1981 Yamaha xs 400 special 2 front brake

when i got my 400 the front wheel and carbs were in the basket. I
think I got the carbs back together but I'm having trouble what parts
come out of the basket and go on the front wheel. The books suck and
the parts fisk don't tell me what some things are made of. I have two
pairs of felt washers of different thicknesses and have a suspicion
where they go [drum break] but only kinda sorta. does anybody know
this stuff? HELLLP!!!

 

The felt washers probably have nothing to do with the brake or axle or
the speedo drive as mechanical spacers.

The only thing I can imagine they would do is act as a dust seal.

Buy maybe they are foreign parts that somehow wound up in the box with
everything else.

 

motogrid, yamaha 1981 xs400h front wheel, could parts 11 and 12 be
made of felt? has anybody assembled this wheel from that vintage?

 

#11 is a shim that would be made of steel. #12 is an oil seal that
would be steel covered with rubber.

I have assembled many wheels from that era and have never seen a felt
washer in any of them.

Like I said, it's possible that the washers are extra parts from some
other machine.

 

Others here may know this bike whereas I don't so I can't answer the
specific question but I do know that some drum brake assemblies have a
felt washer that goes around the brake cam immediately on the outside of
the drum and the service manuals will say to coat the felt with oil when
assembling. I guess some designs need it more than others to help keep
road dust and moisture out of the drum. But the parts manuals sometimes
call it a seal, not a washer, eg:

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/yamaha-motorcycle-xs400sh-1981/o/m8262

(see part number 20 from the rear wheel, doesn't seem the same bike as
the front wheel on this one would seem to have a disc.)

On the other hand, maybe those felt washers are meant to go on the floor
- I've seen a few there after watching people put hubs back together!

 

Not the answer I was hoping for but the one I need to hear. Guess
it's time to order everything I have doubts about. Thanx.

 

Hey Zoot, if you do order the parts, will you post back here as to what
that seal is made of? (#11 in steel makes sense, eg., one wouldn't want
oil-coated felt inside the drum but #12 could be felt - I'd think rubber
might bind, but I admit I'm just guessing. It's the fiddly little bits
that always seem to take more time deciphering than the bigger,
seemingly more important parts!)

 

Yes, they're dust seals that fit around the pivot arm. That said, the
XS400 twins we got had disc front brakes. Did they do a drum version for
the US? They did a drum braked 250 in the UK, but it was very rare.

 

I, on the other hand, have assembled many wheels from that era too, and
seen lots of them. In a recess in the brake plate, encircling the drum
brake pivot arm.

They're easy to overlook, so either you didn't see 'em or you haven't
faffed with as many drum brakes as you claim.

 

Early xs400's here in Canada had a drum ft. (I'm kinda watching for one) I
don't think as late as '81 though. OTOH the "specials" usually were trying
to look like an earlier model with wire spokes etc. I have seen a lot of
felt dust seals used on brake cams, mostly on rr wheels or ATV's..........
Try looking up an earlier xs, it may be a frankenbike.
HTH

btw Krusty actually calmly admitted he was wrong (!) in an earlier
discussion about brake cams, a weakness in his vast knowledge?

 

I have an 81' xs400h and its a drum brake on it front and rear but it is a little more rare than the disc and drum model. I get offers from people allthe time wanting to buy it and I couldn't figure out why at first till I did more research to find out why.