Wheel and brake info needed

[beeryboats]

I bought my mod IV second hand last fall. It's been setting for 10 years or so, and needs a little TLC. The gear is spring type, and I thought it must be Grove mfg. I now think it must be the Kitfox spring gear option. It has 3/4" axles and the disks are attached in the wheel with three cap screws. The wheels are one piece alum 6x6 and have six bolts that hold them to the spindles. Does that sound like factory gear? I'm looking for replacement disks, pads, and caliper oring kits. I checked out the Kitfox catalog, but they don't show any brake parts?
Thanks,
Jay

[SkyPirate]

Can you post a pic? Are you sure they arent split wheels?

[beeryboats]

I just found another thread, "go kart to Matco brakes", and he has the exact same ones. I went to the Matco web site, but I don't see the same style, but half their listings don't have pictures. I don't think they're two part wheels. I had all the bolts out and aired the one really bad leaker up to see where the leak was and it didn't blow apart.

I've been researching all night and it looks like I have ATV wheels with Matco brakes. Tomorrow I'll go back out to the barn and see if there are any numbers on the calipers.

[SkyPirate]

Ok hagar makes a 6"x6" that is solid and i believe has a 6 bolt pattern

[beeryboats]

Chase, the jack point worked flawlessly by the way. And you should have seen the looks I got at the BMW motorcycle/Polaris shop when I brought in my tires to be mounted. I wasn't going to attempt that job myself, it's too cheap to let some young kid do it. I know the guys at the shop too well, I have a bike and a Polaris, so after they were done I let them know what the tires were for. They thought it was great! So many people are afraid of being sued, they won't help you.

[Av8r3400]

Are you sure they are a 6" diameter wheel? Your description fits the OEM Kitfox 8" Douglas ATV wheel with Matco single puck, internal brake caliper setup, to a tee.

As I said in the other thread a photo of your situation would be most helpful.

[Dave F]

Yup - 8" douglas wheels in my opinion as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_ndpuhDqMg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE-9FadDDko

for your enjoyment factor LOL

[beeryboats]

You're probably right. I'll go look after I'm done shoveling this &@$& cold white stuff off the driveway. Again!!

[beeryboats]

Yep, 8" wheels. It's been so long since I bought the tires I forgot what size they are. Here is a photo of the disk.

[SkyPirate]

Cool on the jack point working well, its simple ,does what its suppose to do :)

[Av8r3400]

The rotor doesn't look that bad that a local machine shop couldn't surface grind them clean.

I'd bet the o-rings are a nominal size that you could get in your hardware store.

Once you pull the pads off, measure them and call Matco with the size and they will send you new pads to rivet on.

[beeryboats]

I thought about surfacing the disks, but I didn't know if that was an approved repair method.

[Av8r3400]

Approval isn't necessary on an experimental plane… :D

[beeryboats]

That's what I was thinking. Here is a photo of the back side of the caliper. Definitely Matco brakes. I'll give them a call tomorrow and get some orings and pads.

[SkyPirate]

while you have it apart,.if your going to put wheel pants on and tow your plane..I made some of these to tie the wheels down instead of weaving a strap around the tire or axle made out of 300 series 3/32" stainless

[beeryboats]

Thanks Chase, but I think I'll hold off for now. I've been trolling the 'net all night and I cannot find any Matco brakes that look like mine. And their web site isn't the best either. But it does clearly say "Matco" on the caliper.

[HighWing]

The gear is spring type, and I thought it must be Grove mfg. I now think it must be the Kitfox spring gear option.


Jay,
There is the possibility that the gear might be Hammerhead gear. Grove and Hammerhead originally were partners similar to Avid and Kitfox. I had the Hammerhead gear mainly because they offered the gun drilling for the internal brake likes at no extra charge. i think Isee the fitting at the bottom of the gear leg for the brake lines. I think the others are spot on regarding the surfacing of the rotors. I think you are on the right track.

[avidflyer]

Thanks Chase, but I think I'll hold off for now..

Give them a call and ask to talk to their tech rep. I can't remember his name, but he is very helpful. If you tell him what you have, he will fix you up. If you are looking for the rotors, you may not find the ones with all the holes in them. Most Kitfox and Avid rotors don't have the holes. Also, you can probably clean the rust off yours with steel wool or something and be good to go. Jim Chuk

[HighWing]

The thought occurred to me that I replaced my original Matco pads and used Cleveland pads from Aircraft Spruce. They were reccomended by several friends and fit exactly. Part Number is 66-106 and the rivets are P/N 105-002 You will also need something like Aircraft Spruce P/N 824 a riveting tool. You may have to modify the tool because of the countersunk rivets, though.

The downside is that the rivets are short and the holes in the back plate will need to be countersunk. this was what my buddies did and I followed suit. Wt took a drill the diameter of the rivet head and ground it so it resembeled a flat end mill with a pilot in the center for centering. the cutting face is ground to an edge which works fine on the aluminum plate. Use a drill press with a stop to make each hole the same depth.

Contacting Matco is likely the right thing to do. I have had good experiende with them in the past. I suspect they have the correct length rivets.

Regarding the Rotor. When it came in the kit it was a complete flat disk. The build instructions called for trimming the exterior to where yours are resulting in a disk with tabs at the mounting points and drilling the hole pattern. This was done with the intent of reducing weight. I drilled my first ones withouit trimming and this time I trimmed the outside as yours are and they are undrilled. I attached a copy of an original build manual page with the rotor info.

[beeryboats]

I bead blasted the disks at work and then hit them with a light coat of graphite so they don't rust. I ordered new pads and rivets from Matco, and I'll go turn the barn upside down as I know there must be a rivet tool out there somewhere in my late father in law's stuff. I may still have the disks surfaced at some point. We'll see how fast they wear out a set of pads.:D