Ka-Plink...Screech!

That's what I heard at lunch today as I was
exiting the parking lot. The ka-pling I was
afraid of being a tranny gear since the screech
was my back wheel locking up. I was stopping so I
got off looked the bike over and rolled it with
no indication of a problem. So I thought maybe I
accidently put it in gear as I was slowing down
and didn't have the clutch in enough. Rode on
home for lunch and rolled the bike back after
turning the engine off and heard the ka-pling and
felt resistance at the rear wheel.
I knew what it was. So I ate lunch and removed
the wheel to find a broken brake spring. Removed
it so it wouldn't be grabbing the wheel anymore
and went back to work. Found the springs at the
local Yammie shop and put both new ones in before
leaving work.
So let's go ahead and change those springs.
Only $7.76 with tax at the yamastealer is not a
bad deal for a part that has lasted 24 years. And
not bad insurance to keep the wheel from going
screech which could happen to any of you guys at
70mph rather than 7mph like me.

 

It's a good thing you were going slow, that could've been ugly if you were on the highway or somewhere faster. I'm suprised they are still available at the dealer. I check the brakes in all my vehicles twice a year and replace any suspect looking hardware wether the brakes need replaceing or not. I guess I'l be pulling my back tire and checking the springs on my bike just to be sure.

 

You one lucky dude. Mighta been a little less lucky if you had been at speed.

 

Maybe I'm a bit cocky, but I think that a brake spring would have little chance of causing a major cats a$$ trophy at 70 mph. A little whimper when it is instantaneously turned to cosmic dust perhaps, but somehow I doubt that it would bring my freight train to a halt. There's quite a bit of inertia in action.

Still, I'll be looking to replace my 25 year old rear brake components here in the near future.

Just about done with the fuel tank, petcock, check valve & fuel pump overhaul.
I'll show in a later post all the rusty junk I've found in the system.

 

I agree in part with you point about the inertia taking care of the wheel lockup. However the way this failed is what lead me to post the caution. The spring was still attached to one brake shoe. It was quite bent out of shape. So it grabbed fairly well being compressed between the brake drum and wheel. Compressed enough to lock the wheel as well as the brake shoes. The steel under compression in a wedge fit will not fracture as easily as it would if it were under tension.