Park brake for Champion Ultra mod

kiorana123 · Nov 26, 2010

I am looking to trike my 09 Ultra but in NZ we have to have a park brake which I don't see on the Champion site. Anyone fitted one to your Champion mod trike and did your dealer do it when the trike conversion was made? Ta. Orange.<img src="images/smilies/shrug.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Shrug" class="inlineimg" /><img src="images/smilies/wave4.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Wave4" class="inlineimg" />

Casper · Nov 27, 2010

Well, I know California Sidecar, Lehman, Hannigan offers one. Maybe retro fit one...I don't know how through

trikermutha · Nov 27, 2010

there was a hydraulic type of valve they sell on ebay that keeps the pressure on the brakes..Another alternative versus changing out your whole brake system

1550vt · Nov 27, 2010

If they will allow a "line-lock" as a parking brake....that is the simplest thing to do. Like triker said above, a line-lock valve can be had fairly cheaply and plumbed into your hydraulic brake system and will set the brake. That is all a line-lock is....a hydraulic valve that can be pushed-on-pushed-off and could be installed on either the front or rear brakes.

A lot of us up here in the "upper-48"...simply use a bungee-cord or large rubber band to wrap around our front lever or rear pedal.

kiorana123 · Nov 27, 2010

Thank you, no it has to be a proper brake as you find in a car. Has to be approved by a Government appointed engineer. Ta.

1550vt · Nov 28, 2010

Then you likely have no other choice but to go with a kit that offers one. You can get calipers that have a parking brake feature, but then you have to install the cables, handle, etc.

I am not sure what drums the Champion kit uses on it's drum brake kits, but Lehman did use 80's to 90's era Pinto, Mustang style drum brakes on the drum kits....if they still offer the drums. I know Champion and possibly others still offered drum brakes up to a couple of years ago, but have no idea what components they use. I mention drums, because they usually have the capability to add the parking brake if not shipped equipped with one.

Surely....somebody down there on the island has figured out what to do...you just have to find somebody in NZ that has.

If you want a small (relatively) kit....maybe the Lehman Renegade or Monarch would be your choice. Lehman does not freely publish their kit information, so you would have to contact a dealer, or try and communicate with Lehman directly. They generally will not sell anything to an individual, but they may can recommend a kit that you could get some dealer down there to order for you.

Good luck!

Greydog · Nov 28, 2010

Champion no longer uses drum brakes. They use Volkswagen calipers and rotors on the rear wheels.

1550vt · Nov 29, 2010

Useful information there Greydog. I knew they did up until a couple of years ago and maybe all the manufacturers have gotten completely away from drums by now. Parking brakes on some of the newer models (in particular the TG) are reported to be pretty worthless and bothersome. It takes a special caliper with a parking brake built into it and so far....the TG has not perfected that from what I have heard.

Automobile calipers have this feature, but bikes/trikes are so limited by what type/size rear caliper you can run due to it's small stock rear master cylinder. I am on a constant look-out for larger master cylinders that will bolt-on the stock frame locations.

kiorana123 · Dec 3, 2010

Seems Champion are on to it and will include it in my kit, which is GREAT NEWS. Well done Champion, always better to get it from the manufacturer than use our familiar Kiwi number 8 wire method, that is we will fix it somehow! Besides it has to be Government certified before the trike can be registered, so "have a go" is not an option. Thanks for all your input. Ian.<img src="images/smilies/thumbup.gif" border="0" alt="" title="ThumbUp" class="inlineimg" />:wow:<img src="images/smilies/cool.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Cool" class="inlineimg" /><img src="images/smilies/angel3.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Angel1" class="inlineimg" /><img src="images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" />