C 15 front brake cable

[iansoady]

Some brake / clutvh cables have those moulded on nipples as well, especially ebay specials. I avoid them like the plague and only use venhill components. They're not cheap (and I usually forget something getting hit by postage) but they're excellent quality. No need to chop up plugs.

[createscript]

I recall on my SS80 I fitted a slightly longer brake lever to the brake end in a (possibly misguided?) attempt to improve braking efficiency. No idea where I got it from but it was about 1/2" longer and fitted the standard cable without mods. Maybe someone has done similar here.

NB: We didn't have the Internet in those days to misguide us - we only had 'someone down the club said...' to serve the same purpose.

Andy

[shoal48]

Interesting discussion. I dont pretend to know the answers as my bike is still boxes of bits which I am gradually rebuilding but I was looking for a front brake cable last night and realised there seem to be several variables depending on year. my original parts list shows the cable as 40-8519, which bantam spares shows as for 58-60 model, mine is slightly later so asked an AI what the difference was. The response I got (and very happy to be corrected if its wrong) is that early machines used lightweight front forks/yoke which has the cable stop further up the slider so shorter outer. The early maachine apparently also has a slightly different front brake plate with a shorter lever which is more vertical. It said the early cable uses a different, shorter routing to the brake. AI's are often wrong on details but I was led to believe the cable is dependent on which forks you have and brake plate

[shoal48]

Just a thought, reading through the thread about soldering nipples on cables, I agree a 60/40 tin/lead solder is good, there is a 63/37 solder which is slightly better I believe but 60/40 is what I have always used but I would not rely on multicore solder as the rosin flux in it does not clean steel. A better product, I feel would be an acidic flux like Bakers fluid which will allow better wetting of the strands. We always had a can of it in the garage from when I was small for making up cables    

[V500]

Bakers is very good but very aggressive and needs washing well.
Shouldn't need it with a nice clean non-oxydised cable though.

[shoal48]

Bakers is very good but very aggressive and needs washing well.
Shouldn't need it with a nice clean non-oxydised cable though.

I agree it needs washing off thoroughly and doesn't really work on stainless cables but I have found even nice new cables dont always flow properly without a fairly agressive flux, no doubt due to the oils used in drawing the wires or the thin oxide coatings which build up very quickly I guess the answer is to be sure the solder has flowed cleanly up the cable a little, certainly through the nipple. I used to use a toothbrush and soapy water to remove Bakers fluid, then a bit of brake cleaner to blow water off.  

[Tigerfeet]

In response to Shoal48  #32 - I think the AI info on C15 front brake cables is wrong. My understanding (I went around and around this whilst rebuilding my C15) is that the C15 forks never changed. Yes, later bikes (C25s etc) had different forks.  What did seem to change is that sometimes the front brake cable was routed over the headlamp nacelle and then  back over the mudguard before terminating - and other times it went directly from the lever down the fork leg. There are pictures of both routings in Roy Bacon's BSA Singles Restoration book - although the majority are the latter. The cables stocked by various dealers all seem to be the length required for the 'over and under' routing.  I did rig the brake that way and thought it was ridiculous - so ended up making my own short cable. 

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

The AI info that come up should never be used. It has been trained by a dodgy used car salesman.
Use this forum or the BSAOC in general for the best info. and advice.
BSAOC Members will see a good editorial in the latest Star.

Dave.

[JulianS]

Here is some contemporary, not AI, C15 cable information.

First from the Trader Handbook 1961 issue.

Second from the 1969 issue of the Romac cable catalogue. I think the lengths given are for the inner cable.

Third from the 1969 issue of the Clarks Cables catalogue.

Last a factory parts bulletin from September 1963.