drum brake pictures and question

My rear drum brakes were not working at all. The break lever would not spring back. I took my rear wheel off to look at it. I got some pictures. I would guess I need new brake pads. But why will the lever not spring back.

 

The spring on the brake panel is only to rotate the cam back from applying the brakes. It doesn't pull the lever (pedal) up.

The pedal has its own return spring around the pedal pivot. It's possible the spring is weak, broken, missing or there is enough dirt and rust in the pivot the spring can't return the pedal.

 

I looked in the manual b/c I don't recall a pedal spring...and didn't find one. There is a spring, but it's for the stop light.

Once you get new shoes, LIGHTLY grease the cam, and make sure your brake is adjusted right. If you let the cam go all the way vertical, there won't be enough force to push it back.

The pedal should only move down 1 inch until the shoes make contact with the drum.

 

Look at the accumulation of dust and grime on the Shoe in the photo.

Those look like Old Style Brake Shoes.
They might be on there "Backwards".

Some Brake Shoes have the Brake Material on them "Imbalanced".
This means that there is:
>> Leading <<<< Shoe
>>>> Trailing >> Shoe

 

Uhmmmm...My 82 Seca rj has a brake return spring, up near the brake switch.
I am pretty sure it should be there.

 

#5 in the diagram is what Micarl is talking about
http://www.yamahasportsplaza.com/pages/ ... MOTORCYCLE)/STAND_-_FOOTREST_(XJ550RJ_-_1982)

 

The pedal return spring is wrapped around the pedal shaft on the inside of the frame; it's almost impossible to see.

Being almost impossible to see, it's very easy for the spring to get displaced during say, rear wheel removal, when the pedal is allowed to move beyond its normal range of motion.

That's likely why your pedal isn't returning. However, now that the brake's apart, fit some new shoes and get it all cleaned up and happy.

 

Guess I was thinking of #18, the tension spring.

 

Brake shoes on backwards?? Just put my New EBC replacement shoes in.....didn't think they could go on backwards....now I'm worried.

 

They can't, no worries.

What Rick was referring to was old-school "handed" brake shoes. Older drum brakes (mostly automotive) often had two different shoes, one for the "leading" and one for the "trailing" shoe. The leading shoe would have less lining material than the trailing shoe, and they were also sometimes different material; so it was important what orientation they were installed in.

These drum brakes (and most motorcycle drum brakes, truth be told) have both shoes exactly the same, so they're interchangeable and you need not worry about which one goes where.

 

My 85 Maxim has a spring on the pedal by the pivot too!

 

If the Braking Material is evenly-spaced on the Metal Shoe, ... then they cannot be placed on "Backward"

But, if the Braking Material is "Off-set" with More Braking Material closer to one end than the other ...
Then, the Shoes need to be placed on the Cam and Pivot Post (Fulcrum) with the Material in the >> Leading / Trailing << Shoe configuration.