TOST Disc Brake Conversion Kit for LS4 through LS8

[Gianni Isotope]

I just received the kit for my LS7. I'm interested to hear reports from others who have already installed it. Was the installation straightforward, or did you encounter any unexpected difficulties?

[GliderCZ]

On Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 8:56:43 AM UTC-7, Gianni Isotope wrote:
> I just received the kit for my LS7. I'm interested to hear reports from others who have already installed it. Was the installation straightforward, or did you encounter any unexpected difficulties?

Can't speak to the LS, but I had a Discus retrofitted about 10 years ago. It was anything but straightforward. I had a friend with engineering skills and a machine shop who helped a great deal. He fabricated both a mounting bracket and an actuator arm that made the thing work optimally. He said the original configuration didn't have the correct orientation to the brake cable, so my installation was much more custom than I had anticipated.

You may have better results out-of-the-box than I did. I might have been able to get by without the extra work, but I was glad to have the assistance of folks with more knowledge and skill than I've ever possessed.

[[email protected]]

Don't know if Beringer has a disk brake retrofit approved for the LS7, but they have an STC kit for the LS4. I installed a kit on my Pegase 101A and it was no problem. (But I am a decent mechanic, not a bank clerk ;-)....)

I had the whole original Leleu wheel and brake system removed and the Beringer installed in an afternoon. I only had to ream the caliper retaining post hole in the glider landing gear leg a couple of millimeters.

Totally satisfied with the quality, ease of installation and, most importantly, the ability to stop in half the distance if necessary. But that says as much about the OEM brake as anything.

https://www.beringer-aero.com/en/complete-kits-stc

[[email protected]]

Just following up to see how the installation went. I'm looking to convert my brake on my LS6, and since we share the same fuselage figured your experience would be valuable to have.

Thanks
Davis

[Gianni Isotope]

Thanks for checking in! My winter project for the LS7 disc brake conversion has now become a spring project. The entire kit is still in the box it came in. I will post a report when the install is finished, hopefully by mid-April.

[Gianni Isotope]

David,
The TOST disc brake conversion install on my LS7 was pretty straightforward.. I'm currently waiting on completing my annual inspection before I can see how well they actually work. The kit's components appear to be high quality. The English translation of the install instructions isn't that great, and the install manual is not highly detailed, but they were adequate. The toughest part of the install was finding a location to mount the brake fluid reservoir bracket. I ended up sharing one of the holes through a fiberglass boss that is used to mount the frame supporting the stick. I ended up filling the system with brake fluid from the caliper to try and keep air bubbles to a minimum, and then bleeding the last of the air at the caliper.
Jordan

[[email protected]]

I ended up getting a Beringer kit instead of the Tost kit so I'll be interested to see if there's a big difference installation wise. Would you be able to send photos of your installation to me just as a reference? I think I'll have to solve the same problem of where to install the brake cylinder, and since your fuselage is the same as the 6, I figure I might copy your idea.

david.krautter at Gmail

[Mark Mocho]

The Beringer master cylinder and reservoir is built in to the control stick brake lever assembly. You don't have to mount a separate brake cylinder.

[Raul Boerner]

On Monday, April 12, 2021 at 8:13:03 AM UTC-6, david.k...gmail.com wrote:
> I ended up getting a Beringer kit instead of the Tost kit so I'll be interested to see if there's a big difference installation wise. Would you be able to send photos of your installation to me just as a reference? I think I'll have to solve the same problem of where to install the brake cylinder, and since your fuselage is the same as the 6, I figure I might copy your idea.
>
> david.krautter at Gmail


David,

I did the Beringer conversion on my LS6-b. Have you seen the video of the slow-rolling crash into bushes, somewhere south of Hanover, Germany? My brakes no longer make that same squeaking do-nothing sound, heard on that video.. As for the conversion, the LS6 cockpit is slightly different; the instruction photos show an LS4. I had to mount the master cylinder on the left side (beneath the seat pan), about the location under my left knee.

And wow, the brakes work BEAUTIFULLY.

Raul Boerner