rear brake cable length

I'm still doing the final bits and pieces of a rebuild on a 1974 850 mk2A and one of the outstanding jobs was fitting the silencers last weekend. This caused a problem with the brake cable routing.

I understand that the rear brake cable has to go over the top of the Z plate and when you look at it the reason is obvious but my brake cable outer doesn't appear to be long enough. I can just about feed it over the Z plate then between the rubber bushes on the silencer hanger but any other way it's too short and being locked to the exhaust mount seems a really bad idea when the rear wheel is moving about. I'd sooner see it go over the Z plate then be long enough to form a smooth curve to the cable support at the back end.

I didn't buy the cable and it's a brand new one so I can't help but wonder if it's the wrong one and is designed to be used with rearsets. Can anyone tell me the correct length for the outer part of the cable from the edge of one cap to the other. I'll not be able to check mine until I get home at the weekend but at least asking now I may have the answer when I get back and can order a new one if mine is wrong. Any other advice will be more than welcome

My 750's measure ~12 5/8" cap-cap and both my Combat routed cable under Z plate so both have cable worn notch about half way point along bottom. You can google <Commando rear brake> + images to see variations in routing fouling choices.

hobot said:

My 750's measure ~12 5/8" cap-cap and both my Combat routed cable under Z plate so both have cable worn notch about half way point along bottom. You can google <Commando rear brake> + images to see variations in routing fouling choices.

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That'll do as a starting point. I'll check it when I get home if mine's the same I'll do some more messing around. I've probably got a couple of old cables with good outer casings I can look at to see if one will do the job then change the inners over.

Kind of a toss up to wrap spiral plastic armor as replacable shield to cable cover or just adding thickness to bind more on clearance. 3 ways to try, over the Z, through muffler rubbers or under slung but all a pita for peace of mind nice fit and function. Just another feature that Norton scabbed together trying to get past its stop gap model into the new age of cycles that bypassed em.

It goes over the top and through the muffler mounts.
If you cable is too short then maybe it's for rear sets?

Not my bike. grabbed the pic off of here.

I could not remember so I have just asked my son to look. My brake cable passes the z plate and muffler mounts on the wheel side. The cable does not pass through the muffler mounting plates. That rear wheel moves up and down a long way when I am riding so it cant be allowed to snag up on the muffler mounts. I have made a slipping devise [ that bolts to one of the muffler mountings ] that allows the cable to move freely without catching anything.
Hope this helps. regards Dereck.
ps the cable is only just long enough to do the job.

It's the rear wheel movement that's the issue so I might put the bike up in the air with the shocks out and move the swinging arm freely from the position where it'd sit with the bike unladen but on the floor to where I reckon the maximum travel is and see what I'm getting.

I'll give RGM a call and see if they've got anything longer and if that fails I can get on to Venhill for a custom made outer if I haven't got anything at home. The last thing I want is to get the bike on the road and find the back brake coming on when the shocks compress :shock:

According to one Norton Service Release, the cable was intended to pass through the mounting plates, however every brochure and period factory/road test photo I've seen which shows this detail clearly, the cable is always routed behind the plates and not through them.

I got home and measured the cable on the bike and it bang on 11" long so that'll be a new one needet.

Andover Norton confirmed from their drawings that the standard length is 12.75" so where the short one comes from I don't know.

Andy_B said:

I got home and measured the cable on the bike and it bang on 11" long so that'll be a new one needet.

Andover Norton confirmed from their drawings that the standard length is 12.75" so where the short one comes from I don't know.

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Rear sets! From a previous life...

I measured Trixie's factory brake cable still installed with John Tickle rear sets by laying length of wire along it then measured wire so missed ~1/4" full length. Need shorter cable if mounting rear sets going by instructions but can get straight shot run with standard cable if going against the grain like Peel and remove LH exhaust system.