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TomParsons Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: "Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?" 01-27-03, 16:00z  I went out yesterday to fly for the first time in three weeks, but with the last flight's leftward-veering problem fresh in my mind. But I ended up cancelling my flight, and now I'm not sure whether I have a real problem or an imagined one. As I was pushing the Pitts out of the hangar, I heard a slight grinding noise up by the main gear. I went around and listened to each main gear wheel as I slid the airplane back and forth. The left main seems to make the most pronounced noise, although both sides were making it to some extent. In addition, the left side makes a periodic squeak or chirp as the wheel rotates. I thought that the brakes might naturally be dragging ever-so-slightly, but I wanted to test things to see if there was any connection between this noise and my (real or imagined) left-veering issue. I know already that, with the tailwheel unlocked, the airplane wants to turn left as it taxis. So to take the engine and turning prop out of the equation, I simply pushed the airplane at fast-walk speed along the ramp, got it tracking straight, then let it go. It does turn to the left as it drifts to a stop, regardless of which way I'm pushing it along the ramp, so I'd guess this is not just the result of a sloping surface or a weathervaning rudder. The left turn is enough to put the tail about three feet right of center by the time the airplane has stopped. So, does a test like this show that there's really a problem? Significant enough to cause the excitement I saw last time on takeoff and landing? It's hard to imagine that some misalignment of the main wheels or tailwheel has suddenly appeared in the three flights I've had since the ferry pilot's problem free flight in November. But perhaps the cold weather has caused a sticky brake caliper or something. Or maybe it's just me. Tom P. Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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Subject      Author      Message Date     ID      Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    TomParsons       01-27-03              RE: Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    DHamblin       01-27-03       1         RE: Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    Ben_Chiu       01-27-03       2         RE: Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    Ninepilot       01-28-03       3            RE: Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    djpacro       01-29-03       4         RE: Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    TomParsons       01-29-03       5            RE: Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    djpacro       01-30-03       6                 RE: Brake Rub, a.k.a., Am I Nuts?    TomParsons       01-30-03       7

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