Co-pilot Brake Installation

[Refugio Mendoza]

Information from owners/shops who have installed co-pilot brakes.
Installation procedures, labor cost, and down time.

[Robert Lewis]

The time to complete the installation will cost you a lot of money. This isn't a simple job. Drilling the firewall for the fittings, routing the lines through and around the interior floor structure will be the easy part. Putting in the master cylinder support bar will be a rear bugger. I have heard that beech repair stations have done these installs at 120 hours. That is with new parts and install instructions.

[Steven Oxman]

HI!
I had this done to my 1959 BE35 K model.  None of the components were in my plane to start.  I purchased the parts through a fantastic source - our own Dr. Kevin H.  The parts came out of a wreak.  I had to clean the parts up before installation.  The work was performed by a good shop in Maryland (one that has sponsored ABS Service Clinics) in Hagerstown.  Tracey Potter runs the operation.  We used new, custom made plumbing.  Because we used Beechcraft original parts and installed everything just like Beechcraft did, and because this shop is a repair station (Hagerstown Aircraft Services www.hgair.com), the paperwork was quite reasonable.  This work was done about 10 years ago and everything works perfectly today, no maintenance issues ever.  I forget the number of hours to do this work, but it was not in the 120 hours realm IIRC, my memory is more like 40 hours.  By the way, there was no penetrations of the firewall on this job that I can remember.
I hope this helps you,
Steve

[Refugio Mendoza]

Thank you both for responding to my inquiry. The shop time seems reasonable and parts are available through salvage and other sources. Steven, do you recall any penetrations to the outside skin? Plane was painted prior to the thought of co-pilot brake installation.