Modern Vespa

Hello everyone. I was just wondering if anyone else does this with their brake pedal: Tap the holding pin hole and use a threaded set screw unstead of the standard pounded in rivet like pin. It makes removal much easier:

Not a good idea.

Just use a new standard pin and use anti-seize grease. let's just say if this standard pin is in there really good from 1958, you could remove the head, slide the lever off, heat the round stock, and tap the pin out. If you tap the round stock, install a threaded screw and it seizes up, you will regret it. just use a new pin and some anti-seize grease and life is good.

Sound advice I'm sure, but it's too late now. I also have a home made cable holding situation where I need to remove the pedal each time I want to tighten the brake cable. I guess I'll leave it until I can aquire the correct parts. It's admittedly a bit of a bodge.

Twice that damn little pin has got lost on me and both times it would have been a giant PAIN to order and wait for just a new replacement. So what to do? It turns out that a smooth galvanized 16 penny nail is just the right size to slip in easily and won't get rusted in there. If you can find galvanized 16D finish nails, just cut to length, grease it up and slip it in. Big enough to do the job safely and small enough to pop out easily from below. If it's a regular 16D nail, you'll have to grind down the head diameter some.

I agree on not using a threaded screw. Anything threaded will corrode and seize from the rain and then eventually it will be very difficult or impossible to remove. When I first acquired my GS, it had a sheet metal screw in there, and it was absolute hell getting it out.

Your brake switch seems to have an oversized screw in the upper mounting hole which has cracked the plastic. Piaggio designed almost everything for good reasons.

I think what you see is a washer under the screw.

"I also have a home made cable holding situation where I need to remove the pedal each time I want to tighten the brake cable. " Adjustment is done at the rear. No need to take the pedal off.

I would never imagine adjusting cable tension at the pedal. That’s unnecessary self-inflicted misery.

Looks like you're using a shifter cable as a brake cable, with way too much slack. The correct brake cable is quite a bit thicker and durable. And the pedal should look like it just just watched a rerun of Baywatch.
You can order the correct cable, connector, and brake light switch for like 20 bucks from Bar Italia Classics online. Don't mess with that most essential part of your bike.

Now that I really look at that photo, it appears to be quite bodged and dangerous. I didn’t notice how thin the cable is.

Last edited by nomadinsiam on Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:12 am; edited 1 time in total

Ohhh... this is jank-tastic!

Let’s see the brake side of things!

-g

I can only imagine that is to offset the crack in the plastic.

Anyway, it’s fukt up. I wonder how the rest of the machine looks. One can only ponder.