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Cleveland vs. Rapco Replacement Brake Discs

jherzog

jherzog

Well Known Member
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It's time for me to buy a new pair. A pair of Rapcos seems to be about $250 cheaper than the Clevelands. Any reason not to go with them, or to spend the extra money and stick with OEMs?
 
When I get to that point? I replaced my pads on my certified airplanes with the Rapco's. They worked great then. I suspect they still do as they're still around.
Now I wish I still had the rivet tool to do the swap.
 
Taltruda said:
Rapco pads are terrible.. but their disks are ok.. I started using Mcfarlane brand Disks and pads, very nice stuff. It’s sold by Mcfarlane and Spruce under the brand APS.
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I guess different folks have different luck - I’ve been using nothing but Rapcos for close to 20 years - replace them on each plane maybe every third annual due to wear - never had a problem.
 
Ironflight said:
I guess different folks have different luck - I’ve been using nothing but Rapcos for close to 20 years - replace them on each plane maybe every third annual due to wear - never had a problem.
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I too have been using rapco linings for a very many years. It seems that they may have changed the "recipe" recently because the new linings look different and literally crumble with normal use. There's at least one thread here discussing the new lining material
 
Ironflight said:
I guess different folks have different luck - I’ve been using nothing but Rapcos for close to 20 years - replace them on each plane maybe every third annual due to wear - never had a problem.
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Replace Every 3rd annual, wow! I’ve been running Grove for 20yrs, never replaced the rotors and seldom need pads, and I don’t baby my brakes.
 
Walt said:
Replace Every 3rd annual, wow! I’ve been running Grove for 20yrs, never replaced the rotors and seldom need pads, and I don’t baby my brakes.
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And on our Grove-equipped Tundra, which has been flying for right years and 500 hours, we have yet to replace a brake pad. I agree - the Groves are great!

But the actual topic of the thread is disks - I apologize to the OP for taking it off topic.
 
Jordan, I notice you have an A-model. Replacing the discs is an opportunity to upgrade the kinetic energy rating. The change is fundamentally a thicker disc and a shim in the caliper. The additional disc mass moves the rating from 117,500 to 155,000 ft-lbs. The benefit is less fade late in the application, and if you need to taxi an A some distance in the wind, it tends to prevent overheating a caliper.

Cleveland offers a complete kit (# 199-93) which officially makes your 30-9 brake equivalent to a 30-181A. Buying Rapco RA164-09900 disks, plus new pads, new longer bolts, and making your own spacers will do the same thing for a lot less money.

While you're on your knees, install viton o-rings in the calipers. Although unsuitable for extremely low temperatures, they withstand high temperatures far better than nitrile. No one loves a red puddle.
 
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Good advise (DanH). Note to check caliper clearance to wheel pants, you may have to cut a bit of fiberglass away & create a bulge for caliper movement.
 
Taltruda said:
... I started using Mcfarlane brand Disks and pads, very nice stuff. It’s sold by Mcfarlane and Spruce under the brand APS.
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Thanks! This is the first I'm hearing about APS "BlackSteel" brake discs: https://www.apsbrakes.com/blacksteel-brakes

I guess I should have titled the thread Cleveland vs Rapco vs APS. It looks like APS are the same price as Rapco. Any other thoughts on going with APS for replacement discs?
 
And thanks to Dan, Ralph & Roy. I will look into upgrading to thicker discs and widening the calipers. Will also look into changing O-rings to Viton.
 
May as well get some 83282 fluid while you're at it. Higher flash point. I haven't used 5056 in decades.

I'm told synthetic transmission fluid is just as good. No personal experience.
 
jherzog said:
Thanks! This is the first I'm hearing about APS "BlackSteel" brake discs: https://www.apsbrakes.com/blacksteel-brakes

I guess I should have titled the thread Cleveland vs Rapco vs APS. It looks like APS are the same price as Rapco. Any other thoughts on going with APS for replacement discs?
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Jherzog,
I was wishing for factory drilled rotors at the time of replacement. I do not fly in the rain very often, nor slushy runways, yet they are preferred in other applications.
Daddyman58
 
I’ve done the thicker brake mod on an A model.. in addition to slightly longer toe bolts, you need to make a caliper shim from 1/8 aluminum, mill it down to 0.113 thousandths, ( I seem to remember that was the difference from the stock disk vs the upgraded ones) add a shim on the axle (0.062, I have some if you send me your address..) and chuck the axle nuts on a lathe and remove .062 so that your cotter pins go back in.
 
In buying new hardware to mount my new discs, are there alternatives to using genuine Cleveland-branded hardware to mount the discs?

For genuine Cleveland, 6 bolts ($18.50 each), 6 nuts ($4.35 each) and 12 washers (at $19.60 each!!) comes to over $370 from ACS. Ouch!
 
jherzog said:
In buying new hardware to mount my new discs, are there alternatives to using genuine Cleveland-branded hardware to mount the discs?

For genuine Cleveland, 6 bolts ($18.50 each), 6 nuts ($4.35 each) and 12 washers (at $19.60 each!!) comes to over $370 from ACS. Ouch!
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It's just AN hardware.

Taltruda said:
Also check out the new wheel nuts that we all should be using.
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If you don't have one thread showing above the nylock.

Taltruda said:
and Mobil SCH100 grease.
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Burn me at the stake, but it's a wheel bearing. Nearly any decent grease will do.
 
jherzog said:
Thanks Dan. So why would ACS stock "genuine" Cleveland washers at $19.50 each when the generic AN washer is 9 cents apiece?
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I dunno...but I'm seeing $3.69 per wheel, IF the bolts are needed at all. You have 40-78 wheels, yes? The thicker disks should work with the original bolts.

ScreenHunter_3144 Feb. 18 12.18.jpg

You do need 0.125" longer bolts for the calipers, two each.
 
DanH said:
It's just AN hardware.



If you don't have one thread showing above the nylock.



Burn me at the stake, but it's a wheel bearing. Nearly any decent grease will do.
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I agree, any decent grease will do, and sure, the Nylock nuts we’ve been using for 50 years will work.. but Cleveland put out an updated PRM to use the newer reduced size metal lock nuts, and they call for 100SCH grade. It’s just easier to use the newer nuts that I can get a socket on, and by using the same grease all the time, I can regrease without completely washing away the unknown..
 
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