CR-XC brakes

Working on my 82-CR project and have a brake question. If the CR and XC has the same travel why is the CR full floating and the XC rigid? I'm using 84 XC wheels on my 82 and would like to use the wider XC shoes. I suppose I could replace the anchor pin with one from a XC and use XC shoes on the CR backing plate. hate to have all that brake drum not being used! I'm thinking about fabbing a brake stay mount to my CR swingarm- any issues you all can think of? Thanks in advance, Scott

Most interesting, I got one of those silver framed cr 500 six speed ones for parts many years ago. I never touched the rear brake plate but have used the wheel on other things which were not cr. I do see in 1983 the shoes and the hub do have different part numbers, cr vs xc. I don't really understand what you have in mind. If you are going to use the cr brake plate and cr frame what is the need to touch the swing arm? I would caution against welding a bracket onto the bottom of the swing arm if that is what we are discussing. Welding creates shrinking and pulling. Those swing arms are pretty cheap used just get one with the bracket on it if that is what you want to end up with. As for the why it sure seems once disc brakes came around you don't see rods like those on the cr. I have decided the anchor pin is the thing the shoes rest on opposite from the cam, correct? It might be much easier to use an end mill of proper diameter on a milling machine and touch the shoe a little if I am understanding what you are suggesting.

Fran

Fran, I should have gone into more detail because I left out a couple of things, not on purpose though. The CR backing plate is in good shape but the brake stay rod is toast, ran along time with no front bushing and some nitwit drilled the frame boss out to put a big bolt in it. Looking at it closer since my first post I probably will replace the anchor pin- opposite the cam for the wider shoes, fab a new brake stay rod with Heim ends and repair the front frame mount. Found some nice stainless tubing in my junk to make a brake stay rod out of. I have a 83 up rear wheel on my other 82 CR250 but used the CR backing plate with narrow shoes.

I don't know why they went with a floating rear on the CR only. Sure, a floating brake is better in theory, but for me it's been more trouble than it's worth - if it's perfectly set up there's a tiny bit less braking hop, but if there's ANY slop in the stay arm the brake chatters badly. I've had much better action with the rigid XC/WR style. Bolt it on, make sure it's solid, and ride it for years. Wider shoes, to boot. How can you beat that?

On the other hand, if you did make a nice tight brake rod with real (ie - tight) heim ends, that might do it. And then it's a "real" CR, which I admit is nice from a nostalgic perspective. Would like to see pics of whatever you decide to build.

Picklito, jump up to the restoration projects under 82.5 CR500 for pics!I'm not going for a spot on resto for a Silver Streak I'm building one the way I want it and trying to pick the best parts possible. Heck I can't ride my CR250 to its potential let alone a 500Spent this evening in the shop cleaning up backing plates trying to determine how to put wider shoes on the CR backing plate- wont work, wrong offset. I love the rear braking on my 82 430XC and my 82 CR250 is poor. I'm actually looking at using one off of my boned out 87-430XC, fab a bracket for the backing plate and then eliminate the need for a XC/WR stay. I'm going to a late model chain guide also-still in theory!!!