Methods of converting aircraft brake assemblies

An aircraft brake assembly designed as original equipment to be convertible from a first heat sink of one of carbon and steel brake assemblies to a second heat sink of another of carbon and steel brake assemblies, the aircraft brake assembly for connection with a surrounding wheel via rotor disks of the respective heat sink, each heat sink including stator disks and the rotor disks, the brake assembly comprising a first heat sink, a torque tube connected with the stator disks of the first heat sink and including a backing plate with pad means engaging an adjacent disk, and a piston housing connected by means for connecting with the torque tube and having a plurality of pistons located a distance from an axial end of the first heat sink, the brake assembly enabling:

• disassembly of the connecting means, piston housing, first heat sink, and torque tube, and
• assembly of the second heat sink with the torque tube, connecting means and piston housing, the second heat sink including a spacer disk located at one axial end of the heat sink whereby the pistons are located substantially said distance from an adjacent axial end of the second heat sink.

A method of converting an aircraft brake assembly designed as original equipment to be convertible from a first heat sink of one of carbon and steel brake assemblies to a second heat sink of another of carbon and steel brake assemblies, the aircraft brake assembly for connection with a surrounding wheel via rotor disks of the respective heat sink, each heat sink including stator disks and the rotor disks, the brake assembly comprising a first heat sink, a torque tube connected with the stator disks of the first heat sink and including a backing plate with pad engaging an adjacent disk, a spacer disk located at one axial end of the first heat sink, and a piston housing connected by means for connecting with the torque tube and having a plurality of pistons located a distance from an axial end of the first heat sink, comprising the steps of:

• disassembling the connecting means, piston housing, first heat sink, spacer disk and torque tube, and
• assembling the second heat sink with the torque tube, connecting means and piston housing, whereby the pistons are located substantially said distance from an adjacent axial end of the second heat sink.

An aircraft brake assembly designed as original equipment to be convertible from a first heat sink of one of carbon and steel brake assemblies to a second heat sink of another of carbon and steel brake assemblies, the aircraft brake assembly for connection with a surrounding wheel via rotor disks of the respective heat sink, each heat sink including stator disks and the rotor disks, the brake assembly comprising a first heat sink, a torque tube connected with the stator disks of the first heat sink and including a backing plate with pad engaging an adjacent disk, a spacer disk located at one axial end of the first heat sink, and a piston housing connected by means for connecting with the torque tube and having a plurality of pistons located a distance from an axial end of the first heat sink, the brake assembly enabling:

• disassembly of the connecting means, piston housing, first heat sink, spacer disk and torque tube, and
• assembly of the second heat sink with the torque tube, connecting means and piston housing, whereby the pistons are located substantially said distance from an adjacent axial end of the second heat sink.