Converting to disc brake, flex hose options?

[pilot]

I have univair gear on my new-to-me 22/20, with a hard brake line coming out the bottom of the gear leg and attached to the less-than-stellar drum brakes. Does anyone know (or have pictures of) the anatomy of the inside of the covered gear leg - is there a bulkhead fitting on a cross brace or is it one solid hard line all the way down? I need to cut the hard line back to add a short piece of flex hose for my caliper, am I going to have to uncover the gear legs? Looks like I can just cut the hard line back to the covered part of the leg and attach a fitting.......

I have Williams toe brakes but man do these drum brakes suck - plus I'm on a fairly short grass field, so at times they REALLY suck. I'm adding front mounted double-puck calipers....and some bigger tires

[rocket]

Years ago I started to go back to non flex at the wheel end of the brake line. It's just not worth all the buggering around with the flex line. I can make a solid brake line for a Piper or spam can in about 15 minutes and a fraction of the cost of all the flex hose bits.
For those high abuse areas, think Cessna, I use mild steel tubing via national aero parts store cut and glair to fit. Piper used copper but it is subject to fatigue failure. Stainless is pretty but not as fun to work with.

Get yourself one of those spring style tubing benders and have fun.

Rocket

[Subsonic]

I have Williams toe brakes but man do these drum brakes suck - plus I'm on a fairly short grass field, so at times they REALLY suck. I'm adding front mounted double-puck calipers....and some bigger tires [/QUOTE]
I'd be interested in any good brake drums or slave/wheel cylinders that you would care to part with when you get your disc brakes. Happily pay shipping and reasonable Price for those old but good and functional parts. Especially drums. Please send PM when you have them in hand and want to get rid of them.
Thanks

[pilot]

I appreciate the response and the interest in the drums. I will likely keep all of the original parts (did I mention I like to hoard aircraft parts??). After looking at the hard line exiting the gear leg it seems to be fairly well attached inside the covered leg, it looks like a 90* with two male ends at the hard line and a short flex hose to the top of a front-mounted caliper will be perfect. I'm not at all comfortable attaching a solid line to a floating caliper - not saying it won't work, just not for me. If I don't alter the existing line I will be able to quickly switch back to small tires/small brakes in case of a trip to somewhere far away where I need to get my speed back and don't need the 29" bushwheels. I will attach pics when the job is done. Anyone with additional pics/ideas would be welcome!!

[Steve Pierce]

Piper used a hard line on the Cleveland brakes on the Super Cub. Copper line clamped to the front gear tube inside the fabric with a 90degree elbow and a stainless steel hard line to the caliper. I will get a picture. Short flex line will work but will be very short. Have seen the looped around which I don't like because makes them hard to bleed and catches tall grass.

[rocket]

Piper used a hard line on the Cleveland brakes on the Super Cub. Copper line clamped to the front gear tube inside the fabric with a 90degree elbow and a stainless steel hard line to the caliper. I will get a picture. Short flex line will work but will be very short. Have seen the looped around which I don't like because makes them hard to bleed and catches tall grass.

Cessna also use a hard line direct to the brake caliper assembly to all the 100 spam cans: from the 120 to the 185. I used to convert them to flex because I thought it was " right" I got over it. When installing double puck brakes on a cub or other upgrade it always came with a drawing of the flex line installation and listed it as an "option"

in in the end you I'll find the hard line less drama all the way around. Practice on some cheap copper, it will take two or three before you get I right but when you do it will be satisfying, you know kinda like learning to land with flaps... without slipping too

Rocket

[pilot]

Piper used a hard line on the Cleveland brakes on the Super Cub. Copper line clamped to the front gear tube inside the fabric with a 90degree elbow and a stainless steel hard line to the caliper. I will get a picture. Short flex line will work but will be very short. Have seen the looped around which I don't like because makes them hard to bleed and catches tall grass.

Yes, I can now see where the line would be only about 6" long, plus would have a high point before continuing back to the factory line. Maybe I can get some rotors for the factory wheels, plumb the calipers like they should be and be done with drums forever.....

[Steve Pierce]

Here is the drawing of the part and installation. nothing around at the moment with the original installation. The original line was copper that was in the gear leg and it terminated with a Weatherhead 90 degree elbow to this short stainless steel hard line that went into a Wetherhead street elbow into the bottom of the brake caliper.

I have used these Aeroquip fittings and hose to make flexible lines. On my Super Cub I made a one piece line from the brake cylinder, out of the fuselage, down the uncovered gear leg and into the brake caliper at the wheel of of this hose and fittings.

[rocket]

I just pulled a set of wheel skis off a cub that had been on them since the 70's. Copper line and the upstream end of the brake line had the weather head fitting. Here I am with my big box of blue AN fittings for every occasion and no joy :/ Vary un Rocket like... Zip-tie and baggie.

Any idea what to use to cap these lines?


Bird is on floats now so I have a couple months to change out the lines most likely just running the small diameter flex line from end to end for its practicality although I don't like the look or the chaffing that goes on with the braided hose shieth.


Rocket

[Jeff J]

I think hard line is okay (the manufacturers used it) but it needs to have some give. I recently found one plumbed so tight the caliper could not be wiggled on the guide pins, let alone slid out for inspection or maintenance without disconnecting the line. I install hose every chance I get.

I have a ‘69 C-150 project that has Cessna labeled hoses with weatherhead fittings that need replaced. It will be converted to AN fittings like Steve mentioned above before I get finished with it.