Modern Vespa

regarding the back brakes on my '61/'62 vespa 125cc: the action on the foot peddle is frozen. i've only been able to move it slightly by spraying penetrating oil on it for several days.

should there be some sort of spring making the foot peddle go back to the top position or do the back brake internal springs do that job?

upon very close inspection and using a mirror, i can see a small pin holding the brake peddle in position on the post. does the pin have to be removed in order to release the peddle?

thanks for any help

ReMoVinG ThE SmALl PiN WiLl ReLeASe tHE BrAKe PEtAl. ALsO, ChECk tHe BrAKe cABle ITsElF ANd MaKE SuRE iTS aDjuSTed CoRREctly. ThERe iS NO SpRING.

and...

DoNT eVER tyPE lIKe ThIs AGaIN...

ITS FUCKING ANNOYING.

i tried tapping the pin out with a small punch and the pin didn't budge. once i do get the peddle off, do you recommend grease on the mount itself?

ps. i'll refrain from the"HIGH-low" type.

Did you punch it from the bottom or the top? Make sure you punch from the bottom.

Is the rear brake cable completely disconnected? If it is, then your brake pedal is stuck on the housing itself?

Sometimes posting some pictures of the issue really helps.

Hello

These pedals freeze up ever so easy keep spraying through the slot at the front and use a thin bladed screwdriver to clean the crud away.
Oh is the cable rusted.

Grumpy

cable is free...so i'll keep spraying the oil and try punching the pin out from the bottom, i was tapping from the top. luckily i tapped very lightly so as not to spread out the top of the pin.

i've lifted the brake peddle as high as it will go and i don't see how i can punch the pin from the bottom. not enough room for my punch. is the pin keeping the peddle from going up any further?

Be patient. Somebody who has done this will chime in on the specifics soon.

It's similar to what the Haynes manual would say "tap out the pin". Sounds easy, actually super tough. I am wanting more info as well, so I can take mine off and polish it.

brake peddle is FREE NOW! and to my suprise the back brakes are working... go figure.

Hey M., did that email I sent you help at all? Just curious. Glad it worked out either way.

yes it did...many many thanks!

8) Top secret solution?

i still would like to know how to remove it as well. can i get a copy of that email? thanks, if so.

jamesjohn wrote:

i still would like to know how to remove it as well. can i get a copy of that email? thanks, if so.

no problem...

From: VLBJS1
To: m.
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:57 pm
Subject: Re: pin
I've taken out the pin several times with out any problems.

The problem is that the pin could be corroded in the slot. Remember these were press fitted so it's tight down there.

Try this.

1. Soak it with liquid wrench or other good penetrating oil for a day or two. Be patient!

2. Tap the pin to break loose any corrosion. Make sure the pedal is held far enough up to clear the fitting but not too far or the pedal itself can keep the pin from coming out.

3. Patience, over a day or three keep soaking and tapping the pin until it comes out. You can also use a very small crowbar and attack it from underneath. The brake pedal has to be depressed all the way down to allow the pin to pop up completely.

4. If all else fails, take a very sharp pin punch and punch the center of the pin with a few sharp hammer blows and start drilling as carefully as you can to drill the head off the top. Then you can punch the pin out. This is a really last resort since you will probably ruin the pedal in the drilling process if the drill slips off the pin. The pedal is very soft cast metal and the drill will make cheese out of it in no time.

Good luck! It may take a lot of tapping, soaking, heating, swearing, ranting and raving to get it off.

awesome thanks. tap down.