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Heel brakes bent...

daedgerton

PATRON
Arlington, VA
Looks like over time these heel brakes have been bent pretty good... I did some searching on the forum and see that this is fairly common. What is the best way to go about fixing this? New ones or can I bend these back? Any ideas on best way to go about this?

See pictures below... And thanks in advance for the help guys, don't know what I would do without this place!

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is this in there, looks like it is but i cant tell for sure??
 
Cut them in half. Weld tube inside them.

Make sure your welds are not where clamps are.


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
 
Pardon my ignorance but what is that?

i was just trying to figure out how your bending those pedals? if it wasnt in there was wondering how far forward that pedal would go after the master bottomed out under the seat. because once you hit that channel it would be harder to push it any farther forward.
 
i was just trying to figure out how your bending those pedals? if it wasnt in there was wondering how far forward that pedal would go after the master bottomed out under the seat. because once you hit that channel it would be harder to push it any farther forward.

Got it... It's an A model so I should be able to get under there and check it out.
 
My PA-18A brake and rudder pedals were bent towards the C/L from a prior accident in Montana. Still worked ok.

Gary
 
i was just trying to figure out how your bending those pedals? if it wasnt in there was wondering how far forward that pedal would go after the master bottomed out under the seat. because once you hit that channel it would be harder to push it any farther forward.

bending is VERY common, one of the things you inspect for at annual... pedal face should be in line with hole in arm.

once it bends, you get LESS travel & actuation of your brakes.... or people then keep them pumped up to try to compensate for the lack of travel
 
From my thread "Eddie's Mini Rebuild." I just very carefully and gradually rebent it. Mike's remedy is probably more permanent.
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Replace and/or repair as Mike stated. If it bent once you know the metal is stressed. Why believe it wont bend or fail after reshaping?

Web
 
bending is VERY common, one of the things you inspect for at annual... pedal face should be in line with hole in arm.

once it bends, you get LESS travel & actuation of your brakes.... or people then keep them pumped up to try to compensate for the lack of travel

mine are made out of 4130, and ive had north river boosters from the begining, barely have to apply pressure for brakes, never have had to stand on them to get action.
 
Used to see them twisted regularly especially with the old original expander tube brakes. They would fade out when they got hot and the pilots (spray planes) would just stand on them.

Have seen them straitened in place, usually on sprayers when they didn’t have time to open things up. They would rework the brakes and then...... with a padded pipe wrench holding the tube (at wire attachment and laying on the floor board) gently pull back with a wide mouthed big crescent wrench; to realign things.

All of this was usually followed up by the boss chewing a pilot.

Ive never seen a brake pedal actually brake, but have seen them get twisted again.
 
Amphibious float equiped Super Cubs are hard on the brake pedals as well. I cut a hole in the boot cowl the size of an inspection ring and replace the pedal and hang the bent one on my "Wall of Shame". Installed and inspction cover and all is good.
 
No boosters, just ordered some Steve's. Ordered new pedals from Airframes to be done with it. And as Steve said, these will go on my "wall of shame"!
 
Looks like I've got myself s good crack on the brake channel reinforcing plate. Beefed up Atlee looks like the way to go.

What is the best way about going and getting reinforcing channel in there? Going to have to remove the rudder pedals to make it fit?

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Pretty common, I'd put a doubler on top of the floor board if it is cracked, replace the pedal and get on with it. You would have to pul the front floor board to get that channel out, no fun on a covered airplane with a factory bootcowl.
 
You could probably drill out the boot cowl to get it out. Or bend up some 90 deg steel and mount through a doubler on the top


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On a separate note... any idea what this part is? Only on the left side... Nothing on the right.. Leftover from the Ag system?

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is that plate holding something underneath? can you get a picture where thats at under the floorboards? maybe a chunk out of the floorboard and thats just a cosmetic plate holding things together. or a opps when the floorboards were cut and a brake pedal slot was put a little far back.
 
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is that plate holding something underneath?

No.. I should have gotten a pic of the underside since it's open and I am working on the brakes... I'll get one tomorrow. It seem to just form a 90 deg angle from the floorboard to the fuselage tube. It was caught up on one of the interior panels that the previous owner installed rather quickly...
 
Mike what’s the most common way to access from underneath to front pedal to remove it? I can cut inspection ring in fabric and maybe reach underside or do you have to cut inspection ring in boot cowl w hole saw? Can you remove brake pedal w floor in? I have one possibly bent the other seems loose when you push front pedal it twists someone in its place before it actually moves the brake connection rod.
 
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