Modern Vespa

Replaced the front brakes yesterday and found this.

The crack wasn't even visible until the shoes were removed because it was the shoe that mounts closest to the fork on the pin. The crack was directly under the other shoe on the mounting pin.

Cleaned everything up, smoothed out the hub, lubed up the cam and pin, put on a nice set of Newfren shoes - which by the way are much heavier duty - and now have a front brake that actually works.

someone must have forced it on or off on.. wrestling with the spring

been there done that... got the miss matched shoes to prove it oh and crap brakes as a result.

you was wrestling with brake springs

LOL. Yeah must've stressed it prying the other one off. Funny, didn't feel it crack. Pretty flimsy piece of metal. Oh well. New ones are on and solid.

Opps that was sposed to be "I was wrestling with springs"

Mine were cracked as well, and yes, they are flimsy. But I could not believe what a difference it made by changing out to new shoes. That front brake looks like it belongs on a bicycle.

Yes, in fact, now that the front brakes are working the way they should, we're considering a little stiffer front spring to take some of the dive out.