Rear Brake/Torque bar

[Jmanor]

So been toying with the idea of changing up the rear brake/torque bar. Either drilling holes in it, same size as bolt holes or drilling smaller holes and plugging the holes with bullet casings. Issue is I have a military theme with casing s on my V Star so want something different. Or I could make a flat bar bar type, drilled holes and polished. Thinking either powdercoating my calipers teal (I am trying to do a dished out teal with white sides tank) or polish my calipers. The issue with polish is been polishing lip of rims with white walls. Any thoughts on bar?

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Gorminrider]

I wonder if an I beam shape might work and look cool. You could drill it without losing strength. I wouldn't drill the original.

 

[Jmanor]

Just thinking if drill out holes and plug them in with bullet casing then may not weaken it? I think the only purpose it serves is to attach the brake caliper?

 

[Gorminrider]

Maybe you better show a picture. I'm thinking of my drum brakes and the bar that holds the shoes from rotating so may not apply to you..
I'm a worrier, not an engineer but
Maybe just neatly epoxy/glue the firing pin ends on it for the same effect.
Because in general, it's risky business drilling lightening holes in an original...It's merely an Opinion that the factory was too lazy/cheap to engineer something and relied on the oversized- is-overstrength theory and cheap metal. I would need be pretty careful that I truly understand on brakes....the loads (push/pull? and /or resist bend? and safety factor. Drilling out the safety factor for efficiency or mere looks has killed people.
Generally a thing needs to get bigger in dimension with holes in it and bigger yet for being home-made.
A bullet casing is brass? Consider corrosion, especially in aluminum. Might be worse than just the holes, long term...IE: Good when new, but fails a year from now when you stop looking at it... Tight fit is required.It MIGHT be that a really tight fit would prestress the hole to counter the extra loads upon it (good) or start a micro-crack (bad) but that's a materials question.