Anybody upgraded their brakes? I bought the bike used, but in great condition. I put new brakes on it, but it seems like the front brakes are hard to pull. I have adjusted them by the service manual, and I can lock them up. I have also lubed the cables making sure the lube came out the bottom end of the cables.

My daughter seems to have a hard time with them to the point of her having a hard time controlling her speed on a small decline. My wife even thinks it takes a lot to pull the brake handle. It does not take much pull to get the brakes to work, they are just stiff. My next step is to heat the brake handles and bend them in a little to get her hands around them better. She has to stretch her hand way out to get a good grip on the brake handle. I am kind of surprised about how much of a gap there is between the grips and the brake handles.

Any ideas on how to make this setup easier to use?

 

This was a common problem with the front drum brakes and small hands. There are front hydraulic disc kits out there,but are expensive!Maximum RPM - Performance parts for Mini ATVs

 

Your right about them being expensive.

I bent the handles in a little this morning and will see if it helps any.

The brakes on our 50 work great, but on the 90 they are really stiff in the front.

 

What about maybe lighter springs on the front?

 

You can try to lube the cables and see if it helps,plus don't know about lighter springs. May not be enough force to pull the brake cam lever back and the brakes may stick.Also if you didn't grease the brake cam shafts, or wire bush/sand paper the inside of the brake drums this could have some effect on stopping power.

 

I did lube the cables with Kroil by taking them loose at the handles, tie wrapping a plastic bag around them and putting Kroil in the bags. I did get it out of the cables where they would go to the brakes. I have not had it back together again since.

I cleaned up the drums with sandpaper enough to break any glaze, and cleaned it all up with brake cleaner.

I do not remember greasing the brake cam shafts, I will need to go back and check that.

The front brakes actually work pretty good, I can lock them up at a decent speed, and they make a normal stop without the brake handle having to travel very far. It is just the excessive amount that it takes to pull the handle that is the problem.

The Kroil has a penetrating and a lubricating property, is there something else I should use as the final lube on the cables?

 

Sounds like you've done all that needs to be done. You can try adjusting the handle bar adjusters out one side at a time until you feel a slight drag then turn the adjuster back in a little. This may help on amount of force needed to stop.It's just simply drum brakes are a dinosaur compared to hydraulic disc brakes but some manufactures still use them..