Brake Help for Handcapped Rider
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 970
Likes: 19
From: Philippines
Brake Help for Handcapped Rider
A riding brother of mine has an artificial right leg which prevents him from using his rear brake. Before I go further let me state that we are in the Philippines and parts are hard to come by.
The bike is an older EVO Softail. I'm going to rig up both the front and rear brakes to activate from the front brake lever by using a dual front disk reservoir from a touring model and install a proportioning valve in front of the rear caliper. I have a dual front reservoir from a 2000 plus Street Glide and a proportioning valve capable of reducing pressure up to 57 percent. What I'm missing and need advice on is the front brake line "T" which splits the single line from the reservoir into the 2 lines to the calipers. I'll call this item a "T splitter"
My questions are:
1. On a dual front brake system, is the single brake line from the reservoir, the same inside diameter as the brake lines from the "T splitter" to the calipers?
2. Due to parts availability, I would like to use Banjo Fittings on the ends of all brake lines. Are "T splitters" manufactured which accept banjo fittings?
Owning Softails all my life, I have little experience with dual front brakes. All brake "T splitters" I recall seeing accept a brake line which is flared at the end.
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Bob
The bike is an older EVO Softail. I'm going to rig up both the front and rear brakes to activate from the front brake lever by using a dual front disk reservoir from a touring model and install a proportioning valve in front of the rear caliper. I have a dual front reservoir from a 2000 plus Street Glide and a proportioning valve capable of reducing pressure up to 57 percent. What I'm missing and need advice on is the front brake line "T" which splits the single line from the reservoir into the 2 lines to the calipers. I'll call this item a "T splitter"
My questions are:
1. On a dual front brake system, is the single brake line from the reservoir, the same inside diameter as the brake lines from the "T splitter" to the calipers?
2. Due to parts availability, I would like to use Banjo Fittings on the ends of all brake lines. Are "T splitters" manufactured which accept banjo fittings?
Owning Softails all my life, I have little experience with dual front brakes. All brake "T splitters" I recall seeing accept a brake line which is flared at the end.
Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Bob
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 280
From: North Cental Iowa
I have a friend with the same problem, he rigged up a shaft running from the right side over to the left side & mounted a pedal on that side to activate the rear brake. He just used a lever & linkage to connect to the original brake lever & formed a lever for the left side. This still allows separate action of the front & rear brake, I'm just not sure you could get the proportioning right for different braking situations. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, just thought I'd throw out another solution as this system works great for my friend.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,296
Likes: 3
From: Cheltenham, UK
Whilst your questions appear simple at face value, as always I am sure the devil lies in the detail.
I understand what it is that you are trying to achieve. I guess my first question is why you need to do this, but it sounds as though you have thought this through so I am happy to accept your reasoning. I understand why you may want to consider a dual brake system in addition to the rear brake, but not sure I understand why you want this with no rear brake.
I dont know the dual reservoir system, but from a first principles hydraulics perspective, you may wish to consider a master cylinder that has a larger swept volume or you are going to have to move the lever through more of an angle to get the brakes to engage (simplistically at least twice the angle)
In terms of the T splitter, i would simply machine up a T from an ali block, using 3 female ports. You can then screw the banjo's in to that. Make sure you understand the sealing mechanism of the banjo you are using to ensure you machine a T that doesn't leak. If the require a perpindicular spot face then ensure you drill the pilot tap hole first, then spotface, then tap all with the block staying in the vice of the pillar drill / machine vice. If you drill and tap and then move the block elsewhere to spot face they will not be perpindicular and will leak. If they use a copper seal then these are more forgiving
I understand what it is that you are trying to achieve. I guess my first question is why you need to do this, but it sounds as though you have thought this through so I am happy to accept your reasoning. I understand why you may want to consider a dual brake system in addition to the rear brake, but not sure I understand why you want this with no rear brake.
I dont know the dual reservoir system, but from a first principles hydraulics perspective, you may wish to consider a master cylinder that has a larger swept volume or you are going to have to move the lever through more of an angle to get the brakes to engage (simplistically at least twice the angle)
In terms of the T splitter, i would simply machine up a T from an ali block, using 3 female ports. You can then screw the banjo's in to that. Make sure you understand the sealing mechanism of the banjo you are using to ensure you machine a T that doesn't leak. If the require a perpindicular spot face then ensure you drill the pilot tap hole first, then spotface, then tap all with the block staying in the vice of the pillar drill / machine vice. If you drill and tap and then move the block elsewhere to spot face they will not be perpindicular and will leak. If they use a copper seal then these are more forgiving
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I am pretty certain that keeping the front and rear brakes separate is not only a good thing, but may be a legal requirement (it is here in the UK). One option I have seen is a heel operated brake on the same side as the gear lever.
Helping your friend is just great, but the two of you are not alone on this World! There are veteran's and disabled riders clubs in the USA who have solutions to this and other challenges and can probably give you all the answers you could want, including advice on what is legal.
A couple of useful websites as a starter:
http://usmvmc.org/
http://www.disabledmotorcyclerider.c...cyclehelp.html
Helping your friend is just great, but the two of you are not alone on this World! There are veteran's and disabled riders clubs in the USA who have solutions to this and other challenges and can probably give you all the answers you could want, including advice on what is legal.
A couple of useful websites as a starter:
http://usmvmc.org/
http://www.disabledmotorcyclerider.c...cyclehelp.html
Unless it has been changed recently, the GoldWing & a BMW model has split F&R braking running off the front brake system. You'd need a brake proportioning/bias-valve of some kind to make it work. Unless your friend really wants a seperate rear brake, thats what Id do.
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