Anyone have a good set up for midschool pitbull brakes? Im using a pozi stop seat clamp and the bend in the cable as it routes around the seat tube is still too tight to allow the bakes to function very well. I dont want to drill the frame. The original brake cable guide is worse than using posi stop clamp.

Here's what I do to get the Pitbulls working well on my Auburn....

Make sure the inner cable slides smoothly inside the outer housing.
Use a light oil to lubricate the 2 rollers where the cam slides along.
Use a light oil to lubricate the black block on the back of the cam.
Use good quality brake pads such as Kool Stop - Before they are used, Rough up the braking surface.

Also....
Take the stock cable guide, mash it flat where it mounts to the brake. You can they angle it off to the side a bit to make the transition angle for the cable....should get you sorted.
Let us know.

Make sure your rollers are free and your cable slides free. I used a cable hanger from a ten speed shop and modified my seat clamps so the cable hanger would move some. I used vans coolstop brake shoes . Mine worked so good I started to have mounting bolt failure. Tey would stretch out or break.

also might want to try an aftermarket cam, Primo and VG both made wider cams.

i have to agree with 4130.bitd i used pitbulls with only the original guide and cam.i flattened the guide bracket and ran the cable against the right side of the seat tube.i think i had to turn the brakes themselves a little bit because the guide caused the cam to pull more one brake arm a little quicker than the other due to the angle of the guide.once i dialed it in i had no problems at all.then god created 990's and changed my life forever.

Sorry to burst your bubble but 990's were out before Pitbull brakes.

my bad.my bubble has been busted.take that,me!

Thanks for all the help everyone, it looks like the guide block may have been binding up the works a bit, a little grease, and lubing the cables seem to have it back, not perfect but functional..

The best thing you can do to ensure good performance from a Pitbull brake is to use a spring assisted lever...night and day difference. Like mentioned above, make sure nothing his hindering the action of the cable (kinks, burs, etc.). A Pozi-stop is an excellent tool as well (as I see you've already got). Make sure the cable alignment is correct from the Pozi-stop to the cam on the brake. Lubricate all contact points. Pitbull springs loose their "spring" over time as well....so finding some fresher ones won't hurt either. But like I said, the best thing for those brakes is a spring assisted lever. Hope this helps.

The wider VG cams help as well. Here is mine on my '92 S&M Holmes:

GO back where you belong LOL . Charlie if you can find an Odessey AA lever that is the best one I have used, workd better than the pitbull lever

I've never heard of an Odyssey AA lever, ANT, I'll have to look that up! Thanks!

dont make it anymore, but they do pop up

Fit a spring between the cam and the pozi stop (so the open cable runs through the spring). The spring pushes the cam back into place. Keep the cam area clean. Job done.

Many of the oldschool racers here in the UK run this mod... it works.