Lil Indian Sabre I need help

J

Joe Mig

New Member
#1
#1
So I bought this Lil Indian Sabre at the NJ swap meet and have been working on it but I need to hook up brake's. I really do not want to use a clutck brake and or I would want two brake's on the bike if ine falls. This is for my 11 year old son to ride so I want it to be safe. I would like brake's on the wheels if possible so i'm posting some pictures so you guy's know what wheels I have. I know it had disk brake but it was not with the bike when I bought it.
Any help please ? :shrug:
Thanks Joe
 
BobColeman

BobColeman

New Member
#5
#5
Call Allied Leisure in Livonia Michigan they are Lil Indian the same family that owed Lil Indian if they cant help noone can.
1-248-477-0212
 
J

Joe Mig

New Member
#7
#7
BobColeman said:
Call Allied Leisure in Livonia Michigan they are Lil Indian the same family that owed Lil Indian if they cant help noone can.
1-248-477-0212
Click to expand...
I'll give them a call Bob and see if they have a caliper they could sell me or if they could suggest any other options.
Thanks
 
ratfink396

ratfink396

Member
#8
#8
The original calipers are very hard to find & very pricey; Not sure if those wheels that look like steelies are even original to the bike; OldMiniBikes members MINI-MATIC & Mean Dean are the experts, maybe they will offer up some info; Easiest & best stopping would be a clutch band brake :thumbsup:
 
cheezy1

cheezy1

#9
#9
ratfink396 said:
The original calipers are very hard to find & very pricey; Not sure if those wheels that look like steelies are even original to the bike; OldMiniBikes members MINI-MATIC & Mean Dean are the experts, maybe they will offer up some info; Easiest & best stopping would be a clutch band brake :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Yes they are original wheels.
 
paul_probus

paul_probus

Member
#10
#10
I believe that is similar to my first minibike (Some wider photos, please :smile:). I could not get the disc setup to work, so I put on a new sprocket with a built-in drum. They sell them at OldMiniBikes. Not OEM, but it worked great, and that was all I cared about at the time. I remember having to get my dad, a machinist, to drill new holes to line up with the sprocket bolts. Worth a try to have a useable mini until you can find an OEM caliper.

Wish I had held on to that mini. Gave it back to my uncle and don't know what happened to it.

Paul
 
J

Joe Mig

New Member
#11
#11
ratfink396 said:
The original calipers are very hard to find & very pricey; Not sure if those wheels that look like steelies are even original to the bike; :
Click to expand...
I talked to a guy Bob in NY and he says he has what I need to put it back to original all NOS but the caliper might be a repro exact copy, if no more of the NOS ones 110.00 .
 
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J

Joe Mig

New Member
#12
#12
paul_probus said:
I could not get the disc setup to work, so I put on a new sprocket with a built-in drum. They sell them at OldMiniBikes. Not OEM, but it worked great, and that was all I cared about at the time. I remember having to get my dad, a machinist, to drill new holes to line up with the sprocket bolts. Worth a try to have a useable mini until you can find an OEM caliper.
Paul
Click to expand...
I was thinking of this but with the swing arm it is a bit tight but I like the idea. When I called OldMiniBikes they would not help me out and said I had to order the part #'s on my own and i did not want to take a chance buying somthing that might not work.

Thanks for the help guy's and feel free to keep giving me idea's.
 
paul_probus

paul_probus

Member
#14
#14
Here, I found another supplier, not sure how well their prices stack up, but this is the setup they sell for mini-bikes. Just choose the number of teeth on the sprocket and order away, if you go this route.

4-1/2 " Custom Drum Brake, Go Kart and Mini Bike

I swear, though, I used the 5" brake on mine and they made a matching drum/sprocket, but that was nearly 30 years ago so things probably changed. I think I went with the larger brake to make sure I had plenty of stopping power. The good thing about the 4-1/2 is that it comes "self contained", I had to make modifications for the cable hookup and adjustment for the brake I used, which did not have the built-in tab for the cable take-up.

Good luck.

Paul
 
J

Joe Mig

New Member
#15
#15
ratfink396 said:
The original calipers are very hard to find & very pricey; Not sure if those wheels that look like steelies are even original to the bike; :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
It seems like Bob knows his stuff and is knowledgeable as well He has lot's of parts for them and if anyone need's anything for Lil Indian get in touch with him at bobmbman@gmail.com.

Here is what he told me about the bike. Your bike looks like a Model 5000 that was built in the sixties, because you have steel wheels. They did not use the name Sabre until 1971 and those bike's had a Tecumseh Engine and Aluminum wheels.

I am having more of the Disc Brakes made and I should have them in about a month.
BRA-004-270000 $110.00
 
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