[wildbill]

now you know I am bored - no project heavy work load towards weekends only . what are your thoughts on a drum brake conversion for that C5 military of mine.
if so how hard/easy is it to do. can I still keep the 19" wheel.what would be the ideal donor bike wheel

[Blairio]

The problem will be not just the wheel, but the fork sliders as well, to provide an anchor for the brake backing plate. Mind you, for all the braking power of a regular enfield SLS front drum brake, you could save yourself the bother, and just not fit the brake cable.

However, Hitchcocks offer a full TLS drum brake conversion kit for C5's, including fully built wheel with brake, new fork stanchions and sliders, mudguard and Avon tire, for 675 GBP.  The part number is 90165.  The text reads:

This kit converts the disc brake back to the twin leading drum brake fitted to earlier models. We have had owners wanting to make their Classic EFI look more 'Classic' and whist it is not the normal way to go, we must admit that it does compliment the already good looks of this model. It includes complete new fork legs, mudguard and stays, 19'' wheel, Avon tyre, and cable etc.

Edited by Blair - The kit includes both whole fork legs and not just the sliders.

[REpozer]

Always thought it was a leg up to convert drum to disc.
Now...
The new, old school look.

[Rattlebattle]

I guess it depends on whether you want to look at your bike or ride it. Me, I'm expecting a parcel from Hitchcocks today that should contain a stainless braided front brake hose kit. Whilst the front brake isn't especially spongy it'll still be firmed up with a better hose. I'd rather fit it now than when the banjo bolt has corroded on the caliper.
I've also ordered a nice cover for the starter motor so that it doesn't look like an afterthought, a couple of oil filter kits and a set of stick-on lead wheel weights. I can't believe they don't balance at least the front wheel....I'll do mine when I've emptied the fluid in the front brake system, if it's not to bl**dy cold in the garage.

[malky]

If you decide to change, make sure the conversion has a brake light switch, also with a bit of time setting up, you can get the tls front brake to lock up the wheel without to much effort. I pack out the shoes on the back plate to match the drum internal diameter and skim them on the lathe, this way you're getting just about full contact with the braking surfaces without hoping they will eventually break in.

[wildbill]

I will probably give this idea a miss now. after doing the AU $$ conversion rate for the kit $1400 plus freight around $400 or more I'd be up for $1800 plus I'd have to have some-one pull the front forks out and do the re-work too. by that time I'd probably be up for $2500...lol
so I may be silly enough to think about buying another bike but I am not stupid enough to pay $2500 for a friggin front wheel which won't work as good as the one I have now...lol
so that myth is no busted!

[ace.cafe]

It would just be better to buy an older Iron Barrel Bullet which has the drum brakes as standard, and is actually a vintage bike.

[longstrokeclassic]

Watsonian Squire currently have a 350 (iron barrel) up for grabs, for a mere £5000   

[Rattlebattle]

Watsonian Squire currently have a 350 (iron barrel) up for grabs, for a mere £5000 

They're having a laugh; here at least you could buy a nice genuine classic 350 or 500cc single for less than that. Personally I'm no great fan of Royal Enfields. I bought my UCE because it's the only make you can buy new, but if I wanted a classic I'd rather have a Velo, Norton, Aeriel, or BSA in that order. You could buy a decent one of most of those for £5k. They'd all increase in value too.
Guess I'll get my coat

I fitted the stainless brake hose today. The job took longer than I thought, mainly getting pressure in the system. I also found a small metal widget in the m/c reservoir. As far as I can make out it is designed to prevent the return port clogging up as, if I've refitted it correctly it shields the port from debris. The w/s manual doesn't mention it and the pictures are too blurred to make out exactly how it fits, so I used common sense - I hope When I took the reservoir top off the widget was found resting on the bottom, so obviously the vibes had got it.

Also fitted the starter motor cover; a bit of getting needed to get it to fit neatly around the large terminal.

Anyway, job done. Just a non- resistor plug cap to fit now, as I have an iridium plug and according to Hitchcocks these work best with this type. Metal ones are asking for trouble anyway in my experience.

[Eagle56]

nuts

[suitcasejefferson]

I have ridden several bikes with drum front brakes that had more front braking power than the Enfield disc. I could do stoppies all day on a drum braked Honda Nighthawk 250, 2004 model. A good drum will outperform a bad disc. I especially like drums on dirt bikes. I have mangled the front brake hose twice on my XT225 by getting it caught on something. A drum has several advantages over a disc, IF it works properly. All mechanical, no fluid, no master cylinder and caliper with failure prone seals.

A conversion could certainly be done far cheaper in the U.S. I think the entire front wheel (19") from an older Honda XR100 would fit. You would have to have a boss welded on the fork leg. I wonder if the entire front end from an Iron Barrel would fit on the UCE?  The front disc and EFI are the only modern bits on the UCE.

Buying an Iron Barrel is not as cheap as you might think. I have seen a couple of them for sale since buying my new B5. Both were priced higher than my brand new 2013 model. By putting a drum front brake and a carb on it, you could have old school looks, no electronics, no emissions, and the reliability of the UCE engine.

[wildbill]

when you look into the kit there is one real problem for me and its not really the price - its the included front mud guard.
that means I would have to have a new guard painted to match that camo print or whatever it is or ride with a black front mud guard. that may be easier said than done.