Main Wheels

Hello folks,

Been doing a lot of head scratching here. I have the tires and inner tubes mounted on/in the wheels, but the instructions for mounting the wheel on the gear axle are less than helpful.

Does anyone have a good write-up on this with pictures?

Also is this the "screw" that secures the brake flange to the axle?


Thanks,

Tom

Main Wheel Bracket assembly

Tom,

Here's some pictures of the assembly. I took these while trying to figure out why the brackets and wheel pants had movement..

Av8torTom said:

Hello folks,

Been doing a lot of head scratching here. I have the tires and inner tubes mounted on/in the wheels, but the instructions for mounting the wheel on the gear axle are less than helpful.

Does anyone have a good write-up on this with pictures?

Also is this the "screw" that secures the brake flange to the axle?


Thanks,

Tom

Click to expand...

Here are some photos of mine.

Thanks, but it's still not clear to me how the brakes attach and where the spacers go.

Do I have the correct bolt?

The caliper assembly (gold with MATCO engraved) has 2 pins that slide inside the mount that is bolted to the flange on the axle. The 2 bolts on the left side of the photo need to be removed to mount the caliper. The inner brake pad backing plate has similar holes that slide over the 2 pins. There is a spacer that the 2 bolts go through and then they thread on to the outer brake pad backing plate.



Unbolt the outer brake pad, slide the caliper assembly into the guide holes (with a light coating of brake grease), then capture the brake disc on the wheel with the outer brake pad and spacer, reinsert the 2 caliper bolts, torque the wedgelock washers down, and you are ready for plumbing the lines and bleeding the system through the bleeder valve (red plastic cap in the photo). The caliper just "floats" in the two guide holes and centers itself on the brake disc when you step on the brakes.

And yes, you have the correct bolt for the axle flange.

Thanks Bruce - I always check your build site first when I have questions.
I think my understanding is growing here.

My caliper has 2 knurled spacers on the pins, but I see only one in the photo you provided.

It's there, but hidden in the photo. The knurled spacers stay put on the mounting flange.

By George

I think I got it...

Thanks again Bruce and Fred!



P.S. - Don't tell my wife I'm doing this in the living room...

One more thing to consider with following the plans here is that the brake bracket flange and wheel pant bracket is bolted on using nylock nuts (AN365 type). I swapped these out to full metal lock nuts (AN363 type). Brakes can get hot and transfer the heat. Might not be a problem, but an easy upgrade to do at this point.

Good suggestion Bruce - thanks...

A good precaution for not using nylocs on the brake assembly. I had my left wheel pant moving around on the tire. Disassembling pant from the wheel, expecting to find loose screws or axle bolt, I found neither. It was the nyloc nuts that were loose on the collar that mounts the brake system to the gear leg. I replaced all nylocs on each main gear, no repeat after 4 years. One note though, the threads on the long shouldered collar bolt are course threaded, don't ask how I now know that. Dan from Reno

bruceh said:

One more thing to consider with following the plans here is that the brake bracket flange and wheel pant bracket is bolted on using nylock nuts (AN365 type). I swapped these out to full metal lock nuts (AN363 type). Brakes can get hot and transfer the heat. Might not be a problem, but an easy upgrade to do at this point.

Click to expand...