Matco brakes

Just a little heads up on the matco wheel and brakes. If you are about to install them on your plane there needs to be little modification done to the vans nut that threads onto the axle or the spacer that butts up to the bolt holding the whole system onto the axel. The problem is the wheel is wider then the vans wheel and thus leaving you with only 9/16th of thread left for the vans axle nut. The holes for the carter pin are at 1/2 so there is nothing to drill a hole into to put the pin in.
You have two options. One shorten the spacer that butts up to the axle bolt or shorten the vans nut by 3/16 to move it inward so you can use the holes to drill through the axle for the carter pin.
I am going back up to the hanger to do this and will fallow up tomorrow. It would be easier if I had a lath.
If anyone else sees or knows something different please let me know. It would be easier if Matco supplied the same nut that Vans does but with the carter pin holes inward as part of the wheel kit.
Thanks

IN order to fix this you need to lath a 1/4 in off of the Vans nut. Do not take anything off of the spacer between the wheel and the brake plate. The carter pin is a pain in the butt to get in, you will have to bend the carter pin in order for it to go in. Also do not use the three 1/8" spacers that matco sends. If you do your AN fitting from your caliper will be to tight to the Backing plate to get in.

Seans post

Something doesnt seem right....have you seen this post from Sean?

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=100415&highlight=matco+brakes

Yes I seen that and actually talked to Sean and he had to do a little modifying to make them work. Talked with George and he has now as off yesterday redone his instruction with the modification that needs done. I still don't like how the carter pin goes in. The axel needs to be a tad bit longer or the wheel a little narrower but other then that I think I am finished with them now and they look great.

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add (or summarize) my experience with the Matco wheels and brakes on the -10.

There are three issues which you need to address to complete the installation:

1) You have to slot the cotter pin holes in the wheel nuts so you can drill the cotter holes farther inboard on the threaded gear axles.

2) You must have inner tubes with right angle (90') valve stems. The straight stems interfere with the wheel nut cotter pins.

3) There is a fitting on the Matco calipers that interferes with the wheel pant brackets. Matco's suggestion is to form a bulge in the 1/8" aluminum plate brackets. That isn't within my capabilities, so I will cut away the offending area and rivet on a stiffener.

R.I.P., Stamper

I'll make my contribution here - pics of the necessary mod to the wheel pant brackets if you lack the tooling and brute strength to put a bulge in .125" alclad.

modification

Just my two cents...

I trimmed out the area necessary to prevent contact and did not add any doubler. One year later there is no sign of any cracks or distress.


Off topic, the Matco brakes are only an improvement from the Cleveland brakes in Kinetic Energy rating. The Grove brakes have a higher KE rating- long story- but I know this from experience.