Hdy. Brakes

[Forrest Barber]

IF you have big feet be careful of the toe brake, if you try for right rudder real quick and your left foot is up too high on the left toe brake pedal then you get jammed up on the H column and wow does stuff happen quickly. I like the heel brakes... bye

[Dick Smith]

gear mod

Not exactly on the brake topic, but here is an interesting set-up, using Maule shocks to replace the bungee arrangement on a BC12D. It really makes it a lot quicker switching between landing gear and floats. I've seen it done this way and also by using Maule shocks on a cabane arrangement on an F-19. You can pull the gear off both sides with 6 bolts. Dick

[Robert Lees]

Dick, what's the object dangling between the two? Generator?

Oh I see it now, it's the tailwheel! (view looking aft)

Dick, that looks a neat arrangement for bungees...any further details?

[Dick Smith]

Rob, that tailwheel doesn't really stand out in good detail, with the tie rope attached. This mod is handy especially if float swaps are frequent. The cabane-style with Maule shocks seems to give crisper ground handling, than the one pictured. Different geometry. A friend has his experimental F-19 setup with the cabane/shock. The 160 hp and 52 gals. of gas require the right gear! Dick

[Robert Lees]

Dick, the expression "cabane/shock" has me lost. I thought cabane went between biplane wings. I do understand the issues on shock cord replacement between wheels and floats.

I like the expression "160hp". Can I fit one on a 65hp mount? (I'm not bothered with electrics..can swing up to 300..and 450 has been known, but my fingers don't like radials)

[Dick Smith]

Vee cabane

Rob, if you open this cubcrafters link and scroll down to the yellow supercub, it shows a front view of the gear...the vee cabane is a "vee" shaped piece running from each longeron down at an angle, meeting on the centerline...where the shockabsorbers tie in on their upper ends. Probably clear as mud!! http://www.cubcrafters.com/cc/products/climbprop.asp

Dick

[Robert Lees]

OK, Dick, I think I understand (aren't all Cubs like this?) I like the low-drag version on your Tcraft where the "vee" doesn't appear below the fuselage?

No, OK, I don't understand...I know the cub gear, and I know the Tcraft gear, on your Tcraft photo, where does the gear hinge rotate (triangulate)? Does the horizontal part ( the portion parallel with the belly) stay stationary?

Rob (slightly lost) Lees

[Dick Smith]

gear movement

Rob, the Maule shock is welded at it's lower end to the piece that is normally made of streamlined tubing...the upper end of the shock is allowed to pivot on a bolt through a tab welded under the bungee truss. The gearlegs move in a normal manner, with the body of the shock extending down and out as the shock loads are absorbed. The experimental F-19 had the type you prefer at one time, but found that the cabane setup provided less wallowing while maneuvering on the ground. He also uses gear that is about 2 1/2 inches longer than standard. Dick

[Sabrina Hill]

Hyd. Brakes

I just joined today, and bought a 1940 BC65 last month. The plane has only 10 hours on a total engine overhaul, and 10 hours since a total airframe rebuild. The problem is that it failed an annual in 1999 because the right brakes had cammed over once, and on inspection the IA felt that they would do it again. I learned on a 7AC Champ at 14, and have flown luscomes, J3s,
several taildragger ultralights, and even a Cassutt III . Even after all this, the prospect of having a wheel lock up on me on landing
makes me very uncomfortable. I would like to go to toe operated brakes that are reliable, they dont have to be hydraulic, Clevland used to make a mechanical set that lever actuated, but no one carries them anymore. HELLLLP.

[Steve]

Actually it seems that the brakes that are on my "new toy" are from a Swick STC. They are "toe" brakes (really more mid-foot) and work very well. The paper-work problems that I have are that the wheels and axles are larger than as written in the STC, no 337 was ever filed, and no log entry ever made. Since I fly out of a paved airport, brakes are needed for taxi and run-ups and I find that the "toe brakes" are much easier to use than the tiny heel ones...of course I am somewhat less than coordinated with my big feet.

[Forrest Barber]

Vic : You will find that I completely agree that heel brakes, mechanical, properly adjusted all all you will ever need. I like the KISS method for everything, weight saving too! think about it a bit more do you REALLY want or need toe brakes....

[Dick Smith]

Heel vs. Toe

Sabrina(Welcome to the Tribe)...Those brakes can be fixed and they will do the job. You live in Texas, so can't be too far from the factory at LaGrange, TX. Give them a call and check on the parts that are at the root of the IA's concern. With only a few hours on that aircraft since rebuild and overhaul(assuming they were done right), you need to fly it, rather than tear in to it. I agree with Forrest's and other's statement that the mechanical/heel brakes, properly maintained and set up, are fine. I really like and appreciate my hydraulic toe brakes, but I got along fine for years without them...I think the conversion was worth it for my needs, but it adds weight and is more of a job to install properly than I had envisioned. For what it's worth. Dick

[Sabrina Hill]

Dick,
Thanks for the quick reply, the rebuilds were done by the book by an a&p, and signed off by the same ia that faild the annual the following year. The guy that owned the plane owned five others,
so he just parked it for four years in a hanger. last month he decided he wanted to sell everything but his starduster and cessna 140, so he sold me the bc65 for 10,000 dollars. When I
inspected the brakes, it looked like the cammed wishbones were badly worn on their lobed surfaces. After having everybody tell
me that the brakes had a bad tendancy to cam over, I started looking for alternatives. One of them that I would some feedback
on is a C7000A mechanical shoe brake that Cleavlend makes
for the Taylorcraft F-19. Thanks a million for what you have already told me, and if the new Cleavlend system is not practical,
then I will see about getting replacement parts from Taylorcraft.
My concern is that crosswind approaches do not frighten me. I used to live north of Spokane, and used to fly into alot of U.S.F.S strips to go fishing, and sideslipping to touchdown got to be
second nature. That would be the wrong time to have a brake lock up, but if you guys think a mountain has been made out
of a molehill here, then I will rethink this. Thanks again for your input.
Sabrina

[Victor Gisclair]

Hdy. Brakes

Well, I don't realy need them. I want them, but after listening to everyone I think I will stay with what I have. This is my second T-Craft and I only had a problem once and that was because my right brake had stop working completly and I had but off fixing it. I was at a control airport trying to turn to the right and gave it a little gas, and full right rudder to bring it around. It didn't go and I went off the taxi way. I had to get out of the plane and pull it around by hand while everyone, it seem to me anyway, was watching. I quess the same thing could have happen with Hdy. brakes. They go out also.

[Forrest Barber]

Welcome Sabrina yes I think you need really look at the situation, have them serviced by someone who really understands the system, I fly them all the time and sometimes it takes a few hours to re rig & adjust. The new linings are terrible, use only as necessary. Try to fly without brakes as much as possible.
Vic I think you will be okay. I too have had a few embarrrassing moments, probably the best was with no brakes & tail skid at Dayton, off between the lights onto the sod then the controller wants to know "my intentions"
I explained they are now and always had been to land & taxi to the ramp area....with a few explitives tossed in at the time.
I too have had a few departures from normal taxi , always have an out , a place to go..... ask the guys on ski's about that idea.