Gregory Bender

Brake shoe spreader tool

Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models

Created:

Updated:

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Stephen Brenton's purpose made tool

Stephen Brenton used to manufacture this tool. View all of the tools that Stephen Brenton used to make.

Spreads the brake shoes for easy installation.

Moto Guzzi special tool for spreading the brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Moto Guzzi special tool for spreading the brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Brenton.

Moto Guzzi special tool for spreading the brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Moto Guzzi special tool for spreading the brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Brenton.

Werner Schoom's lumber method

I extracted this information from Ralf Brinkmann on the old Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Groups.io). Ralf was mentioning Werner Schoom's technique.

Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Werner Schoom.

Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Werner Schoom.

Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Werner Schoom.

Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using wood to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Werner Schoom.

Use the bench vice as a spreader method

I've been using this method for years (I really need to take a picture). Essentially I just place the brake shoes in my 6 inch bench vice and open the vice...using it as a spreader instead of a clamp. It works quickly and does a pretty good job. Although, I really want to buy Stephen's tool one of these days.

Bolt and coupler method

Thanks to John Engle for sending me his set up using simple hardware store fasteners. In John's words:

Used a 58 inch pipe coupler and a 58 inch × 3 inch bolt. Worked great.

Using a bolt and coupler to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a bolt and coupler to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of John Engle.

Brake shoe adjuster method

Thanks to Darryn Webster for sending me his set up using a brake adjusting screw. In Darryn's own words:

Need to spread some brake shoes on your Guzzi Loop? Use a big brake shoe adjuster. USD $11.50 at NAPA. Git'r done! I tried the wood method from our German friends; Broke the wood I have available here in Florida. The cobbled together hardware solution looked like it could slip very easily; not good if a finger was in the way. Them are some strong springs! The nice, and probably expensive hand built solution would be great to have in you were tearing down a bunch, often.

Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes.
Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes.

Photo courtesy of Darryn Webster.

Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Darryn Webster.

Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Darryn Webster.

Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Darryn Webster.

Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Darryn Webster.

Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Darryn Webster.

Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a brake shoe adjusting screw to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Darryn Webster.

Turnbuckle tensioner method

Thanks to Ingo Bader from Austria for sending me his set up using simple hardware store fasteners. In Ingo's words:

Inspired by your website, I have built the following Brake shoe spreader tool (Wire Rope Tensioner) in 5 min. Works great.

Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ingo Bader.

Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ingo Bader.

Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ingo Bader.

Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ingo Bader.

Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ingo Bader.

Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a turnbuckle tensioner to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ingo Bader.

Turnbuckle tensioner method

Thanks to Jay Tynes for sending me his solution using set up using a MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor. In Jay's words:

I thought I'd pass this along to you. I was checking out your site and saw the tool for stretching brake show springs to make changing them easier. With no real way to fab and time and budget tight. I made a trip to Harbor Freight tools and reverse engineered their Strut / Spring compressor. USD $27.00 with the coupon. It worked great. It comes with two compression mechanisms, I need the thread off of one to made it work backwards. So I cut a piece off the threaded piece on the second unit, turned around the end pieces and it worked like a charm .

Using a MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Jay Tynes.

Using a MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Jay Tynes.

Using a MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Jay Tynes.

Ratchet strap method

Thanks to Ryan Mccall for sending me his solution using set up using a ratchet strap. In Ryan's words:

Got my 4-leading-shoe brake plates beautifully blasted and was head scratching trying to figure out to reinstall the shoes. Of course, opened up your site and found a lot of great ideas, but nothing I could use with what I had on-hand.

Then a light bulb!

Worked very well I might add...

Using a ratchet strap to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a ratchet strap to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Mccall.

Using a ratchet strap to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a ratchet strap to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Mccall.

Using a ratchet strap to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.
Using a ratchet strap to spread brake shoes on Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Mccall.