Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: b_1_rd on April 05, 2024, 07:33:51 PM

Title: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 05, 2024, 07:33:51 PM
Hello all

Went to change the chain and sprockets and found that one of the brake shoes had separated in the rear drum when I took the wheel off. Gotta love restoring bikes!

Anyway, the CB550F2 I’m working on has Comstar wheels on (don’t burn me, it came with them). The wheel size is showing MT 2.15x18 and N 18xMT2.15 878 DOT. The Shoes have H-283 on them.

It seems there are many different variants of this Comstar wheel so the brake setup is different across the range.

I can’t find any brake shoes listed with H-283.

At motorcycleproducts.co.uk they have quite a good search system by model etc.

If I’m measuring them correctly the shoes are 160mmx30mm (if I’m interpreting the guidance on the website correctly)

If I search by size 160 x 30, these look the closest but fitment says MZ.  https://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/160mm-x-30mm-brake-shoes-001951/1/001951 (https://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/160mm-x-30mm-brake-shoes-001951/1/001951)

If I go up to 160 x 40 these look spot on visually and the figment suggestions match a more plausible batch of bikes that would have likely been candidates for the wheel swap out with this 550 back in the day, but I don’t know if they’ll be ok at 10mm wider  https://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/160mm-x-40mm-brake-shoes/1/001953?bike=10127_71 (https://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/160mm-x-40mm-brake-shoes/1/001953?bike=10127_71)

I wouldn’t be surprised if the previous owner skimped and put in the wrong size.

Can anyone here throw any light on what I should go for?

I’ve got more photos if it helps.

Many thanks
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: K2-K6 on April 05, 2024, 07:43:40 PM
Any picture of wheel and hub to give idea of model ?

Likely that the CB650 was a swap in for original fitment, size parity of model. That seems to agree with your 160 x 40 mm dimension and listed some places as "321" code.

https://www.squaremotorcycleparts.co.uk/products/rear-brake-shoes-honda-cb650-cb-650-1983-1985

Is the whole brake "track" in the drum obviously used, or perhaps you can see a narrower band of witness mark if too  narrow a shoe has been installed.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 05, 2024, 08:09:41 PM
I’m thinking its most likely a 650 wheel. I’m fairly confident the 40mm will fit.  The track seems to have room to spare.

Can’t see how to add more than one photo to each post
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 05, 2024, 08:10:21 PM
Hub inner
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: DomP on April 05, 2024, 08:12:47 PM
I got my Honda original shoes relined by Villiers
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: Bryanj on April 05, 2024, 11:06:34 PM
Usualy there is a max dia cast inside the drum, what about the 250/400 dream/wet dream.
I can even see max dia 181 in the pic so looking at 160 shoes will get you nowhere, 180x 40 might be better to look for
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: Bryanj on April 05, 2024, 11:28:06 PM
1980 650 are 180x38
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 06, 2024, 12:07:53 AM
Yeah I think you’re right Bryan. I’ve sent an enquiry to the seller to see what they recommend.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: deltarider on April 06, 2024, 06:46:21 AM
Hello all
Went to change the chain and sprockets and found that one of the brake shoes had separated in the rear drum [...]
Have heard of this before. Some aftermarket brakeshoes do this.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: Bryanj on April 06, 2024, 07:50:22 AM
So do Honda ones with age and damp
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 06, 2024, 08:38:55 AM
As Byan has said with age & corrosion the bond between the backing & the friction material eventually breaks both on Pads & Brake Shoes even on good quality brands.

Back in the 1960's most brake shoes were rivited on - you could buy linings and rivet them on yourself quite easily.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: Laverda Dave on April 06, 2024, 08:56:11 AM
I always renew brake shoes now when restoring a bike simply because you don't know when the shoes were last changed. Ratty's rear shoes are marked as Honda and show wear so as far as I know they could be the 1976 originals. Having a rear wheel lock up at speed due to de-bonding isn't a nice thought.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 06, 2024, 09:15:47 AM
I've never experienced de-bonding on brake shoes only twice in a lifetime on disc pads.
I was driving a Mini Mayfair Auto within a couple of weeks of ownership - it was due to serious corrosion on the front hubs as the vehicle had been little used for a couple of years by PO.

The pad friction material came off completely - with frantic pumping of the brake pedal at a roundabout the brakes worked again with metal on metal contact on one caliper - boy did it squeal and pull to one side!
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 06, 2024, 09:41:59 AM
These have been in there since at least 1998 when my Dad bought it as a box of bits. He rebuilt it and rode it once around 2000 but it still needed work that he never got around to. Not surprising that they have perished. Now I’m working through getting it back on the road. They were on the list to check.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: Bryanj on April 06, 2024, 10:43:29 AM
Remeber when Mike Brewer did an Isetta, the linings fell off that on the way to workshop, i have had half a pad lining fall off on my L200 at 110,00 with about 5mm material left and have had old stock fall apart
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 07, 2024, 06:14:47 PM
So, turns out the 180x30 is the default shoe for the 550 anyway. Feel a bit daft having asked the question, but you live and learn.  :-\

The product number does seem to have changed from H-283 to H-316 for EBC brakes so wasn’t fully straight forward. I actually think the hub would accept a wider shoe but may as well go with what was previously fitted.

Anyway thanks for everyone’s input.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 07, 2024, 07:08:35 PM
Never feel daft asking a question here especially when you have a non standard set up.

There is often something for others to learn or pick up on when asking such questions.

Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: Bryanj on April 07, 2024, 07:14:37 PM
If it fits a 550 it should be 500 twin and four as well, the number change is probably a friction material change. EBC may need the sides filing where the holes are to get the plate and split pins on
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 10, 2024, 02:40:11 PM
Well they turned up (a day late thanks to FedEx mis-sorting it) and they fit perfectly.

Would you guys grease the pivot points or leave it alone?
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 10, 2024, 03:15:16 PM
Personally I would grease the pivot points sparingly - when the shoes are fitted I would wipe off any excess that is pushed out.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 10, 2024, 06:00:15 PM
Makes sense, thanks Ted.
Title: Re: Comstar brake shoes
Post by: b_1_rd on April 19, 2024, 06:18:25 PM
So, after all the fuss trying to get the right brake shoes turns out the brake plate was from a 550 (so the shoes I got were correct for that) but the wheels seem to be for a 650 and the two don’t appear to be compatible.

When everything was properly tightened up, the plate was rubbing on the hub rim, which explains why there was a washer inside pushing the plate away from the wheel hub, but that left a small gap which would have let moisture and dirt in I would think.

So ended up buying a 650 plate (with shoes) from eBay, which arrived today, and everything now fits properly!

Another learning experience!

Fun but could do without buying things that I don’t use. Hoping eventually to get some spoked wheels so will keep the 550 plate and new shoes I have in the hope I can use them on there.
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