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Brake ideas for my Scooter
ChrisW - 9/5/12 at 12:12 PM

Sorry everyone, more scooter related questions!

For those that don't know the story so far it's a mobility scooter chassis with 110cc pit bike engine running a rear axle from a kart.

I'm trying to work out what to do about brakes. A kart brake caliper would be the obvious solution, but they're designed to work off a pedal whereas I want motorbike-style handlebar brakes. Now I guess I could use a motorbike hydraulic lever, but I can't find any information on master cylinder sizes and have no idea whether this would produce a sensible amount of braking effort.

So then I looked at motorbike calipers, but it seems bike discs are thinner than the 12mm that I have on the kart axle, so I'd have to adapt a motorbike disc to fit the kart carrier. Sounds like a nightmare.

Does anyone have any pointers or bright ideas?

Thanks, Chris

nige - 9/5/12 at 01:40 PM

what about pit bike or small 50cc scooter brakes
are they too big ?

ChrisW - 9/5/12 at 02:01 PM

They won't take the 12mm thick disc, so I'd have to try to fit a thinner disc to the kart axle carrier.

Chris

v8kid - 9/5/12 at 02:19 PM

It's quite cheap to get discs turned down I got a pair reduced to 10mm, drilled and the pcd altered for £30. Apparantly most time is spent setting them up on the lathe and thats where the cost is.

Cheers

designer - 9/5/12 at 02:22 PM

Don't some mountain bikes have hand operated disc brakes?

ChrisW - 9/5/12 at 02:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by v8kid
It's quite cheap to get discs turned down I got a pair reduced to 10mm, drilled and the pcd altered for £30. Apparantly most time is spent setting them up on the lathe and thats where the cost is.


The problem with doing that is that it's a vented disc, so if you turned it down to 6-7mm you'd be left with the space in the middle!

As for mountain bike brakes, I suspect the same problem. That's if they were even man enough for the job which I doubt!

Chris

maccmike - 9/5/12 at 02:40 PM

I use a front brake caliper off a pit bike. Disc is a gsxr1100. Cool thing is as its a mechanical cable operated caliper, Iv spaced it and used longer bolts to accommodate thicker disc. Cost me about 12quid off ebay.

ChrisW - 9/5/12 at 02:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by maccmike
I use a front brake caliper off a pit bike. Disc is a gsxr1100. Cool thing is as its a mechanical cable operated caliper, Iv spaced it and used longer bolts to accommodate thicker disc. Cost me about 12quid off ebay.


Sounds interesting! Any chance of a photo?

Chris

JAG - 9/5/12 at 02:41 PM

How heavy will the whole thing be with you onboard?

How many discs will be on the vehicle?

JAG - 9/5/12 at 02:41 PM

ooops double post

[Edited on 9/5/12 by JAG]

Chippy - 9/5/12 at 02:43 PM

Aren't all callipers made in two parts, and if so can't you just make up a spacer plate to make the calliper fit the disc, seems like a plan, :-) Cheers Ray

Must type faster. Ho Hum!

[Edited on 9-5-12 by Chippy]

Fred W B - 9/5/12 at 03:25 PM

Older karts used cable operated brake calipers

Cheers

Fred W B

nick205 - 9/5/12 at 03:29 PM

Just rub your shoe on the wheel to slow down - that's what the kids round here do after they've removed the brakes from their BMX bikes

ChrisW - 9/5/12 at 03:48 PM

I'd guess it's going to be the best part of 150kg with my fat arse on board. There's a single disc on the rear axle.

Chris

Dangle_kt - 9/5/12 at 05:49 PM

Mini Moto caliper, cheap, cable operated, same lever as a push bike too

ChrisW - 9/5/12 at 08:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Mini Moto caliper, cheap, cable operated, same lever as a push bike too


Can they be spaced out to fit the kart disc?

Chris