Performance Machine rear brake

Since the heads are done on the ol' shovel, thought I'd start a new thread about my rear brake. I was out at Tattoo's shop the other day and when I told him I was about to order a new Wilwood rear brake, he pulls this old Performance Machine rear brake off his parts wall and GIVES it to me. It used to be on his shovel chopper. The brake already has a chrome bracket for a 10" rotor, with a 3/4" axel hole. Perfect. He said he paid $400 for it when it was new. I'm guessing the brake is fairly old - none of Performance Machine's new stuff looks anything like it. It is a very cool, retro looking hunk of polished metal with fins in the casting. I couldn't find any serial numbers anywhere. The words "performance machine" are visible twice in a circular pattern on the outside of one of the pistons.

Problem is, the brake needs to be identified so I can rebuild it. So I go to the Performance Machine website and all I can find is new stuff and no way to contact them online. The new stuff has a "PM" logo stamped into the brake. Tryin' to figure out what to do next . . . . any ideas, boys?

You may want to call/email them directly...I had a problem back in 2002 with the rear brake on my 99 Wide Glide and they were great to deal with...Just sentit to to them and they fixed it for free...

Performance Machine | Connect

Thanks, Marc. I'll give 'em a ring tomorrow.

Good luck....does it resemble this front brake??

PM called them "Stop-Fast Brakes" in the 70's

http://performancemachine.com/company/Performance-Machine.html

I think you're going to have a tough time finding a rebuild kit for them.

Close, but no ceegar. Brake line banjo bolt goes in the middle of the cylinder on mine. It's a rear wheel brake. Fins are a bit different, too. I just now emailed them . . . asked if they could rebuild it for me, OR if I could send them a picture of it and maybe identify it and send me a rebuild kit, OR ???.

I think it would be worth it for them to rebuild it since it cost me nothing. It appears to be machined from a solid block of aluminum. Oldie but goodie for sure.

Tattoo said the brake was working when he took it off his bike . . .

Just take a reading of piston bore diameter and call pm they will send ya a seal kit no big deal . Or send it in to them they will rebuild it at almost no charge plus shipping

That pic I put up was from their "History" on the website,clicked on 1972...pic is a front caliper...hope they do ya good JB...

So do I. Will call them tomorrow and see what's what. I could send it off to be rebuilt and still be able to ride, though the extended forecast here is cold and colder. This is typically our coldest month of the winter. March should warm up nicely with more days in the 60 to 70 range . . .

Well, after trying several times to get thru to PM by phone, I emailed and they said they do not offer rebuild services. I guess they got too damn big for their britches. I've also been told if the caliper is "too old", they probably won't be able to help. :cussing:.

Guy wants me to send him a picture . . .

Yeah, like going to a dealer looking for a shovel head partjust rubbers n Orings would need replacing...might just have to make your own rebuild kit...did you try it yet?

Josh go ahead and break it down. Hone, clean, soak in fresh fluid and reassemble. Many times the rubbers can work again. Worth trying bro

You can do like BP said,just measure the piston diameter,really not a lot to a rebuild kit.. then when you get that...maybe someone in "tech" at J&P can tell you which kit will fit your piston or pistons... might not even be a PM kit,but if it fits it'll work...

Brake Calipers & Kits | J&P Cycles

Thanks. Well, I took a closer look and it's hopeless. Rusted on the inside - wouldn't even make a good paperweight.

On to plan B, which means $$$. Crap.

It's not worth the trouble; been sitting around for about 30 years, most of those in a barn. I guess Tattoo just had it hanging up in his shop for a decoration. I know how it is with old stuff - sometimes you just don't want to get rid of it and hang it up somewhere. Might look cool, but eventually the elements will get to it.

I've decided to go with a FabKevin "old school" rear caliper kit. The caliper has that old school look, but is actually a very good modern Japanese one, with parts available in any sport bike outlet. $200 including a very nicely styled unpolished stainless bracket. I can shine the bracket up myself and save the extra $50. Another $60 for a cool, adjustable anchor rod. $15 S&H for a total of $275. I think it's a good price for well made stuff. I've gotten other items from FabKevin and am very happy with them.

I'll still have to deal with making spacers, probably to go on either side of the bracket. I'll mock the caliper on and figure out how thick they need to be. I have some thin spacers left over and I can grind them down to fit.

One little side note. I tried using my mother-in-laws credit card to order this stuff last nite and the paypal wouldn't let me do it. Really sucked. She couldn't figure it out, either. Now I have to do eveything snail mail. Will take weeks. I get frustrated with modern technology at times. Still haven't figured out how to do pics yet. I'm going to enlist the aid of one of my boys in shop class who is supposed to be a whiz kid with computers.

I built mine from scratch. That's one way. Or just buy a used bike and start stripping it. Get ideas from bike mags, riders you may know, indy shops . . .

Either way, there's no instant gratification. It's gonna take time and cost money, more than you ever imagined possible.

Depends on you budget....like josh said ,you're almost guaranteed to go over it,but you could find a basket case with a good frame and salvage as many other parts as you can from it, buy a complete rolling chassis,then you'd only need engine, tranny, primary,sheet metal,wiring,paint and lights or buy an aftermarket frame and go from there....

if you want to check out joshbob's thread "Blood,Sweat and Beers" and see how joshbob's bike came into being...lot's a reading in that one but it'll give you a good idea of what's ahead of you

Gonna mention again that on Wednesday I'm ordering FabKevin's rear caliper kit and anchor rod. Pretty stoked. Once I get those parts, I'll mock it up and measure for spacers.

The banana caliper I have now fades a lot and has never worked very well. Now that I can go faaaaaaaaaaast it would be a good idea to be able to stooooooooooop. LOL

:roflmao:Being able to stop is a real good idea....those banana calipers didn't stop very well even when they were working right

A lot of guys tell me that. I guess when you also have a front brake, you don't notice it as much . My banana caliper has a spring on it, which Tattoo tells me it may keep it from rattling, but it overheats because the brake never completely lets go.