DavidHarris
Well Known Member
I had a wheel lock up while taxiing at Tuscon yesterday afternoon about 3:30 pm.
The weather forecast indicated 110 degrees. My OAT gauge read 120, and the temperature on the tarmac was probably 150. I had a 2-mile taxi from the FBO to the departure runway. I was behind a slow-moving airplane and had to apply occasional braking even at low thrust, and also some braking for differential steering in a modest crosswind. I was concerned about overheating brakes and mentioned it to my son.
Shortly before reaching runup area, the plane made a hard turn to the right and came to a complete stop. I tried starting again and the plane continued turning right, so I shut down the engine on the taxiway, notified ground control, and got out to investigate. I found the wheel fairing resting on the ground, with the tire completely flat. I was able to remove the fairing, and found the tire pulled off the rim, the tube flat, and the brake locked. The right wheel would not turn when I pushed the airplane. I removed the brake pad, pushed the airplane off the taxiway, and had a 2-hour adventure with the facility manager and three FBOs getting the plane to an FBO. I'm grateful to a bunch of kind people at TUS. This morning the mechanic replaced the tire and I reattached the brake pad and did a ground test, then ferried the aircraft back to KCCB in SoCal, thankfully with a short taxi to the crosswind runway and all before it got too hot.
I'm looking for ideas about the root cause. I have standard Vans RV7A Matco wheels and Cleveland brakes. I think the most likely reason is that the brake locked. I don't know too much about brake failure, but the temperature and length of taxi are both much higher than usual so I suspect it could be heat related. It is also conceivable that something such as unseen debris on the taxiway could have popped the tube, and then the tire deflated, and somehow this led to stresses that locked up the brake. In any event, the brake behaved normally when I reassembled it this morning.
As another possible clue, I've been dissatisfied with my right brake. The plane started flying 15 months ago and I have about 200 hours on it. The brake pad squealed frequently until I replaced it, and occasionally still squeals. The braking action is less effective than I'm accustomed to in a Cessna or Bonanza, and I usually brake gently and have a rollout of more than 1000' before coming to a complete stop. The brakes generate a lot of fine dust that needs cleaning. I'm also not wild about the tube design; I think I follow all the directions about talc powder and repeatedly inflating and deflating but I've had to replace two failed tubes so far on the airplane.
I'm also looking for feedback on a remedy. I've worked on the tires enough times already that I'm feeling fed up, as well as concerned about a ground loop if it fails on landing. It looks like the Beringer wheel and brake system is more reliable, and possibly has better braking action. It's fairly pricey, but I'm considering replacing all three wheels and two brakes with Beringer. Any thoughts or alternative suggestions?
Thank you,
David Harris
The weather forecast indicated 110 degrees. My OAT gauge read 120, and the temperature on the tarmac was probably 150. I had a 2-mile taxi from the FBO to the departure runway. I was behind a slow-moving airplane and had to apply occasional braking even at low thrust, and also some braking for differential steering in a modest crosswind. I was concerned about overheating brakes and mentioned it to my son.
Shortly before reaching runup area, the plane made a hard turn to the right and came to a complete stop. I tried starting again and the plane continued turning right, so I shut down the engine on the taxiway, notified ground control, and got out to investigate. I found the wheel fairing resting on the ground, with the tire completely flat. I was able to remove the fairing, and found the tire pulled off the rim, the tube flat, and the brake locked. The right wheel would not turn when I pushed the airplane. I removed the brake pad, pushed the airplane off the taxiway, and had a 2-hour adventure with the facility manager and three FBOs getting the plane to an FBO. I'm grateful to a bunch of kind people at TUS. This morning the mechanic replaced the tire and I reattached the brake pad and did a ground test, then ferried the aircraft back to KCCB in SoCal, thankfully with a short taxi to the crosswind runway and all before it got too hot.
I'm looking for ideas about the root cause. I have standard Vans RV7A Matco wheels and Cleveland brakes. I think the most likely reason is that the brake locked. I don't know too much about brake failure, but the temperature and length of taxi are both much higher than usual so I suspect it could be heat related. It is also conceivable that something such as unseen debris on the taxiway could have popped the tube, and then the tire deflated, and somehow this led to stresses that locked up the brake. In any event, the brake behaved normally when I reassembled it this morning.
As another possible clue, I've been dissatisfied with my right brake. The plane started flying 15 months ago and I have about 200 hours on it. The brake pad squealed frequently until I replaced it, and occasionally still squeals. The braking action is less effective than I'm accustomed to in a Cessna or Bonanza, and I usually brake gently and have a rollout of more than 1000' before coming to a complete stop. The brakes generate a lot of fine dust that needs cleaning. I'm also not wild about the tube design; I think I follow all the directions about talc powder and repeatedly inflating and deflating but I've had to replace two failed tubes so far on the airplane.
I'm also looking for feedback on a remedy. I've worked on the tires enough times already that I'm feeling fed up, as well as concerned about a ground loop if it fails on landing. It looks like the Beringer wheel and brake system is more reliable, and possibly has better braking action. It's fairly pricey, but I'm considering replacing all three wheels and two brakes with Beringer. Any thoughts or alternative suggestions?
Thank you,
David Harris
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