Arai Tandem Drum Brake

[Martin109]

According to SJSCycles, this has now gone out of production!

[Charlotte]

Presumably everyone's fitting discs these days.

No bad thing, really.  A decent disc brake is lighter, less complex, more powerful and a damn sight easier to procure a new lining for...

[clarion]

Can you use a disc brake as a drag?

[Charlotte]

If it's a good enough disc, you don't need to. 

We descended some monster hills in the USA on our fully-laden Santana and I braked like I would on a solo.  Squeeze-release, squeeze, release.  The disk bites so easily and scrubs so much speed off as soon as you use it that there's no need to drag it on.  Even if you do hang onto it for ages, it's so big that it dissipates heat really well.

[Martin109]

That may be so, but I can't fit a disc to my Bertin, and I'm just planning to upgrade from the non-descript 30- to 40-year old drag brake to an Arai, so it's irritating to find it's gone up £30 and I need to get one now rather than planning the purchase over the next couple of months.

[sg37409]

My experience of the drums has been very good.  I can't see a disk being as good a drag brake as a this. I'd be concerned about it warping if used as a drag brake. I liked using it to keep the speed low all the way down to enjoy the view and the heat buildup was scary.   Its not more complex than a disk, and certainly more redundant.
steve

[Oscar's dad]

When we were buying our tandem I'm sure there was a Santana disc that was rated as a drag brake.

I agree with Charlotte. We came down L'Alpe d Huez (possible wrong smelling) and the rear disc did a great job. I didn't use it as a drag, I let the bike go confident that the disc would get rid of speed (we got up to 40mph) in time for the next hairpin. I never felt unsafe and had a 7 year old kid on the back. 

[Rig of Jarkness]

We came down L'Alpe d Huez (possible wrong smelling)  

That would've been the smoke from your brake pads I expect 

[Wowbagger]

We've got rim brakes only on our tandem and I've never been worried that they won't stop us. Given that there's been 29 stone of Bagger hurtling down at 40+ mph, that's not bad.

I've forgotten the ride now, but there was one bend on a particularly nasty hill which caught me by surprise, but the brakes reduced our speed sufficiently that we got round without a problem, other than laundry.

[HTFB]

But but but drag brakes are fun. All that squeeze-release-squeeze-release are we getting too fast will the forks wobble what about the tyres and oh golly it's a bit fast and the road surface is no good watch like a hawk oops mind the bump stoker dearest sorry you'll have to shout no I missed it I was concentrating on the road squealy tough on the arms stuff---it can really spoil a descent. Stick the drag on and glide!

[Martin109]

I've gritted my teeth and ordered one.  At least they last for decades.

The info suggests fitting it with anti-seize compound - would that be copperslip or aluslip?  It's going to be aluminium on aluminium, isn't it?  Or is it steel on aluminium?

[chris]

I've a spare one in the garage, bought new for £10 from Gearshift when they closed down. I'm saving it for when I retire and have time to go on an extended camping tour. I fancy the idea of an expedition solo with a drag brake so that I can descend really slowly and admire the view without getting sore hands.

[Polar Bear]

I think I'll add a full service for the Arai to my maintenance list. 

[clarion]

Well, we've decided to go for a disc brake...

[Butterfly]

 

[Charlotte]

The info suggests fitting it with anti-seize compound - would that be copperslip or aluslip?  It's going to be aluminium on aluminium, isn't it?  Or is it steel on aluminium?

I never even knew you could get aluslip.

The last time I put one on, I used a smidge of copperslip and it was fine.  We got Clarion's Arai off the hub the other week with a strap wrench and a little gurning - the only other one I'd taken off needed the local garage's pneumatic impact wrench...

[Martin109]

Thanks Charlotte.

[thing1]

I built a removal tool from a length of wood and a couple M10 bolts. Clamped the wood to a door frame then turned the wheel around it, worked a treat.
Can upload a photo if anyone needs it.
Not very good for a touring tool though!

Some websites recommended some gentle hammering, but that only succeeded in removing one of the heat sink fins. (hence Thing2's thoughts of should we panic buy a spare whilst we still can.........)