The other couple of planes in my hangar are running hydraulic hoses for the last 12" or so of the brake lines, right before the caliper. I understand this is a good idea for back country operations? On my 182 the lines are fully hard tubing, and the fitting going into my pilot side brake is as a 45*, and the passenger side is a 90* fitting with a hard bend in the tube to meet the fitting. I just don't like that hard angle, and asymmetry bugs me. I'm considering mimicking my hanger-mates planes but using 12" of braided hose.

Is this a log book entry project or is that an STC of some sort? I asked the A&P at the FBO and he didn't know.

Thanks

My mechanic did that exact mod to my Cessna with a log book entry...NOT a STC. You need a A&P to sign it off, of course.

Pictures, please!

I’m always looking for more ways to tinker on my 182!


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Log book.... I prefer the stainless braided hose as it’s more durable to impact..

Brian


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Thanks guys. I'll probably order the parts for my A&P. Can regular braided lines from the likes of Summit Racing work? What size are the brake tubes?

CParker wrote:Thanks guys. I'll probably order the parts for my A&P. Can regular braided lines from the likes of Summit Racing work? What size are the brake tubes?

No, you can’t really legally use summit racing hoses on your airplane, the flares are a different angle, and they’re not airplane parts. Even tho summit calls their fittings “AN” they’re not really AN. You need to go to Aircraft Spruce or Herber Hose and spend 4 times as much for essentially the same thing.

You also need to determine if your existing lines are dash 4 or 3. I used a reducer to drop down to dash 3 for just the little hose we’re talking about, much smaller outside diameter.

Experimental here, so pardon my ignorance.

When I relocated my oil cooler I bought stainless braided hose and AN fittings off summit. I cut to length and put the fittings on myself. The flares on the AN fittings matched what I have on the engine and the oil cooler.

CamTom12 wrote:Experimental here, so pardon my

Oops! You’re good to go then. I believe the way those summit hose ends are assembled is not the same as old school aeroquip fittings, but if they’re good enough for a 1000hp LS they’re prolly good enough for your little brakes.

A quick brake line story: I use the small diameter poly lines on my experimental, as do many LSA types. It's light, flexy, and cheap, and works great for our smaller birds. Since I switched my landing gear to Cub style A frames, AND covered and faired them, I have simply ran the lines down the A frames, inside the fabric, so out of sight and I thought safe from hazards. Where they exit is protected by brush by the gear, and where they enter the cabin is bushed for chaffing protection. This simple and light way has worked well for over 1,000 hours.

Well just last week, when I had my little "vapor Lock" (or whatever it was problem on a ridge top, I also noticed one brake went from mushy to gone. Back in the hangar, it turned out the leak was in the section of poly-flo tubing that was inside the fabric covered gear legs. There is nothing sharp in there, just round tube and fabric, that's why I felt OK in simply running it thru there and leaving it loose. So, an easy fix, less then 10 bucks and about an hours work. So, a few days later, just yesterday, I'm up in Montana landing on some gravel bars, when I notice I now have lost my OTHER brake. One benefit of the poly line is it is translucent, and I could see air in the line on that side. I continued on with the trip, even landing one 9K ridge on the way home, being a ski pilot I am used to having no brakes. Not having brakes isn't the issue, it's not knowing you don't have brakes that can be. I assumed it was going to be a simple bleeding job, that messing with the other side had somehow introduced air into the good side. But, it turns out that tubing had also failed from chaffing inside the fabric!

It's fixed now, and other then make a log book entry as to how many hours the old setup lasted, (so I could change it out every 1K hours, preemptively, like I do my tail springs) I don't know what to do to make it better. I suppose I could double sleeve it with the next size up tubing, or run it outside using similar stainless line methods, but that would be heavy, expensive and look like hell. What get's me is the two totally separate sides, failed with a few hours of each other, there is no rhyme or reason for that other then coincidence.

I have aluminium tube from the fuselage down the gear leg, and then a flex hose to the caliper. I saw a 170 at HSF that had a flex hose all the way from the fuselage to the caliper (Kyle from Boise I think?) It looked really neat as he had it in a rubber fairing on the backside of the gear leg.

This stuff: https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/a ... key=575139

I think I am going to copy that set up.

I added these to my 172 at annual. You can buy the proper hose at most good hydraulic shops, and they will usually have steel AN fittings. You want aluminum AN fittings though. Medium pressure hoses are super easy to make yourself, and usually one of the tasks on an Airframe practical test.

You probably need some male-male fittings and flare the rigid tubing also. Probably about 3 hours all said and done. Bleed with a pressure pot to make your life easier...

Rod

courierguy wrote: I don't know what to do to make it better.

How about a couple dabs of silicone on the back side of the gear leg tube, holding the line. Simple, very effective and cheap!
John

daedaluscan wrote:I have aluminium tube from the fuselage down the gear leg, and then a flex hose to the caliper. I saw a 170 at HSF that had a flex hose all the way from the fuselage to the caliper (Kyle from Boise I think?) It looked really neat as he had it in a rubber fairing on the backside of the gear leg.

This stuff: https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/a ... key=575139

I think I am going to copy that set up.

That moulding is a McFarlane product. I think all the McFarlane products are still available through Aviall. Usually a cost and shipping cost saving.

CParker wrote: The other couple of planes in my hangar are running hydraulic hoses for the last 12" or so of the brake lines, right before the caliper. ….. I'm considering mimicking my hanger-mates planes but using 12" of braided hose.....

Probably a good idea.
I advise you to carefully consider just how long that flex hose should be.
My 180's brake lines are configured in such a way that the clip which secures the lower brake line to the gear leg
slightly interferes with the fitting on the upper end of the flex.
If they'd made that flex line just an inch or two longer, or shorter,
it would have worked much better.

I ran a SS braided flex line all the way from the fuselage fitting to the caliper. Logbook entry.

hardtailjohn wrote:

courierguy wrote: I don't know what to do to make it better.

How about a couple dabs of silicone on the back side of the gear leg tube, holding the line. Simple, very effective and cheap!
John

I like using cable ties with a short length of hose as a spacer.

Can anyone share a link of where to buy the stainless braided brake lines? Experimental or certificated, either is good.

SummitRacing.com is one source

courierguy wrote:SummitRacing.com is one source

x2

Summit racing is where I got my premade stainless braided brake lines. Crimps and fitting are steel and fit my AN fitting I got from Spruce perfectly. Very happy with them.