Lehman GL-1800 (2008) Hand Brake

[B25bsaboy]

Good evening,

Bought new to me a 2008 Honda GL-1800 Lehman Monarch II trike home this after noon. In doing the walk around I tried the hand brake lever expecting two or three clicks and the rear brakes were set.

No, I need to call my gorilla friend over who coudn’t Get one maybe two clicks when he pulled on it and the trike did not have parking brakes.

Is this an issue and what is involved in sorting this out?

 

[Lee H. Mann]

Good evening,

Bought new to me a 2008 Honda GL-1800 Lehman Monarch II trike home this after noon. In doing the walk around I tried the hand brake lever expecting two or three clicks and the rear brakes were set.

No, I need to call my gorilla friend over who coudn’t Get one maybe two clicks when he pulled on it and the trike did not have parking brakes.

Is this an issue and what is involved in sorting this out?

Sounds like the cables might be sticking. Don't break the hand brake lever, they are no longer available. Inspect the brakes to make sure everything that is supposed to be there is present. Have the guys at Trike Zone look at it......

 

[B25bsaboy]

Sounds like the cables might be sticking. Don't break the hand brake lever, they are no longer available. Inspect the brakes to make sure everything that is supposed to be there is present. Have the guys at Trike Zone look at it......

Lee, Thank you for the response.

Is there a schematic drawing and a repair/adjust bulletin available that addresses this issue, as I have restored a number of motorcycles in the past and this issue is fixable, but need some guidance.

Rick MacPherson

 

[Lee H. Mann]

Lee, Thank you for the response.

Is there a schematic drawing and a repair/adjust bulletin available that addresses this issue, as I have restored a number of motorcycles in the past and this issue is fixable, but need some guidance.

Rick MacPherson

Rick, what you are dealing with is more a-kin to a car than a motorcycle. The mechanism is pretty straight forward. A lever connected to 2 cables that connect to levers for the park brake shoes. There is an adjustment for the shoes and a proper procedure for adjusting them.

1. I would make sure that the hand lever isn't freeing up. Disconnect the cables at the clevis and work the handle, lube if necessary with WD40 or similar.

2. Checking the cable for binding. Disconnect the large nuts that secure the cable housing to the hand lever mount. Make note of how each cable is routed before removing the zip-ties. There should be an e-clip at each wheel holding the cable housing to the bracket on the rear of the backing plate. Remove the e-clip and remove the cable.

The cable may be binding due to the curved routing of the cable. They are teflon coated for smooth operation but reality doesn't always work with theory. Use a graphite type lubricant on the cables.

3. Parking brake adjustment. Assuming everything is freely operating you can adjust the park brake shoe clearance.

Secure the rotor to the axle with 2 lugnuts and spacers so that the rotor/drum is tight. On the rear of each backing plate there is a rubber plug at the bottom. The plug covers the access slot for the adjuster. Do you have a brake spoon ???? The park brake adjuster is a star wheel and spring similar to those used in the automobiles prior to self adjusting drum brakes. Insert the spoon into the cleat of the star and lift the spoon up to tighten adjustment. Keep turning until you cannot rotate the rotor/drum. Now, turn the star wheel the opposite direction and count the clicks. Stop at 7-8 clicks and see if the rotor/drum rotates freely. Do the exact same thing for the other side.

Re-install the rubber plugs and reconnect the cables to the backing plate and route the cables as they were originally and secure the front of the cables to the park brake lever bracket.

4. Proper lever operation. The lever should engage the park brake at about 6 clicks on the handle. Adjust accordingly with the nuts on the threaded end of the cables.

It took me longer to write this than it would have to do the job. I'm tired, here's your bill !!!:Joker3: