As the baffles are back on Sis, attention shifts to other areas for inspection and repair.
Sis is a 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza model 35, one of the first 1000 off the assembly line. For all intents and purposes, she is my big sister as I have grown up flying with her and now am her caretaker.
With the jack in position, the following steps were obvious – inspection and repair of wheels and brakes.
Watching Sis leave the ground, I felt my heart in my throat. I know she won’t fall, but it’s still a bit of a shock to see air under her tires.
After the jack was secured in position, the restorer removed the wheels.
We knew the left main was going to be replaced and decided it was worthwhile to do both mains at the same time. After closer inspection of the nose wheel, it was apparent that it needed to be replaced as well.
Looking at the rust on the brake disks, I asked the restorer if they would need to be replaced. He answered it depends on how the parts look after we clean them up.
Removing Wheels
The wheels came off quickly and without issues, but the right brake was another story.
With a small amount of brake fluid on the ground by the brake, the restorer asked for Kroil to soak bolts just in case.
We had plenty of brake cleaner on hand but had taken the Kroil home – back to the house I go!
After returning with Kroil, the restorer soaked the right brake with it before he persuaded the bolts to move.
The restorer placed the calipers in gallon bags and put fittings on the end of the lines.
Once the brakes were in bags, attention turned back to the tires.
Removing air and breaking the bead on the tire is necessary for disassembly.
The restorer explained tires are under pressure when ready for use and need to be depressurized prior to disassembly.
To depressurize, the air is removed from the tires, and the bead of the tire is pushed away from the wheel assembly using a rubber mallet or standing on the tire to encourage unseating.
We packed up the tires, tools, and parts that are no longer needed as the baffles were permanently installed.
Work changed location to the restorer’s hangar for disassembly of tires and brakes for cleaning, servicing, and rebuilding as needed.
As his workshop has both light and heat working in relative comfort with the parts was a nice change of pace.
Brakes
Soaking the brake calipers in parts cleaner and scrubbing intermittently over days proved to be the best of the situation. One of the calipers cleaned up better than the other but both were serviceable.
The brake disks were coated in rust from sitting. The restorer removed the rust with a Scotch-brite pad; the disk thickness was checked and within tolerances so it was usable.
Tires
Like so many other things with this process, I had no idea what went into a tire besides air.
Hearing there were multiple parts to the tire and the wheel assembly made for another interesting conversation. The inner tube and valve stem come through the wheel assembly while the tire seats on the wheel assembly.
Getting the wheel assembly to come apart took patient persuasion. Using a rubber mallet the restorer placed pressure on the tire adjacent to the wheel assembly to break the seal. Applying pressure around the wheel with the mallet, eventually, it broke free, releasing the tire from the wheel.
After the seal is broken and the bolts are removed, the wheel halves come apart with little issue.
Like everything else, the restorer cleaned and inspected for condition. Luckily these are still serviceable.
The new inner tube is inspected by inflating and spraying the outer layer with water and Dawn for imperfections. When satisfied the tube is in good condition; it’s dried off and coated with talc to facilitate proper positioning inside the tire.
The tire is examined for condition and also coated with talc, then the inner tube is laid inside the tire, and the valve stem is lined up with a balance point marked on the tire by the manufacturer.
Once the tire and inner tube are mated, the wheel assembly is positioned appropriately and the valve stem is pulled through the wheel. The wheel halves are bolted together and the nuts are torqued in accordance with the wheel manufacturer’s manual. If the wheel has a brake, the brake disk is bolted on at the same time.
Once assembled, tires are aired to limits specified by the manufacturer. The next day the restorer checked the air pressure to ensure there were no leaks.
Brake Calipers
After a long soak and cleaning with a wire brush to remove brake dust, the calipers looked better than they had. The pucks within the calipers were removed and soaked independently in the parts cleaner. Some parts held on to brake dust better than others but all were serviceable.
Running back and forth between the hangars and our house, we needed to reorganize the hangar and clean up before jumping back into the Bonanza annual.
When I moved out of dad’s hangar in Illinois, I brought any Bonanza parts with me as I was unsure what was serviceable and what needed to be trashed. They had been sitting in the restorer’s hangar for months and we needed to sort through them.
Dad had parts, including a swamp cooler, old gauges, windows, and wheel assemblies. The swamp cooler was beyond repair, along with the wheel assemblies, but the windows and some other body parts were in better condition.
Organizing the lot made us both feel better! We moved the restorer’s Cub into the hangar next door in preparation for Sis flying up.
New Shoes for Sis
What girl doesn’t like new shoes? I’m betting the cleaned-up and serviced brakes along with the wheels, feel pretty good to Sis.
Returning to Sis’ hangar, the nose wheel was installed with no issues. The restorer then turned his attention to the mains, explaining it is easier to attach the brake calipers before the wheel assembly is placed on the axle.
The wheel is then placed on the axle and rotated to ensure the greased parts are moving without binding, and nuts are placed on the end with cotter pins protruding from the ends to ensure the assembly stays in place.
Work remains on the engine compartment, along with lubrication of points throughout the airplane and the gear swings.
So close, yet so far!
Everything will get done in its time and safely – like everything in life, this is a marathon, not a sprint.