Brake issues

[Esser]

Hey everyone, just getting ready for my first flight and I’m not liking my braking action. My brakes don’t hold over 3750RPM. I’ve bled them thoroughly and they feel stiffish. I’ve conditioned them by tacking around for 10 min at about 70% braking power.

I’m wondering if I need to keep condition, if I glazed the rotors, if I need to bleed more even though I don’t see any air in the system and I’ve bled a few times, do I need to switch to braided lines? I have the double piston groves. Not sure the part number but came with the kit in 2012

[Slyfox]

few thoughts Josh, one, maybe you need to taxi around and have some brake on to burn them in. second, if you can still stop the plane I wouldn't worry too much about needing them on landing, just go over the numbers at 50mph and stall land 3 point the airplane, shouldn't need the brakes at all, main thing is for both sides to be equal. if you think you have air in the lines, try pushing fluid from the caliper to the brake pedal. you can use a squirt can with red fluid in it and hook to the bleeder and squirt away until it comes out the units at the pedals. hope this helps.

[Esser]

I actually filled my system from the caliper up, I’ve also conditioned the brakes taxiing around for 10 minutes. Maybe I need to do it longer. I’m slightly concerned because I have a free catering tail wheel and brakes are my only way to steer

[Slyfox]

are you judging your brakes on a power brake or are you judging them on taxi. I would be more concerned with taxi and how they work. stopping from lets say 15 or 20mph over holding the plane on a power run. the tail wheel, I'm not a fan of free castering, if you get a bad cross wind on taxi, you will, how do I say it, have a bunch of fun...not:eek:

[Slyfox]

one more thing, if you went too much on a run and try to brake in the pads you might have gone too far and glazed the lining. the only way to take care of that is to take the lining off and flat sand the lining with sand paper on a flat surface. than just put them on and use them. don't taxi and burn again. if you know what I mean. generally when I put new pads on I just do a few stops and lightly apply the brakes while taxi only. hope this helps

[efwd]

Don't you have huge tires? 26 inch right, with the wheels provided by Kitfox? Does that not limit the effectiveness of the brakes?

[Slyfox]

I don't know about that one, I had 22 on mine and went to 27.5 and my brakes work just fine. ha, the older matco single to boot.

[rosslr]

Josh,

have you tried using the hand brake to test the power hold? I find it easier to get more pressure on them that way - other than that, I agree with the others about not being too concerned about the stopping power and more concerned with effective taxiing.

Waht ever you do, hurry up will you - we are all waiting!!!

cheers

r

[Esser]

Well put it this way, when I’m taxiing I feel like I have maybe 25% the braking power as I should. I’m going to try and set the pads some more. If that doesn’t work, maybe I glazed them, in that case, I’ll sand and see what happens. Thanks for the input!

[rv9ralph]

To break in Cleveland brake pads requires a fast taxi and hard braking to generate heat. If not done properly the result is ineffective brakes. Check the procedure for your brake pads. Just taxing will hot generate the necessary heat to break in some pads.

Ralph

[GuppyWN]

On a vehicle you speed up and aggressively stop several times. If you just taxied around I’d second the glazing.

[PapuaPilot]

To break in Cleveland brake pads requires a fast taxi and hard braking to generate heat. If not done properly the result is ineffective brakes. Check the procedure for your brake pads. Just taxing will hot generate the necessary heat to break in some pads.

Ralph

There are two types of Cleveland brake pads and the break in requirements are different for each type. Find out which type you have and follow the appropriate procedure.

At this point sanding the pads down and do it again. I think you should have a lot more holding power than you mentioned. You should be able to hold the plane with brakes.

If this doesn't work check again for air bubbles and bleed the brakes again.

FYI, I second (or third?) the suggestion to not have a free castering tailwheel. I have lost a spring a couple time and was happy that I wasn't landing in a crosswind. Steering with brakes only can be done but I wouldn't want that as the norm.

[N213RV]

Not sure what engine you have, but 3750 rpm is a ton and I’m not sure I’d expect the brakes to hold at that rpm.... my plane red lines at 3700 rpm (2450 prop rpm) and statically I’m lucky to hold it still much over 3300 rpm (2200 prop rpm)

Does not seem like a problem to me.

[Esser]

I have a Rotax. 5800rpm for take off, 4000 for run up.

Good news, brakes are working great. After doing the Cleveland method mentioned, they now hold at almost take off power. Thanks for the help everyone.