Tight Universal 61 centerpull pivot
 

so I noticed that my front brake was acting funny, so I tried lubing it. That didn't really fix anything, so I loosened the pivot bolt, and everything was fine. I rode it home with the pivot bolt a little loose, which worked except it squealed. I'm afraid if I take it apart, I will not be able to put it back together again because of the springs. Anyone have some words of advice.

No need for fear. They're easily broken down and rebuilt. Sometimes that's the only way to diagnose and solve a problem. Just be careful to note the order of assembly of the parts. Clean, lube and recenter will probably fix you right up.

"Acting funny" is not adequate descriptive information.

Sorry about the description. The rider's right side arm was sticking -- I believe that's the arm that sits behind the other arm. Bike felt like a new bike after I loosened up the pivot bolt, but I can't leave it that way.

I'm still concerned about reinstalling the spring, tension seems pretty high.

The spring can easily be released by carefully using pliers or a suitable equivalent.

If it is pivot bolt making it act strange when tightened down, perhaps a spacing washer or 2 would ease the "bind".

Otherwise, I have an NOS set of Mod.61 calipers for sale. Come complete with headset washer hanger with Q/R and seatlug bolt hanger with Q/R.

Turns out it's the outside washer that says Universal on it. It's extruded in such a way that it binds on the other washer. The inner washer is supposed to be keyed, but that doesn't seem to be working.

You gotta upgrade.

upgrade to what? This whole bike was put together as an act of whimsy, the Universals were part of that. But I thought they were pretty good brakes. They do seem to stop me pretty well. I was thinking about brazing on some cantis, but that means a re-paint.

I was talking like a LBS...

Does...not...compute.....:roflmao2:

I'm just teasing of course :D

My experience is that there are no springs on a bike so strong that they can't easily be reset by hand. Good luck!

Just qualifies me to really over-think things. :) I didn't end up taking it apart very far once I saw what was really causing the problem.