Brake shoes

[saluki42]

Hi can anybody enlighten me on the subject of brakes. By the mid 1930s should I expect to see two brake shoes per wheel or a single internal expanding brake band?

Chris

[Doug]

Douglas used their signature (or infamous, depending on your experience) single band semi-servo brake. Which was not always servo. It was introduced with the EW models in late 1925 and used on nearly all models until 1938. Works racers that use Endfield hubs and probably the Bantam 2-stroke excluded.

Correction: Bantam used the single band too, see subsequent post by Daren.


[Add addendum, 12Oct22, -Doug]

[saluki42]

Thanks Doug, I'm going round the autumn auto jumbles over  here trying to get a pair of wheels and it will help no I know what I'm looking for.

Chris

[Daren W Australia]

Hi Doug,

My Bantam used the standard brake band, the rear hub was the usual splined to the drum Douglas item.

The front used the standard brake band the hub had the spokes around the perimiter of the drum unlike any other Douglas.

Ta Daren

[Daren W Australia]

Hi Chris,

1 complete back wheel on Epay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275492859779 not mine.

Ta Daren

[saluki42]

Thanks Daren, I've got my sights firmly set on that one thanks, its a front wheel though, seller only lives 45 minutes away so should be able to save the postage if i get it.

Chris

[Doug]

There are right and left hand ones. Same components, just which orientation the bobbin is riveted in to make it servo with clock or counter-clock rotation of the operating lever. This because Douglas used the same brake on either the left or right-hand side of the bike depending on model. Or, in some cases where they wanted to defeat the servo action (like the front brake).

You might want to review this post:
https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=338.msg969#msg969

And this has some pictures:
https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=2440.msg8835#msg8835

-Doug