SonexBuilders.net

I got the magic 5 orders. No promise, but I'll try to get them knocked out this month and sent to Santa for stocking stuffers.
I'll keep taking orders for you late bloomers. Gives me some justification for my welders and powder coating equipment I just had to have.
One note, if you want right seat brakes, I can fabricate mirror images of them for the right seat too. I did this in my plane to allow me to fly center stick and use the outer pedals. Let me know if you want me to powder coat them or leave them raw.

I made some custom toe break pedals, borrowing some inspiration from David A's design (Sonex #1327) but tweeking for my own geometry and to use Grove Aircraft's 685 Series master cylinders (the smallest ones they make with a built in reservoir). They are welded 4130 steel, and powder coated.

http://www.groveaircraft.com/685.html

I am really happy with them: feet on the floor you can use the rudder pedals without the chance of hitting the brakes, and when I raise my feet, resting my arches on the rudder pedals, they are at the perfect toe height (for my feet anyway). Full brake application and with full rudder applied still has about 3/8" clearance from the firewall. Very comfortable to use, really satisfied with the geometry. With the winds as crazy as they are here, I wouldn't taxi in Mojave without them!

I uploaded a 1:1 template PDF of the profiles, if anyone is interested in them.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iZMVei8is8HG2EL0XHJLY5lBp2-dIsby/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xhz8YKLnR1zkeSePf8e033g03irHQi9p/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wFIcNG2iusTbJ6moP2ZYv0Odq_Z4JvID/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aZReeQr9tTPSRI6Ja5ESC0QEHQ3GGb88/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k1W6xscsZ7LlcpIg4_JP1fcdpvMJT8wk/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ZNPmPErzlO4IX7Z7mtD07kaKsN-5ixz/view?usp=sharing

John,

Thought that design looked familiar. Nicely done cleanup to reduce parts count and eliminate machined parts. Like those cylinders with reservoirs, those should make topping up and bleeding simpler and less frequent, but they are pricey at about 5 times the cheaper no-reservoir Hagar cylinders. Does look as if someone on a tight budget and limber enough to get under the panel a couple of times a year could still adapt the cheap ones to your parts. meanwhile, I am going to have a look to see if I retrofitting your to my rig is practical. Note to anyone that might use the Matco dual parking brake valve with these, found that by re-positioning mine to a 45 degree angle on the sidewall that it eliminated trapped air in the valve and its fittings, which made bleeding the system much simpler and faster.

David A. Sonex TD, CAMit 3300

Cant speak for the other brands as I haven't tried them.. but have nothing but good things to say about Grove Aircraft. Very nice quality and excellent customer service - i mean.. on par with Lonnie Prince quality of customer service!

John, are you still making the brake pedals? I'd like a set, so if you are, let me know how I can pay you. You can email me at n163yx@gmail.com. Thanks Don King

I will make another batch, but right now, the factory is in storage. We sold our home and are building a house at an airpark. My shop is in stuffed with the rest of my house in a hangar and unreachable.
Late summer is the earliest I can get back to a point of production. I already have two other orders in queue.

Has any body tried using dual Sonex master cylinders for individual brakes incorporating two levers? I was hoping someone on here may have tried it? Is it manageable on roll out? I have run off my last runway in a crosswind and sick of being blown off the taxiway when trying to get to active runways. I need individual brakes one way or another, plain and simple.

Brett wrote:Has any body tried using dual Sonex master cylinders for individual brakes incorporating two levers? I was hoping someone on here may have tried it? Is it manageable on roll out? I have run off my last runway in a crosswind and sick of being blown off the taxiway when trying to get to active runways. I need individual brakes one way or another, plain and simple.

I think toe brakes make much more sense. Check this site for a toe brake installation for a onex

http://www.onexmike.org/

Hi all, brett,
Yes i posted a month ago about electric flaps and dual hyd brakes using sonex master cyl . And two levers mounted on floor in middle straddling sq. floor tube, just ahead of spar box and flap torque tube. Scott posted some pictures for me. I'll look back for the post and bring it to a recent post again. I like them, easy to service. Toe brakes would be ideal, but harder to install on a completed plane, and service. John, david, and nick have posted on their designs on here. The lines on ours go straight forward thru firewall to a matco parking brake.then down along gear legs. Hope this gives you a couple choices for diff. brakes.

WaiexN143NM
Michael

Thanks Michael and George. Will check them out.

I would like to put toe brakes in but I have a fuel pump and so on behind the rudder pedals. It may not interfere but it may look a bit crowded around there if I do. I have ordered the second Sonex master cylinder so will post pics and results after I have flown it for a few flights.

I was just devastated after attending a fly in on the weekend. About 14-15 RV's all landed before me and also many other types as well in a direct strong crosswind and then here I come to put on a show. Landing was fine but trying to taxi on gravel is another story. I hope I have not put a lasting impression of the Sonex in the crowds of ppl's minds that saw me trying pitifully to get to the parking area.