Traditional Canti spares - bushes and washers

[Thoglette]

My early 80's BR-AT50 Shimano cantilever brakes have (at least) worn out their bushings and washers, leading to less than ideal braking (particularly at the rear).

Yes, I could replace them with something more modern but I'd rather keep the originals if I can.

This is the old fashioned form of cantis, where the bushing is a wee bit shorter than the stud. (See comment #1 here (stackexchange))

Apparently, once upon a time, these were common spares.

Any idea where one might find some?

[WyvernRH]

My early 80's BR-AT50 Shimano cantilever brakes have (at least) worn out their bushings and washers, leading to less than ideal braking (particularly at the rear).

Yes, I could replace them with something more modern but I'd rather keep the originals if I can.

This is the old fashioned form of cantis, where the bushing is a wee bit shorter than the stud. (See comment #1 here (stackexchange))

Apparently, once upon a time, these were common spares.

Any idea where one might find some?

No idea on spare bushes but I'm clearing out my shed at the moment and I'm pretty sure I saw some NOS early 90's Shimano cantis in there. Bushes might fit or just use as an almost period replacement? I'll go see today and do some measurements.

Richard

[WyvernRH]

My early 80's BR-AT50 Shimano cantilever brakes have (at least) worn out their bushings and washers, leading to less than ideal braking (particularly at the rear).

Yes, I could replace them with something more modern but I'd rather keep the originals if I can.

This is the old fashioned form of cantis, where the bushing is a wee bit shorter than the stud. (See comment #1 here (stackexchange))

Apparently, once upon a time, these were common spares.

Any idea where one might find some?

No idea on spare bushes but I'm clearing out my shed at the moment and I'm pretty sure I saw some NOS early 90's Shimano cantis in there. Bushes might fit or just use as an almost period replacement? I'll go see today and do some measurements.

Richard

Ah, sorry, bad info! I seem to have Mafac and Dia Compe only.
Wonder where the Shimano stuff went

Richard

[Thoglette]

Ah, sorry, bad info! I seem to have Mafac and Dia Compe only.
Wonder where the Shimano stuff went

Richard

Thanks for looking!
Hopefully someone will have something: apparently all “early style” cantis use the same dimensions for these parts.

[LG]

I've got some odds and sods of old Shimano brakes, but am away from home at the moment, will look for you when I get back late next week.To be honest I never realised you could remove the brass bushes on these, I just assumed if the pivots were greased they should last forever. Now I'm curious, will have to see if they can be tapped out when I get a spare moment.

Any chance a copper pipe could be the correct outside diameter, the inside could be drilled to the correct size once installed?

[WyvernRH]

Hopefully someone will have something: apparently all “early style” cantis use the same dimensions for these parts.

This is true, the ID of the bush was always the same to match the mount - BUT - the length of the bush, the OD of the bush, did it have a front flange etc seem to be quite variable. I would guess Shimano (who at that time seemed more concerned with production line conformity than change for change's sake like today) would be consistent across their various models.

Richard

[Thoglette]

To be honest I never realised you could remove the brass bushes on these, I just assumed if the pivots were greased they should last forever.

This bike has been around about that long - to date it's done 36,000k in my hands in the last decade and a bit. Lord knows where it went in the three decades before that. If a previous owner actually toured on it (v.s. commuting duties) then "forever" might have been a while ago.

Any chance a copper pipe could be the correct outside diameter, the inside could be drilled to the correct size once installed?

I'm going to give Aldo Contarino at Quantum Cycles a call if there's nothing "on the shelf". The bushes would be brass rather than copper but machining some stock down is definitely an option if I can't find the right bits.