Pilot side brake Cylinder flat, but copilot works

[yanknbank]

If they get filled really high, little spurts come out of the breather on the filler cap. I just assumed my missing fluid got sprayed out of there and made a home in the carpet. Smells like 5606 to me, but it's 50 years old...

[D-EFOG]

Hi Tim,

sometimes the very little things can make life easier:

this is my source for this elastical plug, so you can apply it easily also with installed parking brake mechanism (we still have the parking brake installed, but don't use it due to well known reasons). These plugs are so cheap you can replace them everytime before before the dogs will have completed their work :

Cp. Landfeld, Germany, plug "CAPU 3"

Just need to apply a small hole into the bottom to allow pressure compensation ...

https://www.landefeld.de/artikel/de/sch ... -/CAPU%203

regards, Stefan

[drak130]

Well,

The left brake gremlin came back. Very little "grab" with the pedal going nearly to the stop. Co-Pilot brakes were fine. Plenty of fluid. Next day went out to bleed the brakes again and pedal was firm again. The unpredictable nature of the brake was weighing on me so bit the bullet and decided to pull the master cylinder (Cleveland 10-35) order the rebuild kit from AS. Rebuild was way easy and in the process discovered quite a bit of debris. Some of the debris was caught in the smaller spring under the piston. Looked like orange plastic from the reservoir plug. While I had the master cylinder out I went ahead and ground out a bit of relief on the parking brake lever so that I could install a brass plug (with a hole drilled in it).

Reinstalled, bleed the brakes and everything seems to be good to go. I'm telling myself that the plug debris was getting caught between the piston and the bore allowing fluid to bypass and give me a spongy pedal.

Of course with the single puck brakes the amount of pressure I have to apply to the brakes to hold the aircraft during runup is borderline ridiculous. So that got me to thinking. Airplane + thinking = money. Last year when I had my annual done at Maule Flight, Kit said "most people have put the double puck brakes on by now". So now I got a hankering for some better brakes.

My airplane is a 1998 M7-235C with the Cleveland 30-63E single puck brakes with 8.5x6 tires. Cleveland specs the 30-52N brakes. Maule REL specs the 30-52K or 30-52N. ABI specs the full kits with the 30-52N with kit numbers 199-62, 199-62A or 199-71. Sent an email asking which one. Not sure what the difference between 3 bolt vs 6 bolt is but that seems to be the only difference in the 62 and 62A kits. The -71 kit seems to be an outlier.

Anyone have any experience with the conversion? My guess is a whole kit is required because I can't use the same wheels? Any new hose required? Currently have the flexible hose all the way down the backside of the spring gear.

Thanks Again and Merry Christmas to all!

Tim

[Kirk]

Tim,

I have the same setup, M5-235C on 8.50x6. Still have the single puck brakes. I would say think about your use before you take the plunge on double puck brakes. It’s pretty pricey and your airplane will come up with many other opportunities to spend money.

No doubt, if you are doing back country or strips less than 1,000’ it is worthwhile. I’ve used strips shorter with no problem but yeah, standing hard on the brakes during run up chaps my butt.

Some mods just seem to go through the “it’s all the rage” stage. The IA that is working on my plane now, when he first saw it 15 years ago told me; “You really need to switch to double puck brakes.” This year he saw the airplane and I told him I was considering double pucks this year. I was surprised that his response was; “Well, yeah you could, but you don’t really need to. Every airplane I’ve recovered that went on its back had double puck brakes.”

So, I’ve waffled 19 years on the decision you are trying to make right now… sooner or later I’ll make a decision.

Kirk

[Gary Raser]

I also have a M7-235 C I had a real challenge, installing the double puck brakes. The spring gear needs a larger radius for the caliper to fit. I ground and filled it. The other problem I had was that the only place they would fit was on the lower back side of the gear. It should be on the front side of the gear.
I do have them installed and they work well. I have 8.5 X 6 and 31” bush wheels and switch back and forth.

If you want give me a call or text 610-587-0123
Garyraser@outlook.com

[andy]

I put Cleveland double puck brakes and flexible stainless steel brake lines on my 1986 MX-7-180 in 2008 and haven't regretted it for a moment. I bought them from ABI when they were still in OR. They are installed on the front of the wheels. I didn't have to change wheels. The 3 -bolt vs. the 6-bolt I think refers to the 6" wheels vs. the 10". Mine are 6" 3-bolt. When I had 8.50x6.00 tires, the calipers were pretty close to the tire and a spacer was provided by Wup at ABI to move them away a bit.When I switched to 31" ABI tundra tires, there was more space. I bought a set of new wheels from Airframes Alaska and mounted the 31" tires on them so I could switch back and forth but I ended up selling the 8.50s with wheels to another Maule'r and keeping the bush wheels on all the time.

With the double puck brakes, not only is less pressure on the pedals needed but the brake pads last forever. The disc is 3/8" instead of 1/4". I think the flexible stainless steel brake lines are a must. Mounting the calipers on the front is the best way to protect the pads from debris and water.

[Gary Raser]

Andy
Do you have spring gear on your MX7-180?

[andy]

Oleo gear.