Grove Brakes

[flyingwaldo]

I'm having issues with my calipers not releasing enought to stop a constant drag and wondered if others have had the problem.  My A&P mentioned that others have found problems with the mounting plate not mating up properly with the axel on a Long EZ.  Having just completely removed, cleaned and replaced my brakes I find they still drag on the rotor quite a bit.  Have cleaned and greased the slides and replaced the O-rings and the master cylinders are only a year old and I'm still stumped.  Can anyone help...?
Thanks.

[Drew]

Your brake line is pulling on the brake.  My guess is that you either have one of these:
-statoflex type line with the diameter too big
-hardline not properly set up (I hate hardlines----switch to something else)
-hardline/stratoflex type line/plans line---routed incorrectly (like around a wheelpant bracket instead of behind)

[flyingwaldo]

Drew,
Thanks for the suggestions.  I've tried to eliminate them one by one and think I have.
I'm still having the issue but only on one side.  I have replaced the master cylinder, the pistons in the brake body, the o-rings on the pistons, and the brake pads.  I have removed and polished the pins (checked and they are not bent) that slide in the sleeves for the caliper body.  I polished out the sleeves and lubricated both with both wet and dry lubricants (two different tries) and verified the assembly moves smoothly.  All the components appear to be parallel and tightly installed.
I have to drag a right brake for a couple hundred feet down the runway to take off and always have to tap the right brake to taxi....  I am totally stumped. 
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[A. Bruce Hughes]

I had a similar but much worse problem.    I finally found the problem.
The metal plate which the pins slide into is bent slightly each time you
tighten down the bolts which hold the plate in place.   When the plate
is not mounted, the axis of each cylinder is exactly parallel to the other.
When you mount it and tighten the bolts that hold it on the gear leg,
the plate bends and it binds.   The strange effect is caused by the
metal which is deposited in welding on each cylinder.    That gives a
curve at the bottom of each cylinder and that material strikes the
gear leg.

It has been 2 years since I fixed mine; I THINK I put a thin plate
(which does not reach all the way to the welded part) between the
gear leg and the plate.   That solved the problem.

Look at it very carefully and you will see what is happening.

Bruce Hughes   

[flyingwaldo]

Thanks Bruce!  That is something I have not checked.  My plate is mounted pretty solidly but I'll mic the holes at both ends and from side to side to see if parallel.  Thanks for the tip, it's the only thing I can think of that I haven't checked.......

[A. Bruce Hughes]

I hope that what I said was clear.   It is obvious once you see the bending.

Bruce hughes