New Departure Model A - Have a bunch of questions and I want them answered immediately

[mongeese]

https://youtu.be/w3sLzmmejCA
So are the clutch plates supposed to move freely by hand?
The braking was sub par and everything looks real good.

 

[geosbike]

fairly common problem in the model a. I have replacement parts that should solve your issues

 

[mongeese]

 

[mongeese]

After degreasing for days and it still not moving and then I soaked in thin pnuematic oil she began to move. Woked it with this old iron gently and slowly opened her up and snuck more thin oil in. She is good to go. All 3 plates are agile and and hub ready to build back up. I will assume the coaster brake clutch plates for the Model A should have very light grease or heavy oil on the coaster side instead of heavy grease.

 

[Andrew Gorman]

Oil or a very light grease. Model A's are not really a brake, just a speed attenuator. If you are riding in traffic, be prepared to drag your feet.

 

[mongeese]

Added a lot of piece of mind insurance policy. The bike is fast. Surprising speed even before hub rebuilds. And the front hub had hardened grease that had to go.

Oil or a very light grease. Model A's are not really a brake, just a speed attenuator. If you are riding in traffic, be prepared to drag your feet.

 

[mongeese]

 

[gkeep]

Oil or a very light grease. Model A's are not really a brake, just a speed attenuator. If you are riding in traffic, be prepared to drag your feet.

That is a perfect description of the Model A as a brake. You don't STOP, you slow with stately dignity. It's a speed retarder that will never lay a patch of rubber. O can you? Has anyone been able to lock up rim with an NOS Model A? Given the much smaller area of disc surface contact between a Model D and Model A it's not too surprising. It does work muscles in the calves that don't seem to be used for much else.

Gary

 

[fordmike65]

@Joe Buffardi got one of his Model A's to stop on a freaking dime. I mean to the point of locking up. Can't remember what he did but it worked great.

 

[gkeep]

Mike,
Maybe he installed one of those hub re-liners that were for sale and quickly gone a few months ago. I would have tried one of those but I was snoozin and loosen. Or maybe I should try some ground walnut shell in the hub, the stuff you add to paint to make it non-skid on stairs...