When you fit new brake shoes then very rarely do the shoe friction surfaces ever meet the hub all the way around. If the hub is worn or scored, or if the casing has the brake shoe pins in the wrong position (very common on Indian casings) then maybe only one part of one of the shoes actually touches the hub. Innocenti were aware of this problem. Their solution was to make a workshop tool for the dealers that allowed them to ‘skim’ the friction surface of the shoes in order to engage more of the lining with the hub.
VIDEO: See the tool in action
Rimini Lambretta Centre to the rescue. RLC are one of many Lambretta specialists around the world who have obtained and still use the original Innocenti workshop skimming tool. Other manufacturers have tried to produce aftermarket versions but none of them seem as effective as the original. Lorenzo from RLC demonstrated how the tool is used. Theirs is old and the special cone for the shaft is worn but it still does the trick. You can see the process in the video. Obviously, the scooter must be jacked off the floor at the rear in order for the tool to spin under engine power.
Does it Work?
Yes, it certainly provides a massive improvement in braking force. The only down-side of this process is that if you over-use the tool you can consume a lot of pad material. Given that the alternative is a brake that doesn’t work very well and takes ages to bed-in, wearing through some of the new pads is a small price to pay. RLC tend to reserve this process for scooters that they are restoring in-house. It’s not possible to carry it out on new engine builds.
Can I get it Done?
There are scooter dealers and collectors that possess these useful tools in the UK; including the likes of Martin Robinson. The process is a bit of a palaver though, if only for removing and refitting and torquing the rear hub. As such, you should expect any dealers still offering this service to charge for the time and effort involved. Any dealers around the world who still offer this service are invited to leave a comment containing their contact details on the article below.
Text and video: Sticky
With thanks to Lorenzo at Rimini Lambretta Centre
we have one of these splendid tools in our workshop and use it frequently
Urban Scooters in Brum had one.
I have the one that goes on the layshaft and swivels as a single arm with a cutter like a wood planer but it’s useless tbh. Where can you get one of these tools from ?
We often use this tool, a must have