A10 front fork and brake identification

[Plammimam]

Hi
I have a 1962 registered A10 Spitfire replica which is made up of a lot of bits making it difficult to identify which version and year of A10 or A7 parts are being used and what should be the correct assembly of parts to at least make it safe to ride. I attach photos of the front forks and a half width 8 inch brake. You will note the torque bar is in an unusual position. The brake back plate has a locating point into the right fork slider. The wheel is a 21 inch rim. Appreciate if anyone has a view of what version of BSA these parts are.
Phil

[chaterlea25]

Hi Phil,
Who the F**k came up with that setup?
It should look like the pic below, its the same torque arm (anchor)setup as the 190mm Goldie/RGS

Its shown here on the Draganfly website
https://www.draganfly.co.uk/index.php/bsa/bsa/a710--b3133--c101112--m202133/category/917-5-8-inch-front-half-width-alloy-brake-plate

There are a number of the torque arms for sale on eBay, this is the first one on the search for BSA brake anchor
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BSA-Front-brake-anchor-strap-Stainless-Steel-67-5578/272385435092?epid=1238460130&hash=item3f6b6fe5d4:g:eq4AAOSwNRdX4uLP:rk:1:pf:0

John

[Plammimam]

OK, after a lot of research and looking at images my conclusion is the front fork is a B series around 1954/56 not A10. The slider has a locating point for the brake back plate for the torque and does not have the torque link fitted. Someone has added that as belt and braces. I expect when I dismantle I will find out why, probably just another bodge because the locator pin is knackered!

[Black Sheep]

Looks like a 7" brake, not an 8". Good enough for a B31.

[Swarfcut]

   Whoops.... If you have a 7" brake with a 21" rim you have  a recipe for disaster. A puny brake coping with the biggest braking requirement.  If the bike looked level when you first got it, could be the larger wheel is fitted with shorter length stanchions  and springs...typically from a B40.  One more those folks at Draganfly have the stanchion dimensions listed so you can easily check.  Plenty of images to show how a normal single sided 8" with steel bar torque stay is set up.

  Swarfcut

[RDfella]

Have to say that looks like a 7" B series to me. Plausible if in fact the locating lug is iffy and someone has bodged a stay as some sort of backup. Those brakes wouldn't stop a bicycle - I converted my B31 to 8" s/s.

[Plammimam]

The brake measures 8 inch?

[RDfella]

 Plammimam - have you measured the ID of the drum? From the pics you posted it sure looks like a 7" to me, but could be the angle playing tricks. My 8" backplate doesn't have a lug to engage with the fork leg, as I understand yours does. It has a tie bar on the front of the leg, not behind like yours.  With the tie bar on the front - as it should be - your brake lever would be in the wrong place.

[RDfella]

Apart from obvious size difference, pics below show the 7" and 8" single sides back plates. Note there is no fork leg lug on the 8"

[Plammimam]

Thanks for that info, I will strip down to measure the drum size properly. All this helps to make sure I get the right parts to reassemble. I found this bike has all sorts of made up spacers and bits not very well done. The back brake is similar I found out after I noted the wheel nut was loose, when I tightened it the wheel locked up. There was no spacer between the back plate and hub!!! The bike was purchased as a runner with 9 months MOT on it from eBay unseen. I didn’t mind that as the intention was to strip and rebuild and it was a complete bike. A solid warning to those who might have purchased to ride and had little mechanical experience. Anyway I digress from this thread, DVLA contacted me recently saying someone is trying to claim and register my frame number and registration all though I have the correct documents for the bike and the police turned up yesterday to inspect. So it could all work out academic!!! ☹️

[Plammimam]

Brake measures 7 inch, you were right

[muskrat]

G'day Plammimam.
We really need better pictures (size and direction).
At first glance to me the slider looks very similar to my A7 plunger (7" brake).
Cheers