Bond braking

[richard]

after the discussion on early Bond braking i re read all my early roadtests to see what they had to say on the matter . Roadtests of the time only carried very vague criticism of any aspect of this the first postwar three wheeler , remember it was ahead of messerschmitt, heinkel, isetta and the rest .
but i did find this small paragraph in a write up of a 1,581  mile trip to Switzerland via France , in a mark A Bond , from 1950

the necessity for a front "anchor" was impressed upon me ......... i stopped just a few inches farther on than the man in front .....! A friendly mechanic solemnly sat on the kerbside in the Avenue des Ternes (Paris ) and beat out the dents . 

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

I like The Motor test of the Mark D "The brakes operate on all wheels, with only moderate effect." Dammed with faint praise.

[Bob Purton]

I found with all these period microcars that if you have a softer modern material bonded to the shoes the braking is more effective, wears out quicker but at least you stop!

[Big Al]

Here is the nub of the matter. Most of these machines had soft linings and the ability to be repaired from a lining kit. It was assumed that a Schmitt driver had the wit to be able to do rivits. So a service of the brakes was no big deal and cost very little. The sacrificial element was to a very large degree the friction material.

Move forward and no one would dream of restoring their brake friction material at home, at most you might use a bonded on material outsourced to a company offering the service. Unless specified the friction material is much harder and it seems the sacrificial element of pads to disc/drum is more like 40%/60% meaning the other components needs changing half way through the second set of linings. Add in ABS and other optional extras. That assumes the parts are available and seem rather stupid to me. Most owners would not dream of changing the brakes pads themselves either now. So hands off and cheque book out from self service for loose change. Progress is a wonderful thing.

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

The fact that the brakes on the early Bonds were only fitted to the rear wheels was another factor. Try riding a motorbike and only using the rear brake! Again a test in The Motor in 1950 states "they cannot provide the quickest of crash stops even though they willingly produce the squeal of two sliding tyres. " Would softer pads have had much effect?

[Big Al]

Not if the rear wheels were locked up since the brakes must have worked. Back to the drawing board Mr Bond. They only got this sorted when Q turned up I think. By then, though, he made brakes that could stop other common cars as well, cunning old Q.

[Bob Purton]

Sorry, thought we were talking about MkD's with front brakes, softer linings made a lot of diference to miine. Also fitted them on a Nobel with the same effect.  Pads? where do they come into it?

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

Sorry Bob, It was me flitting between Bonds, obviously softer shoes would work on a front brake. As far as I've always known it on drum brakes pads or linings are one and the same thing, just depends on where you are and who's labelled the box.

[Bob Purton]

I always associated pads with disc brakes. I must be old fashion!