Azusalite wheels

The Aircraft SPruce Catalog lists Azusalite nylon wheels for
landing gear and also brake kits for the same wheels. However
there is no illustartion fo the brake kits or of the brakes or
wheels after assembly and installation fo the brakes. The parts
list for the brake kits mentions linings, but does not mention
drums or discs.

I haven't found any more complete information on the Web either so
I remain curious, how (and how well) do these brakes work? Given
the low price, I don't expect much for something priced competatively
with bicylce wheels and brakes, but I haven;t a clue as to what the
Azusas actually are, other than inexpensive.

So, does anyone who has seen these care to comment?

--

FF

Fred the Red Shirt wrote:
The Aircraft SPruce Catalog lists Azusalite nylon wheels for
landing gear and also brake kits for the same wheels. However
there is no illustartion fo the brake kits or of the brakes or
wheels after assembly and installation fo the brakes. The parts
list for the brake kits mentions linings, but does not mention
drums or discs.

I haven't found any more complete information on the Web either so
I remain curious, how (and how well) do these brakes work? Given
the low price, I don't expect much for something priced competatively
with bicylce wheels and brakes, but I haven;t a clue as to what the
Azusas actually are, other than inexpensive.

So, does anyone who has seen these care to comment?


http://www.tracyobrien.com/moreinfo.asp?id=46

I love my Tracy O'Brian's. Beautifully made and powerful as hell.
They're all you need for azulalite rims.

Jason Marshall
Challenger-II C-IEFQ

On 8 Jul 2004, Fred the Red Shirt wrote:

the low price, I don't expect much for something priced competatively
with bicylce wheels and brakes, but I haven;t a clue as to what the
Azusas actually are, other than inexpensive.


You can order a set, then send them back if you don't want them.
Only cost the freight charges.

Those wheels are made for very light airplanes, perhaps ultra-light.


George Graham
RX-7 Powered Graham-EZ, N4449E
Homepage http://bfn.org/~ca266

"George A. Graham" wrote in message ...
On 8 Jul 2004, Fred the Red Shirt wrote:

the low price, I don't expect much for something priced competatively
with bicylce wheels and brakes, but I haven;t a clue as to what the
Azusas actually are, other than inexpensive.


You can order a set, then send them back if you don't want them.
Only cost the freight charges.

Those wheels are made for very light airplanes, perhaps ultra-light.


I have in mind using them on a Sky Pup Ultralight, originally
designed to use bicycle wheels w/o brakes. There is no question
that they'd be adequate, what I don't know is if they would be
heavier or harder to install than bicycle disc brakes. After
watching someone struggling to taxi a Sky Pup with neither brakes
nor a stearable tailwheel I concluded that at least one or the
other was a real good idea.

Brakes would probably be no harder to install, would be near the
CG so as tonot affect ballance, and add less parasitic drag compared
to a steerablr tailwheel. A castoring but non-steerable tailwheel
looks to be a non-winner too. Makes the Pup into a nice weather
vane.

I'd kinda like to know SOMETHING about what I'm ordering. The
AS catalog doesn't even say if they are mechanical or hydraulic.
I can call Aircraft Spruce or Azusa and ask, just thought I'd ask
here first for indpendant info.

I'd be ****ed to have to pay even shipping, for an item I returned
because the vendor's description was inadequate.

Thanks, and thanks also to Jason Marshall for the heads up on
Tracy O'Brien brakes.


--

FF

I'd be ****ed to have to pay even shipping, for an item I returned
because the vendor's description was inadequate.

Fred the Red Shirt wrote ...

I have in mind using them on a Sky Pup Ultralight, ...
I'd kinda like to know SOMETHING about what I'm ordering. ...

Azusa makes band brakes, drum brakes & disc brakes. All have been
adapted to a variety of wheels, including the TuffWheels called for on
the Sky Pup. The band brake would be plenty sufficient for taxing &
parking. Brakes for stopping a rollout would be rather pointless on a
Sky Pup given the extremely short distance involved. To see what
you're ordering, check:
http://www.azusaeng.com/brakes/brkmain.html

Daniel

I have in mind using them on a Sky Pup Ultralight, originally
designed to use bicycle wheels w/o brakes. There is no question
that they'd be adequate, what I don't know is if they would be
heavier or harder to install than bicycle disc brakes.

Two things about these wheels:

* They have terrible UV resistance.

* They are MUCH smaller in diameter than the bicycle wheels the
airplane is designed around. This will substanially reduce your
ground clearance, and put the wing incidence much lower as well,
meaning you'll need more elevator to get off the ground.

I think Steve Kiblinger has done some work on mounting brakes on
"bicycle" wheels on his Legal Eagle ultralight. There, I've just
given you enough to do your own Google search. ;-)

Azusa drum brakes generally need a fair amount of tune-up before they
work worth a damn. The shoes generally don't fit the drums very well.
Gluing sandpaper inside the drums and dragging the brakes for a while
generally set things to right after you tear out the sandpaper, and
blow out the brake lining dust.

Me, I'd stick with the bike wheels.

http://www.azusaeng.com/wheels/whls6n.html

--
Dan D.
http://www.ameritech.net/users/ddevillers/start.html


..
"Fred the Red Shirt" wrote in message om...
The Aircraft SPruce Catalog lists Azusalite nylon wheels for
landing gear and also brake kits for the same wheels. However
there is no illustartion fo the brake kits or of the brakes or
wheels after assembly and installation fo the brakes. The parts
list for the brake kits mentions linings, but does not mention
drums or discs.

I haven't found any more complete information on the Web either so
I remain curious, how (and how well) do these brakes work? Given
the low price, I don't expect much for something priced competatively
with bicylce wheels and brakes, but I haven;t a clue as to what the
Azusas actually are, other than inexpensive.

So, does anyone who has seen these care to comment?

--

FF

(Ryan Young) wrote in message . com...


* They are MUCH smaller in diameter than the bicycle wheels the
airplane is designed around. This will substanially reduce your
ground clearance, and put the wing incidence much lower as well,
meaning you'll need more elevator to get off the ground.

Yes the landing gear would need to be modified to keep the
same ground clearance.


I think Steve Kiblinger has done some work on mounting brakes on
"bicycle" wheels on his Legal Eagle ultralight. There, I've just
given you enough to do your own Google search. ;-)

There are disc brakes made for bicycles. Should be easy to install.


Me, I'd stick with the bike wheels.

Plus, they look cool.

--

FF