Rear brake

hi guys and gals 
Can anyone offer advise on what I can do with my rear brake please 

When I press it (I like to use it a lot during slow riding)
It doesn't feel very good and I have to press it really hard then as I release it I can feel it making a tap/click like it's coming unstuck 
Husband keeps saying it's because drum brakes are shite 

Surely there is something that can be done to 
A: make it work better (so it doesn't have to be pressed like I'm trying to crush a brick!)
&
B: stop it sticking/clicking on release

Pilly wrote:Husband keeps saying it's because drum brakes are shite

Some are some aren't - it kind of depends on the application but sometimes you have to pull/push harder (to get the same outcome) than a disc brake.

TBH the drum brake on the CB500 should be more than capable of doing 'normal' rear brake things - stabilising the bike during slow manoeuvres and sitting 'on' at traffic lights! Actual *braking* is best achieved with the front brake.

Anyway, it shouldn't feel like it is 'sticking' and you shouldn't have to move you foot too far - there is a mechanical linkage (a brake rod) between the rear brake pedal and the rear drum brake so it is worth look at this - if it is covered in grime/mud then it might stick, if it is badly adjusted it won't work well!

You should also check the free-play at the pedal (that is, the distance you have to press down before the brake comes on) - the Haynes manual suggests that it is between 20 and 30mm - I would say that if it is more than an inch (25 mm) you should tighten the adjuster nut one notch. Just make sure that the brake releases properly once tightened and that the brake light only comes on when you are pressing the pedal.

There is also a brake lever height adjustment which is worth a look - it can make the brake 'feel' better to have the lever at the right height. If you adjust the height then you also need to re-check the free-play.

If all that fails then it is worth taking the rear wheel off and investigating the drum brake mechanism - the brake cam can bind in the hole in the brake plate - if this is the case it needs cleaning and a tiny smear of copper grease to stop it binding. Haynes describes how to do this in the 'brakes' section - worth getting a copy if you can.

Had the same happen.

Rear pivot where it enters the drum was seizing and cleaned it twice only to find the front pivot behind the footrest had done the same.

Take apart and clean, lube pivots with copper slip and all is fine now.

Thank you guys, hubby has since followed your advise and rear brake is spot on!

Glad it worked