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A place where restoration project-type threads can go to avoid falling off the main page in the WIX hangar. Feel free to start threads on Restoration projects and/or warbird maintenance here. Named in memoriam for Gary Austin, a good friend of the site and known as RetroAviation here. He will be sorely missed.
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Hey Stearman owners

Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:39 pm

:prayer: I need to wave the white flag here for a bit. Looking to get some help with a stearman owner/mechanic who is operating the stock wheel/brake system.

vtdeucedriver@yahoo.com

Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:16 pm

I've got the Bendix brakes on mine. Don't like them much, but I have them.

Dan
warbirds@shaw.ca

Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:58 pm

Are they grabbing? Mine had a master cylinder from an old Hudson or something, but I found that I had to adjust the brakes to within one angstrom of the drum to prevent them from grabbing. I also chamfered the leading edge of the shoe a bit. Arcing the shoes probably would have solved all my problems, but I was too poor to do that.

Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:11 pm

Oh yea they are!! Well one is!! Well were done for the winter so no worse for wear but the master cylinder on that side also took a crap. That left usually was grabby for the 1st couple of brake applications then it was fine but sunday I thought my dad was going to put the tail up in the air just trying to get it to the grass runway. So yep, another squak to put on the winter MX list.

Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:31 pm

Keep 'em adusted tight and it should help!

Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:50 am

i knew a few Stearman owners in N.O. years ago who had all adapted their brakes to mid-ish 50's Chevy pickup hydraulic. The master cylinder was pretty good sized and the shoes, with a bit of creative re-arcing would fit, oh yeah, everything was really really cheap because there were so many parts out there.

Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:17 pm

Where can I find NOS brake drums???

Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:52 am

N3Njeff wrote:Where can I find NOS brake drums???


Trainwreck, try these guys:

http://www.dustersandsprayers.com/main.html

Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:39 pm

N3Njeff wrote:Where can I find NOS brake drums???
Why, are they worn all the way through? Them's cost money! :-)

Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:12 pm

bdk wrote:
N3Njeff wrote:Where can I find NOS brake drums???
Why, are they worn all the way through? Them's cost money! :-)


Dont think so. I am told that I may have a spot where its rusty and to run some 80 grit to clean them up. So that I am going to try. I am also told by my uncle that we have a set somewhere!!!! So the search is on!!!! Were not quite like Austin Acres but its hit or miss as to the degree of our potential!!!
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