backwards. I was thinking maybe they're installed wrong, or i think i jeard someone else talking anour a spacer on the inside of the brakes that I might be missing? Any help would be appreciated.View attachment 138583

They re really crap shoes. These brakes were designed for a mini bike that ran 23 mph top speed.

They get very hot with speed and heavy riders. I go thur 2-3 a year. The epoxy or glue, whatever it is, gets hot and the material starts coming off the shoe.

Pull em apart and inspect. Theres no spacer in there. Unless some one is using a different back plate, brake set up.

 

[Denny]

Mine has disc brakes.

 

[SudsierStar9]

They re really crap shoes. These brakes were designed for a mini bike that ran 23 mph top speed.

They get very hot with speed and heavy riders. I go thur 2-3 a year. The epoxy or glue, whatever it is, gets hot and the material starts coming off the shoe.

Pull em apart and inspect. Theres no spacer in there. Unless some one is using a different back plate, brake set up.

It doesnt matter what speed im going, its like the brakes just catch on the drum and try to lock up

 

[Hellion]

During your rebuild did you take apart or replace any of the brake parts? If so, you may have the shoes installed backwards or perhaps the return springs are broken or ineffective.


By the way, the bike is NOT finished bro! That is gray primer.
Despite what rednecks do and or say, primer is not a top coat!

 

[SudsierStar9]

I looked at them earlier today and noticed that the arm connecting the brakes to the frame had a lot of play in it so I replaced the bolts with ones that would tighten all the way down and that seems to have fixed the problem

 

[SudsierStar9]

Mine has disc brakes.

How did you install them, it takes way too long to stop

 

[Denny]

Comes standard on a MB200-B!

 

[Bansil]

You would need different wheels, brake disc's. Mounts frnt/rear and 2 caliper/master cylinder...lever assembly.
Could be done tho fairly easy,but could be $$$

 

[BrownStainRacing]

How did you install them, it takes way too long to stop

Watch for tire expansion.
Heat from the drum will put more pressure in the tire and break the belts.
It took me a couple new tires to figure that one out.

Mine does fine with my weight, 200#, as long as I keep it under 45 mph. Braking at any higher speeds, and I can feel the brakes going away.

I don't run the hard road much, so I might hit 35-40 on the trails and never worry about brakes.
The lighter weight guys (150-170#) don't have that much problems and run 55+ all day.

That big block is sure not helping your brake problem, .

GPS has got some front disk brake bolt on kits. I don't buy from those a$$holes any more.
You might have better luck with them then I did.

 

[BaconBitRacing]

Watch for tire expansion.
Heat from the drum will put more pressure in the tire and break the belts.
It took me a couple new tires to figure that one out.

Mine does fine with my weight, 200#, as long as I keep it under 45 mph. Braking at any higher speeds, and I can feel the brakes going away.

I don't run the hard road much, so I might hit 35-40 on the trails and never worry about brakes.
The lighter weight guys (150-170#) don't have that much problems and run 55+ all day.

That big block is sure not helping your brake problem, .

GPS has got some front disk brake bolt on kits. I don't buy from those a$$holes any more.
You might have better luck with them then I did.

What happened to you? I sure don't like the marketing on every YouTube video ever, and I've heard some horror stories.

 

[BrownStainRacing]

What happened to you? I sure don't like the marketing on every YouTube video ever, and I've heard some horror stories.

That's another story for another day.
But here's some examples.

I don't mind some advice or recommendations, but please don't change my part numbers and send me some bs parts that has nothing to do with what I'm working on.

And my favorite to date.
We find this part is best suited for your application.

1st off, you never asked about the application, 2nd it's not my application, it my customer's, and 3rd, thx for putting me a week behind with this bs I did not order.

After crap like this, I jus don't deal with them anymore.

The funny thing is, I never really had a problem til about 2 yrs ago. Then it was every freaking order there was some problem.

 

[Hellion]

Someone (or several people) on Oldminibikes have double drum brakes on their Baja Warrior (and similar bikes).

What they did was just add or retrofit a Baja rear wheel assembly to the front and clamped the brake assembly to the fork. It doubles the braking power of course and basically fixed the poor braking performance of the one measly drum brake.

Someone else there found out some higher quality Honda XR/XL drum brakes fit the Baja Warrior. Of course one of the maintenance steps is to de-glaze the drum surface or basically have the drums "turned" or machined every time you replace the brake shoes (they're shoes, not pads) to restore the performance. You could do it by hand with medium to fine grit sandpaper...yadda yadda yadda...

 

[KinPer]

Someone (or several people) on Oldminibikes have double drum brakes on their Baja Warrior (and similar bikes).

What they did was just add or retrofit a Baja rear wheel assembly to the front and clamped the brake assembly to the fork. It doubles the braking power of course and basically fixed the poor braking performance of the one measly drum brake.

Someone else there found out some higher quality Honda XR/XL drum brakes fit the Baja Warrior. Of course one of the maintenance steps is to de-glaze the drum surface or basically have the drums "turned" or machined every time you replace the brake shoes (they're shoes, not pads) to restore the performance. You could do it by hand with medium to fine grit sandpaper...yadda yadda yadda...

Do the double drum brakes make braking too harsh? I mean, don't they make it drift too much when driving?

 

[G.W]

My Massimo did this to me when I replaced the brake lever. All it is is your cabel adjustment needs to be a bit looser.

 

[Bansil]

During your rebuild did you take apart or replace any of the brake parts? If so, you may have the shoes installed backwards or perhaps the return springs are broken or ineffective.


By the way, the bike is NOT finished bro! That is gray primer.
Despite what rednecks do and or say, primer is not a top coat!

It is if you clear coat it so moisture isn't absorbed by the primer and rust

 

[G.W]

I just noticed those tires are tiny compared to what I run on mine. This doesn't have anything to do with the brakes, just an observation.