New-Old-Stock Shimano 600/Ultegra Brake Caliper Set...See Mounting Discussion

Description

New-Old-Stock (NOS) Shimano 600/Ultegra Brake Caliper Set (Model BR-6400)...See Mounting Hardware Discussion
Thank you for your interest in this item and please visit our store for other offerings. We have very reasonable shipping terms and combine orders to save money (for customers) on shipping costs. We also maintain customer friendly return/refund/exchange policies.
Product Description:
This offering is for a new-old-stock (NOS) Shimano 600/Ultegra brake caliper set (model BR-6400). Although, when we refer to this offering as a set, please note the "Mounting Hardware Discussion" below for detailed comments regarding the mounting hardware we swapped out to create these sets and their potential limited applications.
Most folks understand the 600/Ultegra branding is very near Shimano's top-end (and this older single-pivot caliper set is in this discussion). Date coding indicates a late 80's vintage and please note the finish is slightly darker then some of the pictures indicate, as the finish is the dark gray (painted) enamel typically found on 600/Ultegra components from this era. They are fairly light at 352 grams (both front and rear) and have a reach in the 39 mm to 49 mm range. The center/mounting bolts and allen nuts are intended for recessed mounting positions at the fork crown and brake bridge (and again, refer to the "Mounting Hardware Discussion" below).
According to Shimano, this model includes their SLR technologies (so improved production/finishing processes...especially at pivot points on the calipers...to reduce the resistance/friction inherent in the basic caliper design). We should also mention the calipers are made from a cold forged aluminum alloy (which we have been told that as far as manufacturing processes are concerned...this forging technique generally results in very strong/durable aluminum alloy).
With respect to condition, none of the calipers came to us in retail boxes (just individually wrapped plastic bags). As a result, the sets are not in perfect cosmetic condition, but their overall appearance is still nice. The chromed hardware still shines bright and the dark gray enamel finish still shows as new with only minor shopwear (scuffs and scratches).
Listing Update...We have begun updating the pictures to reflect the next caliper set that will sell/ship. To this end, I can confirm this next set does show well with only minor shopwear (as alluded to above). Please also note that while we have multiple quantities listed for sale, we will repeatedly update the pictures to reflect the next offering that will sell/ship.
Mounting Hardware Discussion...
These caliper sets were created by using two rear brake calipers and swapping out the mounting hardware on one of the calipers. More specifically, we replaced the shorter (10-12 mm) chromoly steel allen nut on one of the calipers with a longer (30 mm) chromoly steel allen nut to achieve enough mounting length for a rear brake caliper to mount on a fork crown (refer to the last couple of pictures for a close-up of this extra long mounting hardware). A quick side note...the shorter allen nuts are chromed and the longer allen nuts are nickel plated...so there is a slight color difference...but realy not very noticeable once the allen nuts are threaded/mounted into place.
Please keep in mind, however, there are some instances where this somewhat unconventional setup will not mount on certain fork crowns (or at minimum, it will take some fairly signifcant modifications that we really cannot recommend). The problem is with aluminum alloy and carbon fiber forks where the front-side mounting hole that accepts the caliper bolt is only large enough in diameter to accept this bolt. As a result, the larger-in-diameter (and extra long) allen nut inserted from the backside of the fork crown is usually not able to thread onto the bolt.
We have found this to be the case, because aluminum alloy forks and carbon fiber forks (with an alluminum alloy bolt-hole sleeve) usually have a fair amount of material built-up on their front-side...at this brake caliper mounting point...and since the machined mounting hole will only accept the bolt, the allen nut simply bumps into this material from the backside and never reaches the bolt. One clarification...the allen nut will insert part of the way through the back of the fork crown, as the backside mounting hole is large enough and the allen nut easily passess through the hollow part of the fork crown...but when it reaches the back of the thickened material that provides the mounting base for the front caliper, the allen nut has no place to go (and thus the reason why it never reaches the bolt that enters from the front of the fork crown).
Having said all of this, we have found that vintage steel forks generally do not have the same amount of material build-up on their front side. As a result, we are usually able to thread one of these longer allen nuts onto the bolt when mounting the caliper on a steel fork. For this reason, we would only consider vintage steel forks as a possibility for this unvonvential front brake caliper mount.
After reading the preceding notes on compatibility issues...and if there is still a possiblity this brake caliper set will work for you, then please also consider some of our additional notes that follow.
We also took some measurements before performing this hardware swap to ensure the mounting length provided by the shorter (rear) bolt and longer allen nut would result in an equivalent mounting length to a typical front caliper with a longer bolt and shorter allen nut. We used a few different sets of 80's and 90's Shimano branded caliper sets to take these measurements. Generally, we found a typical front caliper mounting bolt measured about 26 mm to 28 mm from the back of the caliper arms to the end of the bolt. In contrast, a typical rear caliper mounting bolt measured about 12 mm in length. As a result, there is usually about 14 mm to 16 mm of additional length when comparing a front caliper mounting bolt to a rear caliper mounting bolt...and this is the additional length needed with the longer allen nut to ensure a rear caliper will mount securely on a fork.
Given the above measurements, we settled on the 30 mm allen nuts. Our thinking was the 30 mm allen nuts provide about 18 mm to 20 mm of additional mounting length (when compared to the 10 mm to 12 mm allen nuts typically included with brake calipers). We understand this additional "allen nut" mounting length exceeds the 14 mm to 16 mm requirement noted above, but our thought is it's better for the mounting hardware to be a little too long then too short. Under this "too long" scenario, the allen nut possibly bumps into the back of the mounting base for the front caliper before it's mounted flush on the backside of the fork crown. This would appear to be a correctible problem, as the allen bolt may be grinded down a few mm's until a proper length is achieved.
One final thought that has been brought to our attention is the relative strength of having most of the mounting length of the front caliper in the form of a longer allen nut, as opposed to a longer mounting bolt. We've asked some colleagues this very question and the consensus is the longer allen nut should thread over nearly all of the bolt threads. When this is the case, the strength/durability of the mounted rear caliper on a fork should be at least equivalent to the more typical setup with a longer mounting bolt and shorter allen nut.
Terms and Conditions:
You may visit our store by clicking on this
"Store Home Page"
link and please note the product categories on the left side of our
"Store Home Page"
.
We have also moved our
"Terms and Conditions"
to a separate page within our Ebay store. You may navigate to this page by clicking on the link on the left side of our
"Store Home Page"
(below the product categories) or you may click on one of our
"Terms and Conditions"
direct links herein.
Note to international customers regarding shipping...
We apologize to those that feel some of our international shipping charges are too high. We only charge actual shipping rates, but once an order exceeds a certain amount, we hesitate to use the least expensive US Postal Services First Class International service. We feel this way, because this service is not trackable or insurable...so more risk of loss. We prefer the US Postal Services Priority Mail International service for more expensive orders, because this service is trackable at USPS.com and insurable...so less risk of loss. Unfortunately, this service is more expensive, especially for smaller/lighter packages, relative to the First Class International service. We are sorry about these higher shipping costs, but hopefully our notes help to explain why this is the case.
Note to international customers regarding customs...
We also apologize to those that feel their country import taxes, duties and brokerage fees are excessive. As a small US business, we are required by customs' laws to declare each order as a retail sale. Additionally, the declared order value must be equal to total store purchases and/or winning auction bids (less any shipping costs, as these are not considered in the declared value). As a result, each customer will be responsible for paying his/her own country taxes, duties and brokerage fees, which will be collected upon delivery. Again, we apologize for these additional costs, but we cannot afford the penalties and fines that come with breaking customs' laws...so we have to strictly abide by them.