Which side do you set your brakes?

[strop45 0]

I was taught to set the brakes so that the brake line ended up inside the risers. Now that I have purchased my own rig, I'm wondering if they might be better set the other way around, i.e. the line outside the risers?

My rig, a Mars Real-X has secondary riser covers (see pic) and if the brakes are set on the inside it looks to me as if the secondary riser cover could cause a brake fire. To date this hasn't happened but just wondered what others do/think?

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

[meatbomb 0]

I (and everyone I teach) always put my toggle through the loop from the inside, to the outside, and have the excess on the outside...this means that the excess is deeper into the container, when you put the risers in.

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Swoopert, CS-Aiiiiiii!
Piccies

[jojo0815 0]

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...this means that the excess is deeper into the container, when you put the risers in.

actually that's a common misconception. having the excess point to the outside will place it deeper into the crease between the reserve tray and the riser cover. also setting the brake line to the inside will cause the lower part of your C-line to take some abuse from the slider instead of the whole brake line. especially with spectra lines that can result in less shrinkage of the brake line over time. this shrinkage could can cause your deployment brake settings to be so deep that your canopy will open in a stall eventually. setting the brake line to the inside can prolong that effect and you get more mileage out of your line set.

[labrys 0]

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this shrinkage could can cause your deployment brake settings to be so deep that your canopy will open in a stall eventually.

Wouldn't the lines have to shrink almost a couple of feet to move the brakes into stall range when they're set? I can't imagine that much shrinkage. My canopy started opening funky with my outboard lines just 3-4 inches out of trim. Funky enough to make it clear it was time for a reline.

Owned by Remi #?

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

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My rig, a Mars Real-X has secondary riser covers (see pic) and if the brakes are set on the inside it looks to me as if the secondary riser cover could cause a brake fire. To date this hasn't happened but just wondered what others do/think?

Maybe... but I'm leaning towards, "doen't much matter", as so long as you stow the brakes below the guide ring and not above ... have you checked your owner's manual for more information???

Also, a bigger thing to worry about is what you do with that extra brake line after you stow the brakes... check this:

http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/ControlSysMalf.PDF

... or, go here:

http://www.performancedesigns.com/canopyinfo.asp

... and scroll down to the bottom of the page -> Articles -> Control Systems Malfunctions Information Sheet.

[jojo0815 0]

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Wouldn't the lines have to shrink almost a couple of feet to move the brakes into stall range when they're set? I can't imagine that much shrinkage.

that depends greatly on the kind of canopy you are flying. the stall point during opening might be much lower than in full flight.

there was this guy flying a Spectre 170, lineset was at the end of its life. I am sure there were multiple factors involved but bottom line is his canopy opened pretty hard after which it kept jellyfishing for a couple of seconds. his PC came down the front over the nose and looking up he thought he had a lineover, chopped it... and because it was my packjob I was called lineover for the next couple of months. we analyzed the video and figured out what really happened, no lineover :).
I guess on low aspect ratio canopies this might be more pronounced as there is more pressure on the brake lines against the slider grommets as on higher aspect ratio canopies.

always DO stowe your excess brake line though. one of our AFF instructors almost died a little while ago because the excess hitched around his main flap and caused a mal. he chopped it but the main didn't go. he ended up firing his reserve at about 800 feet and luckily it missed his main that was still attached there. there were line burns around his main flap. not fun!

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

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...there was this guy flying a Spectre 170, lineset was at the end of its life. I am sure there were multiple factors involved but bottom line is his canopy opened pretty hard after which it kept jellyfishing for a couple of seconds. his PC came down the front over the nose and looking up he thought he had a lineover, chopped it... and because it was my packjob I was called lineover for the next couple of months. we analyzed the video and figured out what really happened, no lineover...

jojo... good investigation there to clear yourself... problem is, you shouldn't have to... I wish some up-jumper folks out there would get it through their head that, If you pay a packer, you take your chances.... its not a guarantee that you won't have a problem with your main pack-job, its just a guarantee that you don't have to pack it yourself.

[labrys 0]

Thanks for the explanation.

Owned by Remi #?

[linestretch 0]

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Maybe... but I'm leaning towards, "doesn't much matter", as so long as you stow the brakes

That's my thinking too.

my pics & stuff!

[rushmc 23]

I was taught to put the lines on the outside of the toggles. The steering lines want to go to the outside when the canopy is open and putting the lines there to begin with reduces wear.

Not advocating just saying what I was taught and it makes some sense.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[meatbomb 0]

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...this means that the excess is deeper into the container, when you put the risers in.

actually that's a common misconception. having the excess point to the outside will place it deeper into the crease between the reserve tray and the riser cover.

Is that not what I said???

---
Swoopert, CS-Aiiiiiii!
Piccies

[ps5601 0]

Personally, I go for stowing the excess on the inside of the risers. My reasoning being that I don't want to risk putting my fingers through any excess loop of line when reaching for the risers or putting fingers through the toggles.

Granted, the excess should be stowed, and when you reach you should be looking, but there is still the possibility. If the excess is on the inside it is harder to accidentally go through the loop and the toggles, and if you did, the excess line would be outside of you toggles, rather than inbetween your fingers and the toggles.

Just my preference

Blue skies

Paul

[Zoter 0]

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I was taught to put the lines on the outside of the toggles. The steering lines want to go to the outside when the canopy is open and putting the lines there to begin with reduces wear.

I agree.....the brake line is going to move to the outside of the riser as the deployment happens. If its on the inside of the riser...it has to move across the riser and may catch on something...eg a bit of exposed toggle tip.
Plus if the excess is stored on the inside of the riser there is less chance that as you reach for your toggle you put your hand/finger through the loops of the excess stowed line ( most people I know grab the toggle from the 'outside' of the riser not the inside)

Line to the outside of the riser......excess line to the inside of the riser

Edit...Paul looks like we were writing the same response at the same time ! lol