I don’t like to think too much about how the axles became so warped. Two thoughts are that they may have been ‘rescue’ undercarriage from another plane that was written off. Another is that they have had the screw at the end brazed into position, possibly destroying the temper of the axle. Either way, the relatively spindly mounts on the spar seem in good condition and my inspector is happy with the condition of the spar.
So, clearly the axles need fixing and one of the brake backing plates needs replacement too – which is within my ability but I suspect it would be easier simply to replace them. They’re operated by bicycle cables and I’d prefer not to change that aspect of the system.
The wheels are 5"; the axle is 1" and the brake hole spacing is 3.75" diameter. The current brake drum is 4" internal diameter.
Does anybody have any suggestions as to what they would replace the brakes with? Cost is a consideration. It’s been put to me that I should opt for disc brakes. The only drum brakes I've found so far that might work are from avusa and seem to have a mixed reputation.
