RivetBangers.com

How much has anyone thought about brakes?

I have been researching this topic, and am slightly dismayed by what I am finding out. The standard Cleveland brakes which come with the finish kit (7 and 8, probably 4, 6 and 9 as well) have a rated brake energy of 117,500 foot pounds. This is more than adequete for a normal landing, but it is pretty marginal for an aborted take-off at 1800 lbs. If you had to taxi for a while before take-off on a hot day at a high density altitude, you may run out of braking before the airplane stops.

Aircraft Spruce carries an upgrade kit which will convert these brakes to 155,000 foot pounds, but it costs over $300. According to another BB, I could delete the Clevelands from the finishing kit and get a credit of about $430, then buy a set of Grove 56-1A brakes for $689. The Groves have a rating of 162,300 foot pounds.

This seems like pretty cheap insurance. Also, the greater brake energy dissapation provides a bigger margin to help prevent those pesky brake fires!

Anyone here have any first hand experience?

Pat

My number crunchin finger's starten itch.

I had a long talk with a very knowledgeable -8 owner/builder (this guy owns a C-180, T-6, C-150, super cub, and several other planes)
He said the standard brakes are inadequate, that the rotor is too thin and generates too much heat. He knows of 3 separate people that lost brakes on one side because it heated up so much during taxi that it melted the gasket / o-ring and the fluid was lost. No fire.

Good lesson not to use brakes during taxi - keep those RPMs low! Might be more of an issue in a nosedragger where you have to use brake to steer...?

He recommended the upgrade kit - heavier rotors dissipate more heat. Said he had no experience with grove stuff on the -8, but he has the grove stuff on his super cub and likes it.

Thomas