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Toe brakes on Cessna aircraft

WindOnHisNose

BENEFACTOR
Lino Lakes MN (MY18)
I have had a problem on my C210 and need some guidance.

Problem: When taxiing the toe brakes are responsive to light pressure. When I am in flight for a few minutes the right toe brake is ineffective until I depress (pump) the toe brake a time or two...at which time it firms right up.

I discovered this a few weeks ago when I was landing at our airport. I landed and while on the landing roll I applied pressure to the toe brakes and only one brake was effective, with the other ineffective until I pumped it.

The mechanics have examined the brake system and found nothing wrong, but they took the time to bleed the brakes (from the wheel up). Again, the brakes were effective with normal toe pressure but when I took off and flew back to my home base I found that when I lowered the gear and tested the brakes the one brake was really soft.

What is going on???

Randy
 
A long shot, but this symptom is well known in the vintage corvette world. If the trailing arm (on a car) is mis aligned or worn causing the disk to wobble slightly, then the wobble causes air bubbles in the caliper effectively causing air in the line.

Never heard this happening on an airplane, but I guess it could.

Rich
 
Randy,

The gear in your airplane has an o-ring on the location that it rotates. I wonder if the o-ring is bad or you may have a cracked casting. The problem may only present itself when the gear is in the retracted position - allowing fluid to leak or something similar.

Tim
 
Randy,

The gear in your airplane has an o-ring on the location that it rotates. I wonder if the o-ring is bad or you may have a cracked casting. The problem may only present itself when the gear is in the retracted position - allowing fluid to leak or something similar.

Tim

If it's anything like the 177 to change it is super fun. Randy you could leave the gear down, fly around and see if the problem comes back, that would eliminate that part of the equation
 
IF YOU HAVE NO LEAKS. You have something like a warped rotor that is pushing the piston back into the caliper. The extra pump on the toe pedal just pushes the piston/pad out far enough to contact the rotor. Have the mechanic check for a warped rotor or a stuck caliper. If nothing found, have him swing the gear and check for anything interfering with the caliper during retract.

Web
 
I would test fly with gear down like Tom suggested and see if it does it. If it does the Lockoseal in the master cylinder is easy to change. If it doesn't it sounds like that elbow in the casting that carries the brake fluid and swivels. Did a bunch on 210 years ago and is a PITA and that elbow is expensive but if yours is serviceable there is someone that can rebuild it.
 
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