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Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 12:52 am
by GAHorn
While working in the hangar I noticed that hydrualic fluid was dripping from my Cleveland Wheel Brakes onto the hangar floor.
The temperature last night had dropped to 12-degrees F., which apparently hardened the O-ring seals on the caliper "pucks" and perhaps caused a bit of shrinkage also.... resulting in a loss of hyd. fluid.
Just thought I'd add a cautionary note to things to "look out" for during cold wx preflights.
(The O-ring is replaceable, of course. The standard Cleveland STC calls for the 30-63A brake assembly, which uses an MS28775-224 O-ring (1/8"x1-3/4"x2")
Spruce sells them for 58-cents each. The Parker-Hannifin/Cleveland PN 101-05200 (equivalent in every way) is $14.00 each.
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 2:44 am
by mit
Hell George,
when it gets cold up here we don't even have the brakes installed!
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:34 pm
by GAHorn
mit wrote:Hell George,
when it gets cold up here we don't even have the brakes installed!
Just exactly...WHEN...does it get "cold" up there?
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 12:54 am
by mit
This weekend its suppose to get to 30 below.... but who knows
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:43 pm
by hilltop170
The only time I have ever had the wheel cylinder o-rings leak is when the brake pads and/or brake disk are at their min thickness and the piston is more extended than when the pads/disks are new
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2018 5:42 pm
by GAHorn
hilltop170 wrote:The only time I have ever had the wheel cylinder o-rings leak is when the brake pads and/or brake disk are at their min thickness and the piston is more extended than when the pads/disks are new
Not the case in this instance.
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 2:51 am
by hilltop170
That’s very interesting as both my C-170 with single puck Clevelands and my C-180 with double puck Clevelands sat outside for years winter and summer in Alaska without ever seeing a problem with fluid leaking out of the wheel cylinders.
Makes me wonder if the o-ring material has been changed to a less cold-resistant elastomer, or maybe some other change in the system?
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 6:44 pm
by DaveF
The O-rings in my Cleveland single-puck cylinders last about five years, then start to seep. I assume the cylinders would benefit from polishing.
Re: Cold Weather Adversely affects Brakes
Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:34 pm
by bsdunek
I've never had mine leak due to cold, but then, it may depend on the age and type of o-ring. I still have the Goodyears and they have always worked fine. Good thing to watch for though, there's always a first time.