Category: Brakes

Brake Lines

All of the brake lines were fabricated and installed. I used Aeroquip hose for the flexible portions around the rudder/brake pedals, and then -3 hard tubing from the canard bulkhead all the way back through the keel to the landing gear bulkhead. Exiting the keel at the whale tail, the two tubes make a bend outward and upwards, passing through the landing gear bulkhead on either side of the MLG pulleys. Elbow bulkhead connectors then make the transition to the flexible hose that continues down the gear legs to the brake assemblies on the wheels.

Brake Lines and Brake Calipers

The routing of the brake lines needs to be such that there is adequate length to accommodate the retraction of the gear, and that the excess stays out of the way of the gear leg during the MLG movement into the down position.  The flexible brake hose was routed close to the gear leg pivot axle, and from there, terminates at an AN bulkhead elbow fitting through the landing gear bulkhead.  Hard aluminum tubing will run to the front of the aircraft from these fittings.

A significant portion of the landing gear door holder plate had to be removed to prevent interference with the brake caliper.  I want to be able to remove the brake caliper without having to remove the gear axle, so this was a necessity.  I will find alternate ways to hold the gear doors when that time comes.  Finally, a 3/8″ thick brass bushing was used during assembly of the MLG over-center mechanism to hold the mechanism forward and prevent interference with the header tank fittings.