Wanted: Article from Soaring, March 1998

On Nov 14, 10:02*am, Dan wrote:
On Nov 14, 6:41*am, Lewis Hartswick wrote:

Tim Taylor wrote:

Don't do it! *Send the wheel to Vintage Brake in Sonora California.
The Steckner mod is self energizing but won't release properly once
engaged.

http://www.vintagebrake.com/

Any company that uses the term "billet" in their ads looks
like they are mainly aimed at the motorcycle crowd. I thought
the soaring community had a bit more intelligence than to
use such language. :-(
* * ...lew...

yes, they do a lot of brake work on motorcycles. *Don't hold that
against them.
They did a great job on my Tost wheel brake and for a good price and
on schedule.
I give Vintage Brake a big thumbs up.
Dan

Seriously - Can they also install a bushing as needed when the
camshaft wears away the casting ?

Michael "Mercury" Morris at Vintage Brakes does excellent work at a
fair price and in a timely manner. I highly recommend his work.

He overhauled my AS-W20 P.O.J. Tost unit including detecting and
bushing out the ovalized holes, installing high performance brake
shoes, and making the shoes and drum concentric (unlike almost all
stock Tost brakes I have ever seen). The brake would lock, if I
desired, after his work and continued to perform perfectly for years.

Happily, he is not wise enough (yet) to stop working of whiner glider
pilot's brakes. I believe he only works on "racing lawnmower" Tost
brakes as he does not want the liability of working on aircraft - and
maybe because lawnmowers are the only thing a stock Tost unit is good
for.

Mark (AS-W20C with a real hydraulic aircraft brake)

On Nov 14, 6:41*am, Lewis Hartswick wrote:
Tim Taylor wrote:

Don't do it! *Send the wheel to Vintage Brake in Sonora California.
The Steckner mod is self energizing but won't release properly once
engaged.

http://www.vintagebrake.com/

Any company that uses the term "billet" in their ads looks
like they are mainly aimed at the motorcycle crowd. I thought
the soaring community had a bit more intelligence than to
use such language. :-(
* * ...lew...

Yes, that is their main business. They can (and have, for me) make a
vintage quad leading shoe cable actuated road racing drum brake work
every bit as well as a dual disc system. There are numerous people
who have had Vintage Brake turn their nearly useless Tost brake into
something that actually works, and they do it for a reasonable and
don't take forever.

On Nov 13, 12:26*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:
On Nov 13, 10:21*am, jsbrake wrote:

Hi All,

Would anyone be kind enough to send me an electronic copy of the
following article from Soaring, March 1998:
“Putting the Bite into Weak Drum Brakes”, by Tillmann Steckner

I'd like to actually be able to stop my heavy Kestrel 19 when it
lands... without using fixed objects likes trees or fence posts.

TIA,
John

Don't do it! *Send the wheel to Vintage Brake in Sonora California.
The Steckner mod is self energizing but won't release properly once
engaged.

I don't know how many of the negative responders have actually done
the Steckner mod with their own hands. Here is one data point from
someone who has. It was simple to do and has worked perfectly for the
last 6 years. Tost brake. Prior to the mod I essentially had no
brake. After the mod it felt like a disc brake. Very progressive
feel, easily modulated, with absolutely no tendency to stick and will
stand the glider on its nose if you need it.

If you mess up the installation, which is unlikely if you are at all
handy with simple tools, or just don't like the results you can easily
return it to standard by buying one new brake shoe.

It is true that the Steckner mod loads a pin in the brake assy in a
manner for which it was not designed (I think). But I would much
rather eventually damage that pin than run into $something$. Again,
after 6 years of frequent use the mod has worked flawlessly (15 meter
glider over 525 pounds empty weight) including at least a couple of
important "saves".

Regards,

-Doug Hoffman

p.s. Let me know if you still want/need the article and I can send it
to you.

On Nov 15, 3:33*am, Doug Hoffman wrote:
On Nov 13, 12:26*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:





On Nov 13, 10:21*am, jsbrake wrote:

Hi All,

Would anyone be kind enough to send me an electronic copy of the
following article from Soaring, March 1998:
“Putting the Bite into Weak Drum Brakes”, by Tillmann Steckner

I'd like to actually be able to stop my heavy Kestrel 19 when it
lands... without using fixed objects likes trees or fence posts.

TIA,
John

Don't do it! *Send the wheel to Vintage Brake in Sonora California.
The Steckner mod is self energizing but won't release properly once
engaged.

I don't know how many of the negative responders have actually done
the Steckner mod with their own hands. *Here is one data point from
someone who has. *It was simple to do and has worked perfectly for the
last 6 years. *Tost brake. *Prior to the mod I essentially had no
brake. *After the mod it felt like a disc brake. *Very progressive
feel, easily modulated, with absolutely no tendency to stick and will
stand the glider on its nose if you need it.

If you mess up the installation, which is unlikely if you are at all
handy with simple tools, or just don't like the results you can easily
return it to standard by buying one new brake shoe.

It is true that the Steckner mod loads a pin in the brake assy in a
manner for which it was not designed (I think). *But I would much
rather eventually damage that pin than run into $something$. *Again,
after 6 years of frequent use the mod has worked flawlessly (15 meter
glider over 525 pounds empty weight) including at least a couple of
important "saves".

Regards,

-Doug Hoffman

p.s. Let me know if you still want/need the article and I can send it
to you.

I put an Azuza drum brake on my HP-24, the system is installed now,
and when I squeeze the bike grip, if I reeeeeaaaaaalllly try I can
slightly rotate the tire, for a moment. This might or might not result
in stopping the glider reasonably well. I wonder if the mod you are
talking about could be performed on this brake system?

Brad

On Nov 15, 4:33*am, Doug Hoffman wrote:
On Nov 13, 12:26*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:



On Nov 13, 10:21*am, jsbrake wrote:

Hi All,

Would anyone be kind enough to send me an electronic copy of the
following article from Soaring, March 1998:
“Putting the Bite into Weak Drum Brakes”, by Tillmann Steckner

I'd like to actually be able to stop my heavy Kestrel 19 when it
lands... without using fixed objects likes trees or fence posts.

TIA,
John

Don't do it! *Send the wheel to Vintage Brake in Sonora California.
The Steckner mod is self energizing but won't release properly once
engaged.

I don't know how many of the negative responders have actually done
the Steckner mod with their own hands. *Here is one data point from
someone who has. *It was simple to do and has worked perfectly for the
last 6 years. *Tost brake. *Prior to the mod I essentially had no
brake. *After the mod it felt like a disc brake. *Very progressive
feel, easily modulated, with absolutely no tendency to stick and will
stand the glider on its nose if you need it.

If you mess up the installation, which is unlikely if you are at all
handy with simple tools, or just don't like the results you can easily
return it to standard by buying one new brake shoe.
I now own the sailplane Doug put the Streckner mod on.

The brake will still put the sailplane on its nose and continues to
work flawlessly.





It is true that the Steckner mod loads a pin in the brake assy in a
manner for which it was not designed (I think). *But I would much
rather eventually damage that pin than run into $something$. *Again,
after 6 years of frequent use the mod has worked flawlessly (15 meter
glider over 525 pounds empty weight) including at least a couple of
important "saves".

Regards,

-Doug Hoffman

p.s. Let me know if you still want/need the article and I can send it
to you.

jsbrake wrote:
Hi All,

Would anyone be kind enough to send me an electronic copy of the
following article from Soaring, March 1998:
“Putting the Bite into Weak Drum Brakes”, by Tillmann Steckner

I'd like to actually be able to stop my heavy Kestrel 19 when it
lands... without using fixed objects likes trees or fence posts.

TIA,
John
Hey John

I've worked it out in my Kestrel.

Once the wheel touches you should not be pointing it at anything you
plan to keep...

You can adjust the brake to provide limited stopping but it is never
going to lift the tail.

Bruce

On Nov 15, 10:47*am, Brad wrote:

I put an Azuza drum brake on my HP-24, the system is installed now,
and when I squeeze the bike grip, if I reeeeeaaaaaalllly try I can
slightly rotate the tire, for a moment. This might or might not result
in stopping the glider reasonably well. I wonder if the mod you are
talking about could be performed on this brake system?

I don't know. Steckner claims the Tost non-energizing design is
ancient auto technology. In the early 1950's cars went to the self-
energizing design which is what the Steckner mod provides. Take a
look at the article I sent to you and you should be able to figure it
out.

Regards,

-Doug

Once the wheel touches you should not be pointing it at anything you
plan to keep...

You can adjust the brake to provide limited stopping but it is never
going to lift the tail.

Bruce

Gee, thanks, Bruce! The senior instructors at my club have been very
specific in their directions for when I land the Kestrel: land away
from everybody with nothing in front and don't taxi. I've diverted to
another runway (our club has several) to avoid the congestion.

If it weren't for the risk of tearing the drogue, I'd keep it attached
until I was almost stopped. As it is now, I jettison the chute just
after roundout.

Are we talking about the mod where the pivot bolt is hack-sawed away
from the brake housing and allowed to float free? If so, I haven't
done the mod but I have un-done several. The problem as I see it is,
the automobile system only allows slight lateral movement thus
allowing the shoes to self align inside the drum. This sailplane mod
allows both lateral and vertical movement. When braking is applied,
the lead shoe can be suddenly sucked forward and up into the drum
which generates heat resulting in the shoe frozen in place on the
drum.
JJ