Bertiebones

I am building a Mick Reeves Venom and the retract set has a nose wheel brake but no brakes on the mains. Have any of you got experience of nose wheel braking and if so is it very effective ?

Bert

DelGatoGrande

My Feedback: (23)

you will loose steering if you "lock" it,move all brakes to main gear

...my 2c

siclick33

Mick Reeves sells main wheel brakes for this model.

I hope you're good at building! The kit really isn't very good[&o] Do a Google search and try and find other build threads. There is a suggestion on one of these that the tail booms are the wrong incidence and the pre-cut metal rods may need re-cutting to the correct angle. Also, it may be that the wing ribs don't fit very well.

I love this model but building it was way beyond my ability. Hopefully Ripmax will produce this as an ARF one day once they've got the Hunter established. If they did, I would buy one.

Bertiebones

I have been lucky enough to have got my hands on a 80 % built kit and the build quality to this point is very good. I have just got to finish it off. I saw the main brakes but as I had a nose wheel brake I thought I would try and save the £50 for the main wheel brakes

Bert

rctech2k7

My Feedback: (1)

I already experience nose wheel braking, it's effective and working but not very effective as compare to main wheels. You will also find your tire need to be replaced more frequently. It's only effective once the wings are not flying anymore after touchdown. Sometimes you have your full brake activated but the nose is still slipping, not fully contact on the ground. However once it touched you have your full brakes that seem the nose wants to go down. If you want to use that setup and you want to work effectively after touchdown better to put crow, spoiler or something that can remove aerodynamics on your wings so that you have full control of your brakes after touchdown.

ron Sweeney

I have used nose wheel braking on my Peter Nye Cougar It works well, no real issues other than the extra load on the nose retract and its mount. I fly from grass so lock up of the wheel only results in skidding. Maybe a bit more severe on tarmac if the brake valve allows the wheel to lock, Ron.

drpdmartin

I fly a Reaction-54 which comes with an electromagnetic nose wheel brake. Other than having to replace a 9 V battery from time to time it works just fine. However, in saying that, I should mention that this plane flies so well and comes in so slowly it could be a trainer for someone who has never flown before.

I am also building a P2V-7 Neptune which will have twin Asp 91s and twin JetCat P20s - " two turnin' and two burnin' ". I've designed in a single air brake for the front gear. It, too, should handle well at landing speed which should allow it to "float in". The original design was for two 91s only (techlazer short kit) and no brakes.

Dr. Phil

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

As above...


I have a buddy with a reaction, and the Kavan electric nose brake. It's not great... but it's simple, and works.

kimhey

But if you lock the mains, you do not have steering either..


Best would be to make a setup that does not allow locking the brakes.

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

That's why we lube the brake band. That way you just get drag, without a lock-up.

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

one brake is better than no brakes: two brakes are better than one. (end of math lesson ) Nose wheel brakes work okay, but only as long as the nose wheel is on the ground - most effective in taxi mode...no so much during landing..
One of my boomerangs has a nose wheel brake, the other has main wheel brakes. I much prefer the latter set up!

Boomerang1

I use the Kavan electric brake on the nose wheel.
While I wouldn't say it's the world's most effective brake it does significantly shorten the landing roll out and gives effective control when taxiing. Because it isn't too savage & doesn't lock the wheel you don't loose steering control.

It is, however, heavy & bulky & rather ugly.

I power mine from the ECU battery. - John.

IB

I used n/w braking on my Venom, its effective enough, just set the braking action so it won't lock up the wheel and it will slow nicely on the landing run out and halt the model while taxying.

Ian B