KeithN92KD

Thanks, these tools are lighter, cheaper and easy to mail. Users do have to understand torque. As long as the torque wrench is measuring in the plane of the link movement it is applied torque. In fact, this could be one tool but I thought that might be a step too far... I thought there must be another use for the overbuild design of the original tools, but my IA of 45yrs experience said nope, didn't know of it. Maybe you know?

I apologize, had read this post, Lazarus was out of stock and thought new was dead ends so posted a different cheaper version in case someone was like me, had the need but couldn't find.

See my story of the Johnson Bar failure in Safety discussion. I concluded too much preload may have contributed to the failure but couldn't get my hands on the tools. I worked with a local fabricator from a template I had, to make a set. It was quickly apparent the original steel tools with welded up stiffeners was wildly over-built for the load applied. I simplified the tools, changed to aluminum and even skeletonized to greatly reduce the weight and welding, therefore cost. The previous comment is correct, clocking the torque wrench square will not effect the torque applied. It didn't occur to me a non-ratcheting wrench might be used. I also think the 1/2" ratchet should be changed to 3/8" more appropriate to the load and torque wrench size. I wouldn't have to use an adapter.

NEW BUILD of 8444/8442 tool We have available new skeletonized Aluminum gear preload tools. No rust, chipped paint and light. The torgue for preload on the vintage Mooney is called out as 280/130 max inlbs. That screamed overbuild at the original steel tool. See if you agree. $145.00 for the pair, free shipping in the States. Just trying to reduce the cost of keeping our old Mooney flying. Email keithn92kd@gmail.com

Summary: 65 M20E, johnson bar fatigue cracked to failure at base of bar to trunnion. Inspect the weld toe. Storyline: my polished M20E is a high time airframe 10,000+ hrs. I've flown it for the last decade from 2FD6 in Florida all across the country (just really having a Hoot) St. Thomas, Anchorage, Massachusetts, started in California. Not a hangar queen. So started an assisted annual and found burnt valve in #4. Had time to do some more extensive maintenance then and chose to remove the main gear for paint. Used the stuff the main assistant spring with washers method of unloading the mains and removed them. As I got out of the jacked up airplane I noticed the nose gear slowly retracting back up. Hmm... thought I had the J-bar locked up. Yep, locked up. While I was thinking why would the nose gear be divorced from the gear handle with the mains removed, I unlocked and the handle came out in my hand. My buddy said it's not supposed to do that, need to put that back. Then we decided this is the best time for this to happen, no belly landing involved. Examination revealed it was a multiple step fatigue Crack failure in the aft weld toe, bar to T. I have a practice of WD40 everywhere on annual and it was evident in the extending crack. Therefore we missed it growing! Defense posture; It is down in there with boots, dark, lots of things going on and these never fail attitude. Well, change that. I do believe a contributing factor was the gear over-center link preload. I had always thought that, yep the J-bar was difficult but doable and I'm on a grass field where positive lock is important. Besides, it's working. A Mooney specialist had said you might need this someday, and I made a template of his 8444/8442 tool. But that was a decade ago and never got there. Couldn't find the 8444, 8442 tools so finally made them. Nose gear was over 3x the original manual 100-130 inlbs spec and with the mains also a little tight made for a difficult uplock on the J-bar possibly over stressing over time (cycles). "Learn from the mistakes of others, you just don't have time to make them all yourself ". If there's interest, I can make the tools available to others, thinking it's important.

This is the pop-up add that Was confusing as you first navigate this site. With the request for photo, profile questions, sustaining membership possibly and this pops in. They got me to click. Almost as if they knew I was Newbie but didn't know it yet.