Hi Carl,
> I had a problem today where the parking brake got stuck on. Normally to
> release it, I put a lot of pressure on the finger brakes and it
> unsticks.
I'm a bit puzzled by this. My parking brake valve, as supplied by Europa
together with the Jamar junk, has no "feel" in it. I just move the lever
back and forth without any force (there is no detectable friction), and
it doesn't matter whether the brakes are enganged or not. So, if the
parking brake is set it takes no force at all to release it, just a hint
of a fingertip is sufficient.
> Unfortunately, something else unstuck first! I must have put a
> bit too much pressure on the left brake (same one I had bleeding
> problems with) and it squirted fluid out.
As seen from the picture it looks like someone mishandled the nut,
apparently in a desperate attempt to seal it. If it wasn't you who did
it just after the recent leak, it looks like it has caused troubles
before. Although I hate the Jamar junk it doesn't look like it has
anything to do with it this time. You just need to replace the brass nut
and seal.
Ian just pointed out that the black tube is of the wrong size. Well, I
only have the black one but it never gave problems. In your case I
wouldn't worry about the one black tube from the central connection, it
is indeed connected to the reservoir and never carries any pressure at all.
> The next trouble is that I need to get to the parking brake valve to put
> a new handle on it
From your description I think that your parking brake is broken and
needs to be replaced completely.
> but I have
> no idea how to get to it! Its inside the central tunnel, seemingly
> inaccessible.
The belly directly under the tunnel was originally intended to be cut
away for the monowheel, it is just a thin skin and carries no structural
purpose at all. Many trigear owners (like me) have cut it (partly) away
nevertheless and created a hatch in place of it. You can still do that
and you will find there is so much working space there that you can even
stick your head in it. Replacing the parking brake will be very easy
that way. Also it offers easy inspection of fuel lines, rudder cables
and other things. If there is no hatch there, I wonder how one would
carry out the annual inspection.
Succes,
Frans
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