Brake caliper location question

[CG36498]

Greetings everyone,

Just bought my first 170. Needs repaired and moved. While removing wings for trailering, and wheel pants It notice a few odd things.
First was the location of the wheel brake calipers. They are on the forward side of the axle. ???
I have looked at a few other 170's and the brakes are on the aft side of the axle.

did they get installed incorrectly?
Could that have caused the plane to flip over while braking.

Don't want to fix it, just to have it do it again.

David
Napa, CA

[GAHorn]

The Cleveland brakes conversions can be done under several approval methods. The installation instructions for the kit used should specify.
I've seen them both ways and it probably makes no difference, although the original Goodyear calipers were on the AFT side...and the Cessna install and the Cleveland install instructions I have both place them aft.
It's doubtful the position of the calipers caused a noseover. (But a parking brake inadvertently applied in-flight can do that. This can happen when full rudder is applied during maneuvering and/or dealing with crosswinds when the rudder pedal is moved full forward and the parking brake latch/lever contacts the firewall blanket, thereby setting the parking brake without any indication to the pilot. During your repair, if installed, completely remove the parking brake hardware from the brake master cylinders to disable that system.)

[mit]

Later Cessna put them on the front. I like them in the front.

[wabuchanan]

My '50 170A has them in the front........They have always worked just fine for me .

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[mit]

I don't like the flex line routing. Prefer over the top myself

[blueldr]

In regard to the removal of the parking brake hardware, is this an approved modification?
Does it require a "Notifying Decal" of some sort in the cockpit in addition to a log book entry?

[GAHorn]

In regard to the removal of the parking brake hardware, is this an approved modification?
Does it require a "Notifying Decal" of some sort in the cockpit in addition to a log book entry?

That's a great technical question, Dick!
And I've been working on a solution for a couple years now with the Federales. There are widespread opinions on it.
The parking brake is not listed as "required equipment" so it's my contention that removal is a minor alteration and therefore a simple matter.
A couple Feds at my workplace agree...and one disagrees. The disagreeable one thinks that removal is an alteration of the production certificate. (I maintain that if such is the case, then ANY minor alteration would be illegal..... ...but he remained unconvinced.)
The FTW-FSDO was asked by me three years ago and they're still commiserating on a response. The two Feds that agree with me believe that no violation would be pressed unless an accident could be blamed on the disabled parking brake....however, they also feel that a placard and/or "INOP" label should be on the knob. (Mine must have worn off.)

If the Bowden cable is left in-situ, with the solid core-wire bent around the sheath at the lower end... then there's simply NO WAY anyone would be able to pull the knob and believe any braking action has occurred.

I also believe that some pilots set themselves up for trouble with parking brakes anyway. While administering flight reviews I've witnessed pilots apply the parking brake in order to accomplish a run-up near the runway. HIs head went down into the cockpit to closely examine Tach, carb heat, etc etc for the run-up.... completely unaware that the airplane slowly crept forward toward the SWA B-737 directly in front of us. Our prop would have easily done more damage to that 737 wing than his liability insurance covers.

Bottom line is: It's safer to not rely on the parking brake, and to disable it to avoid the ground loops and blown tires others have experienced.

I have now involved the BHM-FSDO, where we have a Fed more sympathetic to our plight on this matter, since he's also a Member!
Hopefully we'll have either an STC, Field Approval, or blanket Fleet MEL soon.

[wabuchanan]

I don't like the flex line routing. Prefer over the top myself

I don't disagree with you. It is on my list of things to look at next annual.