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Yeah, I do that too but the Mafacs are so flimsy you'd lose 30% of your pad. Also, once I've got the tool, there's no stopping me.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...671023c3b.jpeg |
Originally Posted by clubman
(Post 21897352)
Yep, the Universal levers cracked just looking at them. Mafacs had no toe-in, you just bent them.
Fine looking Torpado Randy. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...464caf12e1.jpg |
I'm pretty sure I've seen MAFACs both ways, with washers that provide some toe-in, and with washers that don't -- and they weren't the after-market ones from Compass/RenéHerse either. I'll have to take a look at my brake stash. My feeling about this is that I was looking at earlier (no toe-in) vs later production, but maybe that's just my imagination or creative history.
It seems to me that MAFAC might have used a simple beveled washer (thinner on one side than the other), so that one could rotate the washer during setup to get more or less toe-in, or none, so long as there was reasonable friction between the arm and the washer to prevent its rotation in use -- but they were pretty smart people, so maybe they tried that and it didn't work. |
Originally Posted by Charles Wahl
(Post 21898217)
I'm pretty sure I've seen MAFACs both ways, with washers that provide some toe-in, and with washers that don't -- and they weren't the after-market ones from Compass/RenéHerse either. I'll have to take a look at my brake stash. My feeling about this is that I was looking at earlier (no toe-in) vs later production, but maybe that's just my imagination or creative history.
It seems to me that MAFAC might have used a simple beveled washer (thinner on one side than the other), so that one could rotate the washer during setup to get more or less toe-in, or none, so long as there was reasonable friction between the arm and the washer to prevent its rotation in use -- but they were pretty smart people, so maybe they tried that and it didn't work. |
Originally Posted by randyjawa
(Post 21898654)
Now I feel better. I know darn well that I can toe-in the Mafac brakes that I have owned using those beveled washers. This, for what it is worth, is one of the reasons that I am a fan of Mafac stoppers. Simply put, though a bit difficult to install and set up, they just plain work well, when compared to other offerings of the day.
I too love early Mafacs, in particular the Dural Forge-marked Racers (pre-plastic bushing models without the "RACER" embossing) as well as Mafac's large cantilevers for tandems. We used those big cantilevers on early Mtn Bikes and I still use a set on my Ritchey Palo Alto Tandem. |
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