REFLECTOR: Phenolic Pad Options

[Dave Dent]

I have installed a .005 stainless steel sheet between my axel and the gear leg.  I have had no problem with the heat transfer.  I  punch the holes for the bolt pattern and then slide the bolts through them when I install the axel to the gear leg.  I then put high temp (red) RTV to hold the upper part of the shield to the gear leg.   I go up the leg to just below the top of the tire with the shield.  
I cut a pattern with thin cardboard to match the gear leg after I punch the holes in the bottom to match the axel bolt pattern.  Lay this on the thin SS and match cut it and punch the holes.  Then take some tin snips and cut the shield to match the leg.  De-bur it and install the whole works.  Good heat refraction and inconspicuous as well.  
Dave


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kent Murley 
  To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
  Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 8:04 PM
  Subject: REFLECTOR: Phenolic Pad Options


  Anybody use something other than phenolic pads to protect their main struts from brake disc heat?

  My situation:

  XLRG

  I changed to Cleveland brakes a dozen hours ago (and toe pedals - love 'em) and installed new phenolic pads per the usual method: the top of each phenolic pad runs vertically up each strut to a height nearly a centimeter above each brake disc. The only attach points between the phenolic pads and struts are down by the axle to minimize transfer of heat.

  The shape of my well used struts made the tops of the phenolic pads warp away from the struts a couple centimeters and nearly touch the brake disc. After the first flight one pad actually did touch its disc - wearing an arc into the phenolic pad less than a millimeter deep. I jambed a one centimeter spacer between the pads and the discs to sit overnight. Neither pad has touched its disc since but they are close - within 5 millimeters - and it varies after each flight. It may be the strut or the phenolic pad or both that is changing shape with each set of heat cycles.

  For other reasons I'm now replacing the left main strut and, after taking the wheel off, the phenolic pad has cracked and is unusable, perhaps from my manipulation. Should I use a new phenolic pad or can I fashion an aluminum (or other material) plate that would not be subject to such large (3mm) flexure in heat cycles but still protect my carbon fiber wrapped new strut from the hot disc?

  Kent

   



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