one break inop...other is fine

[N5ZX]

Peachy.

Thanks for the insight.

I'll go look.

(see...I CAN make brief postings too)



Cole

[JeffAxel]

it turns out that Cessna mounted the right brake master cylinder higher than the left one. If the seals in your parking brake (located by the pilot's left knee) are bad, the right master cylinder can drain into the left one leaving you with no right brake. If there is no apparent leaking by the right master cylinder, but a lot of 5606 below the left one, the fix is to replace the "o" rings in the parking brake manifold. If there is leaking apparent at the right master cylinder, then I would start there first. Resealing the parking brake manifold is what solved this problem for me when I had it a few years back..........

[N5ZX]

Thanks, Jeff.
I'll double check the parking break.
My biggest head scratcher was that there was NO fluid anywhere.
Not under either master cylinder. Not on the floor panels. Not on the ground. None.
With the aid of a hangar-neighbor who happens to be an A&P and by even greater stroke of good fortune, has 15 years of experience rebuilding 337's, I topped off the Right Master (it was apparently about 2/3) empty.
Still no right break.
Our next move was to reverse-bleed the right break system.
10 minutes later...perfect right break.
So I had a problem. I found a solution (with the help of a lot of very nice folks ...THANK YOU ALL)
Now all I lack is figuring out the cause.
Break fluid doesnt evaporate so it had to go somewhere.
Since it isnt enywhere else...I gotta assume that the escaping fluid is pooled in the belly as suggested by Roger.
George Brown (my hangar neighbor) says that there is a swivel union where the gear rotates into the gear bay when retracted and that can weep fluid and make it "vanish".
Whereas I certainly have no data-points to argue against that possibility, I have difficulty imagining a "weeper" taking my break from good to gone seemingly overnight.
Needless to say....I'm racking up the hobbs time just driving around the taxi-ways waving at people as they gawk and greet me with the "What the heck is that?" look on the faces....which I am growing accustomed to...and LOVE IT.
Thanks again everyone.
Cole

[bking]

Just had the same problem occur and could not find a parts breakdown for the parking brake assembly in either the parts or service manuals. Do you by chance have the O ring part numbers you could share?

[Kim Geyer]

P/N should be MS28775-010 it takes 3 you can find the manual at Parker.com . You will also need O rings for to fittings ,you have to remove them to get the shaft out

[bking]

I'll past this info to my mechanic and thank you.

[B2C2]

I have the opposite problem. Left brake is soft. I looked at the left master and there is some evidence of leakage on the fittings leaving the cylinder. I have my mechanic looking at it tomorrow. My first thought was a leaky fitting that needs tightening and more fluid and bleeding to fix it. well see what he says tomorrow.

[bking]

Please let everyone know what you find.