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Brake wear

D

dweyant

Well Known Member
Just completed the first condition inspection on my RV-9A.

Everything checked out fine, with just a few minor issues.

One thing that I'm a little concerned about it the brakes. They are just barely above acceptable tolerances. Is it normal for the matco (stock Vans) brake pads to need replaced after just one year (about 150 hours)?

I try not to use my brakes much, and I fly mostly off of a grass strip if that matters.

-Dan
 
Dan,
What matters are not hours flown but number of landings and taxi time. you might check that they are not dragging. Other possibility is that you don't use them enough! e.g., they need to be 'conditioned' (glazed) prior to use. Routine landings are usually enough to get them hot and re-conditioned, as you wear thru the glaze layer. But if you never get them hot, you will wear thru the glaze layer, and after that they will be less effective and will wear faster, until re-conditioned.
 
In flying various RV "A" models over the years, I have avoided the technique of "dragging" a brake throughout a turn. Rather, tap the appropriate brake to initially deflect the nose wheel in the direction of the turn and then release the brake. I believe that much unnecessary brake wear occurs due to overuse of the brakes throughout turning maneuvers. Propwash over a deflected rudder helps as well. YMMV
 
300 hours and over 1000 landings and still on first set. I've been surprised at how long they've lasted. I do try very hard to have feet completely off brakes during taxi. Just another data point.
 
I wouldn't fret the details. It is a condition inspection, you're supposed to get in there and look at stuff. Brake pads are cheap. I say use them up in a year if you can and re-line them. It takes all of 20 minutes.

My 2c.
 
Anywhere between 100 to 300 hours seems typical for brake pad life on RVs, depending on a lot of factors. There's not really a whole lot of meat on the pads to begin with when they're new. I think I got somewhere around 170 hours on my last set before replacement. At only $25 for the Rapco pads kit from Spruce, they're pretty cheap for an airplane wear & tear consumable part.
 
I was set to replace at 300 hrs but I measured only .015 inch of wear so I left them.
 
Brake pads are cheap as Scott said. I easily wear two sets a year. Discs are another story :)
 
I wore out my first set quickly, less than 100 hrs. Then I wrapped the rudder pedals with heavy duty hose.

This helped to prevent inadvertent dragging of the brakes and preserved the brake pads. 300 hours on the second set.
 
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