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Brake Lines

J

jim miller

Well Known Member
My RV3 has the plastic brake lines with the compression fittings. I have had
leak problems at the point where the line connects to the wheel cylinder. My
lines run thru some very nicely done fiberglass gear fairings. If I ever need
to replace the plastic line thru the fairing will it be possible? Is it common
to use other type of lines like aluminum and terminate in 303 hose for
example. Any advice appreciated. I have a new leak I just discovered
yesterday and haven't investigated the scource or exact problem yet.

Thanks
Jim Miller
 
Hi Jim,

The "Van's standard" (these days) is to use aluminum tubing from the firewall down to the brake calipers, with a loop down around the axle to give flexibility. Many folks use flexible hoses all the way, others use the aluminum tubing down to near the axle, then a short length of flexible hose. Best I have been able to tell, they all work.

I understand that earlier in the lineage, the plastic lines were used per plans, and many are still flying that way.

All three of our RV's have aluminum tubing all the way, and we have had no issues.

Paul
 
Jim,

I replaced all my plastic brake hoses on my RV-4 with Aeroquip -3 Teflon Racing Hose, P/N FCC 0315 (15 ft) using the appropriate Aeroquip fittings. No leaks in 3 years.

Mitch Garner

RV-4 flying
 
My immediate problem is not using the inserts. I will try to find some locally.
Its also good to know about the other options. The teflon racing hose sounds
like a easy way to go if I can get it down the fairing covered gear leg. My RV3 first lew in 1989 so the lines are getting old.

Thanks all for the help.

Jim Miller
 
Jim, I have a few of the inserts that I'll pop in the mail if you want them - PM me your address. I used braided teflon hoses inside my 9A and am running aluminum hard lines to the calipers. No plans to use the Nylaflow stuff that came in my kit.
 
krw5927 said:
Jim, I have a few of the inserts that I'll pop in the mail if you want them - PM me your address. I used braided teflon hoses inside my 9A and am running aluminum hard lines to the calipers. No plans to use the Nylaflow stuff that came in my kit.
Click to expand...

Kirt
Thanks a lot for the offer. When I got my RV3 the owner gave me all his
extensive collection of aircraft hardware and I found some in it. I have them
installed with the inserts and hopefully my problem is over for a while. In the future i am going to upgrade to something similar to your set-up.

Jim Miller
 
Jim, I'm sure you've thought of this, but you can use the nylo tube to pull the ?" aluminum tube through your gear leg fairings--maybe. Assuming they weren't taped to the gear leg. Could be your easiest option if it goes through the gear legs. I would use a small piece of a threaded rod to screw into both the nylo and the aluminum to pull it through.
 
That's a good idea and it may come to that someday. The end exiting is
inside a black rubber tube that could be a conduit I need to look closer at
the other end to see if it has the rubber tube also.

Thanks
Jim Miller
 
Jim - you are aware the fairings come off, or at least they should. There should be a hinge pin. It might be hard to see. It also should be safety wired through a hole in the bottom of the fairing or secured in some other manner. I have aluminum lines secured to the gear legs by three short lengths of split plastic tubing taped around the gear leg. The tubing I.D. is larger than the aluminum lines allowing the aluminum line to float and move as the gear flex's. This was standard practice in the day.
 
Last edited:
JonJay
My fairings are fiberglass, very smooth and appear to have been
made in place. I need to look closer at the gear/engine mount. Does the
gear leg unbolt from the mount to allow the one piece fairing to slide on?
Are the fiberglass leg fairings something could have come with the kit or
most likely custom made?

Thanks
Jim Miller
 
jim miller said:
JonJay
My fairings are fiberglass, very smooth and appear to have been
made in place. I need to look closer at the gear/engine mount. Does the
gear leg unbolt from the mount to allow the one piece fairing to slide on?
Are the fiberglass leg fairings something could have come with the kit or
most likely custom made?

Thanks
Jim Miller
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, if they where formed while on the aircraft, they are there to stay. Taking a gear leg off to remove them might be a lot of work.
It is a good idea to remove the fairings once in a great while to check for chafing and corrosion. I removed mine at 500 hours and while there was not corrosion, there was some chafing from the fairing on the gear leg exposing bare metal. Easy to prime and paint, add some chafe tape, and I will look at them again in another 500 hours.
Look carefully at the back of the fairing. If there is a split there, the hinge pin is hiding in there. Send some pics if you can.

I do not know the history of the two piece aluminum vs factory provided fiberglas fairings to know what might have come at the time of your 3 build.
 
Best route for brake lines ?

Ok, conventional wisdom is Al tubing in the fairing to the caliper. Does anyone have a suggestion/pics how to get a flex line from tubing end in the fairing through the fuse (-3/-4) to the master cyl? TS Flightlines can work the magic, I need plan.
 
Larry---you can use -3 teflon hose and fittings, so the largest point is .490 across the flats of the nut. Many have used alumimum tubing from fuse to calipers with no issues. Yes, it is less expensive that teflon hose, but not as flexible as hose.
Jim---303 hose that you talked about would weigh more than the whole assembly in teflon!
Tom
 
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