C 15 front brake cable

Started by Barnsey, 02 Jul, 2026, 18:35

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Barnsey

02 Jul, 2026, 18:35
I've rebuilt the front brake on my project C15 with new shoes.  However, it turned out that the brake cable was way too long with split nuts added to take up the slack. Maybe it was a rear cable fitted to the front.  This bodge was hidden behind a layer of insulation tape, YUCK!

  Anyhow, I was lucky enough to get a new old stock front cable, but this is now too short, by a fraction of an inch, to reach the lever on the drum.  Maybe this is because the shoes have a bit more meat on them.  I think the lever is held on its shaft by square splines, so no adjustment there. 

 Do I really have to buy more cables, until I get one that fits?   

Barnsey

#1
02 Jul, 2026, 19:58
Here is a snap of the lever from my bike.   I suspect that it might not be right.  Note that the hole at the top is in line with the square hole at the bottom.  I found a picture of an original C15 lever on Ebay, where the pin hole was obviously offset, but all the after market ones seem to be like mine.  Maybe this is why the previous owner found it necessary to bodge a longer cable to fit.   

rhyatt

#3
02 Jul, 2026, 21:35
My 2 x C15s have the front brake arm  where the 2 holes are in line.
Yours , looks offset a shade.
I wonder if you could turn yours over and bring the cable hole up a shade

Stubaker58

#4
03 Jul, 2026, 05:52
Quote from: rhyatt on 02 Jul, 2026, 21:35 My 2 x C15s have the front brake arm  where the 2 holes are in line.
Yours , looks offset a shade.
I wonder if you could turn yours over and bring the cable hole up a shade

Just what I was thinking.
The other thing to check is that the cable adjuster is sitting properly in the handlebar lever. Non standard levers can be a pain, my B40 had Bantam levers fitted which made fitting the NOS cable next to impossible.

Barnsey

#5
03 Jul, 2026, 06:22
Okay, so it sounds like the lever is correct.  Yes, I had the cable correctly seated at the handlebar end, and the adjust wound to the end stop.  Maybe I need to think about looking for stock handlebar levers.
I did think about taking a file to the handlebar lever, but it would be tricky to get the notch right.

limeyrob

#6
03 Jul, 2026, 10:46
Vale-Onslow are selling the correct offset lever on e-bay for £12.  Search 42-6317 and look for Vale Onslow.  It will be genuine old stock as that is what they are selling off and you can see from the picture that it is offset.

V500

#7
03 Jul, 2026, 11:00
Quote from: Barnsey on 03 Jul, 2026, 06:22 Okay, so it sounds like the lever is correct.  Yes, I had the cable correctly seated at the handlebar end, and the adjust wound to the end stop.  Maybe I need to think about looking for stock handlebar levers.
I did think about taking a file to the handlebar lever, but it would be tricky to get the notch right.

Easier to treat yourself to a 75W soldering iron and shorten the cable..

Barnsey

#8
03 Jul, 2026, 11:53
I thought the tip was crimped onto the cable!?   As an electrical engineer, I wouldn't expect soft solder to adhere to a steel cable.

  BTW, I went out in the garage this morning and checked my other C15, and it had the same brake lever and the handlebar lever was the same dimensions.   I will note that it has a lot more play. Even without the cable connected the brake is dragging on the project bike.  I was hoping that the shoes just need bedding in. 

  I've found the Vale Onslow lever on Ebay, although I had already put in a bid on an original, but similar lever. The bidding on that ends this afternoon, so I will buy one or the other.

  Weird that there are two styles of lever.  Which one is actually correct?   It sounds like the offset one is, but most bikes have had theirs replaced with straight. 

limeyrob

#9
03 Jul, 2026, 12:17
That lever from Vale Onslow is noticeably different to most of the aftermarket levers.  Out of curiosity (and to avoid typing a long report...) I did an images search.  There is clearly a problem with a lot of levers that could be wrong.  The Vale Onslow one is offset at the square and offset to the side.

JulianS

#11
03 Jul, 2026, 13:28
The Vale Onslow lever 42 6317 is for A7/A10/B31/B33 rear brake 1958 and 42 6353 is for A7/A10 rear brake 1960 on.

limeyrob

#12
03 Jul, 2026, 14:55
That e-bay link to 40-5330 is intersting as its flat but offset. Matches the C15 parts book too.
What a mine field!

Barnsey

#13
03 Jul, 2026, 17:02
Well, I won the bidding on that part, so I will see what arrives in the post!

V500

#14
03 Jul, 2026, 18:59
Quote from: Barnsey on 03 Jul, 2026, 11:53 As an electrical engineer, I wouldn't expect soft solder to adhere to a steel cable.

With a suitable flux, it does. Never yet seen a copper Bowden cable....
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