Hello,
I am a new owner of a PA24-180 1959 and a new member of ICS. I am living in West Africa and airfields that I use are in poor condition which requires the use of toe brakes.
I struggle for weeks to get the STC toe brake conversion (#SA4390SW ?) searching in all websites without result.
Can anyone help me get the contents of this STC with all drawings, figures, diagrams…
I found left toe brakes from a damaged twin comanche 1960 recently imported by an owner who need parts, with all required legal forms.
On the Twin the two brackets to fix the brake cylinders on the firewall does not fit (too high) with the single Comanche. The brackets for Single comanche are the only missing parts I need in order to get toe brakes. I contacted webcoaircraft and wentworth to get test brackets with no result.

Thank you for your attention
Good flights

fly725

Paul,

Congratulations on your Comanche.

Have you tried www.ASOD.com for parts? If you need the part numbers, you can look in the parts manuals at http://www.comancheflyer.com/NS/index_serv_manuals.php

Hope this helps.

Hi Paul,

I have flown Comanches without toe brakes and with toe brakes. Because the nose wheel is positively steered (as opposed to castoring), I've found it doesn't make any difference which type of brakes you have UNLESS there is excessive drag on one side such as would be caused by a flat tire. In that case you match the drag of the flat with the brake on the opposite wheel.

Bottom line, there is no difference in steering under normal circumstances.

What un-improved field operations do you envision would require toe brakes?

Best Wishes!
PatD

Thanks Patricia and Patrick,

Some airfields are particolarly narrow and the use of toe brakes allows tight turns.
There is another reason for toe brakes: during the engine check (run-up) you must very strongly pull the handbrake to maintain you comanche stopped. This is particularly troublesome while doing the check list, especially during mags test and propeller test because of high RPM. Do you have this problem ?
In addition this aircraft will be used in school for constant speed prop/retractable gear rating.

Regards

Michel

Michel,
Toe brakes do not allow any tighter turn than the nose gear linkage. There is no castering range. The turn radius that you get now is what you will get after toe brake instal, your gear will just get more stress placed on it by people hammering one brake and not the other all the time. A proper maintained handbrake system is not any less capable than toe brakes, just different. As far as the runup is concerned, the parking brake should work well in holding the aircraft. If the parking brake is inop, then yes, it is a bit of a 3 hand circus. Realistically, a good pull on the brake, locking the pressure in the system withe the parking valve, and pushing the power up slowly making sure the brakes hold, doing the runup, and then releasing the parking brake when ready to move is standard operating proceedure with hand brake aircraft. If the airplane starts to creap, reduce power, release the parking brake, pull harder on the hand brake and re-engage the parking brake and try again. Remember there is no additional braking available with the parking brake engaged, but stopping the creap is just as easy as pulling the throttle back, so always keep one hand on the throttle! I like Pat fly Comanches both ways. I have no complaints about having handbrake controls only, and would never go to the trouble and expense of the conversion, but that is my oppinion.
-Zach

Zach thank you for all of the above. I'm not used to using a parking brakes on Piper because usually they do not last long. I'll try as soon as my plane will be ready. It is true that a plane is made ​​to fly than to ride, I mean toe brakes are not so important.
I think we can close the post.

-Michel

Dear Paul and all,

Just to clarify the issue about trying to apply the brakes while the parking brake is actuated: You should be aware that there is an AD note (AD 85-02-05R1) that applies to many Piper models including Comanches. It requires the installation of a placard on your instrument panel that reads:

""WARNING
NO BRAKING WILL OCCUR IF AIRCRAFT
BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE PARKING
BRAKE HANDLE IS PULLED AND HELD"

This placard should be installed on your panel at this time. If it is not installed, then check with Aviall and see if it is still available. I would guess that it is. Webco might also have it in stock. If all else fails, I would suspect that making a placard with the above statement using a label machine would probably satisfy the AD. As the owner, you are responsible that this is complied with. You can research the AD further on the FAA web-site.

Sincerely,
Skip Dykema

Paul I think if you poled Comanche owners that have flown both types, few would recommend the hassle of adding toe brakes. The extra maintenance alone is a drag. My first couple hundred hours of Comanche time were in a '59 250. I then purchased a '62 model with toe brakes but found I almost never used them as the hand brake was easier and smoother to use. I now own a '60 250 and love the hand brake for ease of operation and maintenance. If the brakes don't hold for tach runup find out why. It should not take a Herculean pull to set the brakes! I predicted you'll love the 'ol hand brake system once you fly it a bit. Ray B