goodyear vs clevland
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simatos
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:31 pm
goodyear vs clevland
I see lots of discussion replacing goodyear brakes with clevlands. are the goodyear brakes the original gear and are they in fact dangerous?? Thanks CFGTY
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GAHorn
- Posts: 21291
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm
The Goodyear brakes were the original brakes. They were a great brake system compared to what had been common up until their invention. Previous systems were 1) None 2) Bendix mechanicals 3) Expanding tubes 4) Tail skids 5) scorched feet.
The Goodyears were a relatively lightweight, internal disc system that was reliable as long as it was properly maintained (meaning frequently inspected and repaired.) The weakness of the system (in light of the later Clevelands) was complexity, weight, and scarcety of parts (once the Clevelands caught on.)
Goodyear brake overhauls on most airplanes will cost more in parts than the conversion kit to Clevelands....NOT including the labor to overhaul the Goodyears. Some Goodyear parts are simply no longer available. (An extreme example is the Beech King Air 90. The last quote I got for a customer's airplane just to overhaul his Goodyears was $8700, while the conversion to all new Cleveland brakes AND wheeels was $2200. The typical price for a 170 conversion kit hovers around $800)
Goodyears have a penchant to wear their brake linings (pucks) at an angle which can result in brake lock-up...a spectacular sight on a tailwheel aircraft's landing sequence. Additionally, Goodyear wheels are now of such vintage that corrosion, cracks, and wear have taken their toll.
If you are presented with a situation where your Goodyears are in need of serious repair or overhaul...it would behoove you to consider the Cleveland conversion kits.
Buy new kits. Buying from the junkyards has it's own pitfalls of cracked, corroded wheels, faulty wheel bolts and bearings, scored/pitted discs, and internally corroded brake cylinders. There is also no paperwork to assist in making the conversion legal.
Also, be aware that McCauley also made a Cleveland look-alike system. The parts are not always interchangeable and the McCauley system is also largely obsolete/unavailable. (Some replacement parts are still available and made by Cleveland for the McCauley system.) If you do buy used parts, be certain the parts you buy are Cleveland....not McCauley....unless you like challenges such as you're attempting to get away from when you convert from Goodyears.
Aircraft Spruce sells the Cleveland Conversion for 170s. 877-477-7823 Make sure you ask them for their free catalog also.
The Goodyears were a relatively lightweight, internal disc system that was reliable as long as it was properly maintained (meaning frequently inspected and repaired.) The weakness of the system (in light of the later Clevelands) was complexity, weight, and scarcety of parts (once the Clevelands caught on.)
Goodyear brake overhauls on most airplanes will cost more in parts than the conversion kit to Clevelands....NOT including the labor to overhaul the Goodyears. Some Goodyear parts are simply no longer available. (An extreme example is the Beech King Air 90. The last quote I got for a customer's airplane just to overhaul his Goodyears was $8700, while the conversion to all new Cleveland brakes AND wheeels was $2200. The typical price for a 170 conversion kit hovers around $800)
Goodyears have a penchant to wear their brake linings (pucks) at an angle which can result in brake lock-up...a spectacular sight on a tailwheel aircraft's landing sequence. Additionally, Goodyear wheels are now of such vintage that corrosion, cracks, and wear have taken their toll.
If you are presented with a situation where your Goodyears are in need of serious repair or overhaul...it would behoove you to consider the Cleveland conversion kits.
Buy new kits. Buying from the junkyards has it's own pitfalls of cracked, corroded wheels, faulty wheel bolts and bearings, scored/pitted discs, and internally corroded brake cylinders. There is also no paperwork to assist in making the conversion legal.
Also, be aware that McCauley also made a Cleveland look-alike system. The parts are not always interchangeable and the McCauley system is also largely obsolete/unavailable. (Some replacement parts are still available and made by Cleveland for the McCauley system.) If you do buy used parts, be certain the parts you buy are Cleveland....not McCauley....unless you like challenges such as you're attempting to get away from when you convert from Goodyears.
Aircraft Spruce sells the Cleveland Conversion for 170s. 877-477-7823 Make sure you ask them for their free catalog also.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
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dkalwishky
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2002 2:20 am
As a follow up to Georges comments I recently had my Goodyear brakes upgraded to the clevelands (I have a '56 C172) and they work alot better than the goodyears. I find that they stop me much better if I really step on them. Parts are also much much less expensive when you need them. I beleive the STC for my bird was in the neighborhood of $1200 for aircraft spruce plus labor to put them in.
It was an expensive but worthwile upgrade in my opinion.
Dave
It was an expensive but worthwile upgrade in my opinion.
Dave
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