Improve Rotor Brake - Increase Contact Surface Area

[dunc]

I wish to increase the contact surface area on my AR1 rotor brake pad against the ring gear surface. Like many other gyro designs, a simple pull cable works against a lever to apply pad pressure against the prerotator ring gear. Mine has a few thousandths clearance between the brake pad and the ring gear's metal face towards the center of the ring gear. The outside of the pad is making very good contact, and the pad surface is flat. i.e. the angle of the brake pad arm is just not parallel to the braking surface. I have made several attempts to eyeball and manually contour the pad, with some improvement, but still not satisfied. I am considering roughing up the metal braking surface, and let it file away at the brake pad surface, but worried about long term effects.

I have heard the arguments that the rotor brake can be "too" good, causing safety issues if left on, etc. I just want my braked rotor to not turn when brake applied and I taxi-turn the gyro, and not self-rotate in a gentle breeze.

Any suggestions?

 

[Abid]

I wish to increase the contact surface area on my AR1 rotor brake pad against the ring gear surface. Like many other gyro designs, a simple pull cable works against a lever to apply pad pressure against the prerotator ring gear. Mine has a few thousandths clearance between the brake pad and the ring gear's metal face towards the center of the ring gear. The outside of the pad is making very good contact, and the pad surface is flat. i.e. the angle of the brake pad arm is just not parallel to the braking surface. I have made several attempts to eyeball and manually contour the pad, with some improvement, but still not satisfied. I am considering roughing up the metal braking surface, and let it file away at the brake pad surface, but worried about long term effects.

I have heard the arguments that the rotor brake can be "too" good, causing safety issues if left on, etc. I just want my braked rotor to not turn when brake applied and I taxi-turn the gyro, and not self-rotate in a gentle breeze.

Any suggestions?

The rotor brake pad will take its shape and cut/wear down to touch all the way. Your gyro is brand new. Give it some time to trim down to angle to touch more. You definitely do not want any oil or grease going on the brake pad. If that happens it is not possible to make it better and needs replacement.
You can adjust the tension in the cable by adjusting the cable adjuster that can increase the pressure on the brake pad contact with ring gear plate.
I have flown your gyro and the rotor did not turn in gentle breeze unless the stick was not into the wind or gyro turned fast on taxi turns.
There is no safety issue with leaving brake pad on. You can even fly with it on and there won't be a safety issue. It will simply smooth out the pad and it will not be effective, and you will have to rough it up with 60 grit sand paper. A brake pad that tries to stop the rotor too fast can put the blades out of alignment or string. Then rotor starts to shake.