Is It Possibe to Disable Coaster Brake Function?

This is an interesting thread as I will subscribe to it. I ran a coaster brake in the Death Race 2011 and the rear coaster brake locked up on me and I ended up DNF. Since then I replaced the whole wheel with a coaster brake and Im thinking about disabling it.
My concern is to the sprocket coming of the torpedo if peddled backwards. Did that make since.
 
wow,page 3 and not solved yet,I can't take one apart till sat at the earlist and then can only discribe what moves and what can be left out and the possible washer needs,(not capable of pics ,and the phone died )I need to know now how to do the hub before coursity kills the cat
 
Flying Dutchman said:
My concern is to the sprocket coming of the torpedo if peddled backwards. Did that make since.
Click to expand...

That is what I noticed, as I mentioned earlier. The torpedo does unscrew, but the sprocket doesn't come off, as it's attached to the axle, so it seems like it's just putting a HUGE amount of stress directly into the axle, as normally the torpedo hits the pads and applies brakes.

As well has been mentioned, internally of the hub on the axle, placing washers to keep the torpedo from unscrewing might work. I need to buy some to find out, it's just a major pain flipping the bike, yanking the wheel off, gutting the coaster brake, putting it all back together - to find out it doesn't work. I'm getting burned out and upset at mine, so I'm thinking I'm going to have to use more Google-Fu and less tinkering with this one.
 
I wonder if we are also making an assumption that all coaster brakes work in the same way. Maybe they don't, even among the single speed variety. Bairdco, where are you when we need you? And how much pedaling backwards would a person be doing? The only time I can see doing it is to reposition the pedals for leg and foot comfort and also in the case of an SBP shift kit where you start the engine that way, if I understand correctly. Just coasting along shouldn't have any effect, do you think? And what about just cutting off the arm, not removing it entirely, so that everything is bolted up in the same way, it just is not fixed to the chain stay (think that's what it's called).
SB
 
Since I removed the pads, I ended up blowing out a bearing cage on the left side. So I stole the cage from the right side and put it on the left side, as the right side still has the axle bearings.

KEEPING THAT IN MIND!

When I coast, it's pulling the pedals forward, if I pedal backwards, the torpedo still unscrews.
 
But I'm wondering why you have to remove the pads. If the armature which is normally fixed to the chain stay is mostly removed (just the center section remains so that it is like a big washer with the keyed center, then the brake can't be activated if you back pedal. how can anything come apart? Or am I missing something here...
SB
 
silverbear said:
But I'm wondering why you have to remove the pads. If the armature which is normally fixed to the chain stay is mostly removed (just the center section remains so that it is like a big washer with the keyed center, then the brake can't be activated if you back pedal. how can anything come apart? Or am I missing something here...
SB
Click to expand...

I asked about that earlier: just taking the brake arm off. If the rear wheel just freewheels when you're not pedalling, then the torpedo's moving along in there. Think how far you'd have to pedal forward again before the rear sprocket would engage and you'd start moving.

I thought it was a nice idea too at first, but when I gave it more thought, I'm guessing it's not so good a plan.
 
Oh... I think the light bulb is dimly lit and I'm beginning to get it. I guess there is no free lunch.
SB
 
Free coaster, it's used in BMX bikes. It looks to me that you can remove the brake shoes. But do not remove anything else otherwise the hub will not work! I can't see how the torpedo can completely unscrew because of the clutch and clutch spring but I may be wrong if this is the case there is a washer at the thick end of the clutch spring you could add one more washer or more to stop the torpedo completely unscrewing but I don't think this will be necessary, the more washers the less back peddle distance. So we need to experiment! With this mod you should get probably at least a half turn backwards compared to a quarter turn backwards in a complete hub. I know this because when I wrongly rebuilt my coaster it gave me at least a half turn backwards but no brake! not good when you only have one brake, lol. Good luck to anyone who gives this a try!
 
A quick reply to Allen Wrench, the torpedo works like a brake but in reverse when you peddle forward it grabs the inside of the hub to drive the wheel forward, that's why you can't leave any other parts out of the hub.
 
DaveM said:
Free coaster, it's used in BMX bikes. It looks to me that you can remove the brake shoes. But do not remove anything else otherwise the hub will not work! I can't see how the torpedo can completely unscrew because of the clutch and clutch spring but I may be wrong if this is the case there is a washer at the thick end of the clutch spring you could add one more washer or more to stop the torpedo completely unscrewing but I don't think this will be necessary, the more washers the less back peddle distance. So we need to experiment! With this mod you should get probably at least a half turn backwards compared to a quarter turn backwards in a complete hub. I know this because when I wrongly rebuilt my coaster it gave me at least a half turn backwards but no brake! not good when you only have one brake, lol. Good luck to anyone who gives this a try!
Click to expand...

Operative Term here is "Looks to me that..."

The clutch spring pushes the torpedo away from the brake shoes when you stop or are not engaging the brakes.

When you engage the brakes, the torpedo pushes into the shoes which surrounds the clutch spring, which brings the wheel to a stop.

The torpedo comes to a stop somewhere! That's where we're failing, we need to find a way to do this with MORE minimalism.

I'm going to experiment with something different on Sunday, I'll report back then.
 
Yeah, I'm going to dig one out, rip it apart, and play with it so I can see with my eyes what people are saying here.
 
I just removed the brake shoes from a coaster hub, nothing else!!! and when I peddle backwards you get a half turn which is the threads on the torpedo unscrewing then after that there is slightly more friction which is the clutch slipping but it acts like a freewheel, peddle forward half a turn, torpedo re-engages and the wheel wants to drive forward. The wheel is not in a bike but works perfectly in my hand, I can put pressure on the drive gear and it engages can't turn it any more with a towel wrapped around the gear. The hub is a copy of the shimano CB-E110 probably the most common coaster available now. Seems to be working I just need a bike to fit the wheel for testing. Hope this makes sense, good luck anyone else trying this.
 
To DuctTapedGoat,

The torpedo stops when it can't compress the spring any more and it comes up against the cone, and then the clutch starts slipping, the way it is designed when the spring is compressed it is completely in the torpedo and can't move out of alignment. That's why you can't leave any more parts out and have the hub still work. I have a complete hub in a wheel and one in parts in my hand as I am experimenting. I'm not saying I am right but I am trying! Good luck to others trying this out.

Regards,
DaveM.
 
Just wait until you put it into a frame! That's where I get the most upset (putting it on and taking it off again and again) and aggravated. You'll really be able to see how it acts once you do - and then you'll know why there's so many dead threads on this subject all across the interwebs! It's a lot of work for something that's less than 10 moving parts.
 
Alright here's my test mule, the rear wheel is working! I have pedaled it up and down my street several times. The wheel requires half a pedal to engage to go forward after pedaling backwards this is a bit disconcerting when I first tried it but I did get used to it. I might be able to shim with a washer or two to reduce the half a pedal lag time to maybe a more acceptable quarter pedal turn to be able to drive forward like a standard hub with brake. More experimenting! If I just stop pedaling and free wheel then pedal forward it engages very quickly and feels good. So far so good, more test riding tomorrow in daylight, its after six o'clock at night here and its very dark. My neighbor's already think I'm crazy just wait till they see me pedaling this thing! Again good luck to anyone else trying this experiment!
 

Attachments

  • 002 (Medium) (Small).JPG
    002 (Medium) (Small).JPG
    59.6 KB · Views: 228
Last edited:
I've had my first setback, after disassembling the wheel I found the clutch washer with the tabs was bending. The torpedo is trying to ride over the clutch washer . I have put a washer over the part where the spring goes to stop this happening, this time I have re-lubricated everything as well. Also the washer took up some of the free-play and now seems a quarter turn from free wheel to pedaling. Now a new test run!
 

Attachments

  • 002 (Small).JPG
    002 (Small).JPG
    33.1 KB · Views: 242
  • 003 (Small).JPG
    003 (Small).JPG
    50.9 KB · Views: 263
  • 001 (Small).JPG
    001 (Small).JPG
    32.5 KB · Views: 251
  • 004 (Small).JPG
    004 (Small).JPG
    33.2 KB · Views: 237
  • 005 (Small).JPG
    005 (Small).JPG
    30.8 KB · Views: 239
DuctTapedGoat said:
Just wait until you put it into a frame! That's where I get the most upset (putting it on and taking it off again and again) and aggravated. You'll really be able to see how it acts once you do - and then you'll know why there's so many dead threads on this subject all across the interwebs! It's a lot of work for something that's less than 10 moving parts.
Click to expand...

Just popped out the pads last evening and put the wheel back on today. After 1/2 mile...the pedals don't try to break my feet or ankles when the coaster brake locks up either pedaling backwards or applying the pull brakes.

Have you got a size of washer people are talking about putting between the clutch and the torpedo? Did you need to put these into place to get it to work?

Solved the locking up problem...but need to see if there's anything else I need to do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top