cliffy

One thing no one thinks of is- Can I physically do it? Can you work into tight places with your arms both from the top and then bottom holding them up over your head for long periods of time? I cant anymore. Used to do some Boeing tank repairs and won't consider it now, The stuff we used (in the enclosed tank) smelled like fresh dog crap!!!

Yes usually 4130 is quite stiff even in thin material Nice looking part

We're not alone I know of a Comanche that got twisted 90 degrees and popped the cylinder by using a tug and long bar. Stupidity had no limits. At least on the Boeings we could pull the link pins! :-)

Was it just ordinary 1024 steel or could it have been aircraft 4130 steel? Just one of the many things to consider in making OPP parts. I'm jealous of those who can do the CAD stuff. I'm stuck in the slide rule era!

Do nothing until you can get a mechanic to put it up on jacks! That way it is in SAFE mode Be careful with taxi and tugging until its on jacks Definitely do not try jacking one wheel at this point. If it were me I'd be locking the gear over centers with clamps and rods while I maneuvered around to get it on jacks BTJM Now with it on jacks the trouble shooting can commence - SAFELY!

Tire pressure and steering linkage in the top of the nose wheel well. Lift the nose wheel off the ground and see how much loose left/right steering play you have If more than a few degrees check the gaggle of linkage parts up in the top of the wheel well to see which ones are worn. LASAR sells the parts and shims. Axle position for caster plays a part also in the diagnosis. Drop a line as shown in the SB. The main vertical bolt that the gear rotates around has a bushing that can be reamed for a larger bolt if loose That bolt has a torque value that needs to be checked each annual along with greasing it the torque value was lowered by Mooney in later years by SB, Torque to the newer SB each annual.

On the Brittian system a big issue is the alt hold "eyeball" There are 2 different ones - a black plastic housing and a brass housing. The eyeball line needs to be exactly in the middle of the window to be a good "used" unit. IIRC the brass eyeball housing is the better one but check with Brittian. Remember it only works if you still have your vacuum pump installed.

Age and treachery beat youth and looks any day of the week! :-)

If McFarland doesn't have your cable in p/n stock they will make one with YOUR participation in the design process as the owner of the airplane. THIS IS THE OPP (owner produced part) PROCESS. You fill out their :design" sheet that they supply and then you have them make the part using their "approved" manufacturing methods. You then sign the airframe log as owner and having participated in the design and supply of the part after which your A&P will sign off on the installation of the OPP part - IF he likes the process and the part. Keep a copy of the design sheet in your logs just in case BTDT

On the ailerons and flaps one can come close just by clamping a wooden bar across the top of the control wheels and then aligning the balance weights of the ailerons to match the top of the wing skins (taking care to account for aerodynamic forces pushing up on the ailerons) and while those two are clamped secure, adjust the flaps to match the ailerons. One would still have to make a few trim control check flights and adjust the up stop of the flaps to counter any small roll tendencies. The aileron balance weights generally run about faired with the top of the wing in flight ( w/ flight loads) Then use a Devil level to check the control throws. Always check the ball both on the ground and in the air for perfect center (in flight adjusted with rudder tab) When doing the pitch controls you do need some sort of board to set the stab to the correct angle in relation to the C/L level position of the fuselage (3 1/2 degrees LE down on some) in order to get the correct deflection angles on the elevator. One can clamp the elevator weights to the stab and then make a board that keys on the LE and TE and has a flat parallel top to the LE/TE notches and then use a Devil Level to set the correct nose down angle

Lets digress a little here- Yes an A&P can make some "parts" that conform to some "approved" method. (accepted? -) In the two items you cited, ribs and cables both are covered by the "approval" of 43.13 Accepted Techniques and Practices But even with that there is the limitation of- This advisory circular (AC) contains methods, techniques, and practices acceptable to the Administrator for the inspection and repair of nonpressurized areas of civil aircraft, only when there are no manufacturer repair or maintenance instructions. This data generally pertains to minor repairs. It goes on to state - The repairs identified in this AC may only be used as a basis for FAA approval for major repairs. The repair data may also be used as approved data, and the AC chapter, page, and paragraph listed in block 8 of FAA form 337 when: a. the user has determined that it is appropriate to the product being repaired; b. it is directly applicable to the repair being made; and c. it is not contrary to manufacturer’s data. SO while yes an A&P CAN "make" some parts they are always made to some kind of approved or accepted data. And it is always in the realm of "REPAIRS" to a particular airframe. No A&P can make parts (say a rib) in bulk and sell it on the open market. A&Ps do repairs - they don't "manufacture" parts. The connections you cite for P&W and GE are way beyond the scope of this forum. We are confusing "parts" for repair and parts for manufacture and sales. The "Type Design" package that describes every bolt and nut on any complete airplane is the property of the Type Design holder. That "package" of data is submitted to the FAA for approval so the manufacturer can make exact copies of the airplane for sale. Every airplane made is compared to that data package to make sure it "conforms" in every way to the approved data ""Type Design" Any changes to that data require some sort of approval. Every part, item, screw or nut in that package is verified to the approved design on every produced airframe. Each part has a drawing describing exactly how that part is to be made. What material, what process, what heat teat, etc. If you don't have access to that approved data you can't make a part conforming to the approved data. One can always hire a DER to design a part and APPROVE a part and that also works when the original drawing is not available. As I noted in some instances the FAA will open a Type Design package for a request to make a part available but this is a rare occurrence. In short = the Type Design package that the holder owns is protected property by the FAA and not usually released As to the PMA holders- YES they can make any part they have the capability to make YET they still have to make it to an "approved design drawing". they can't just pull the design out of thin air, It has to have 'traceability" back to the original drawing OR be approved by some other manner such as a DER. Think of a PMA as approval of your quality control process rather than an approval to make a particular item. A PMA approves the process and not the part.

I don't know if they still do that. Haven't needed it in years. Mine still works fine :-)

That is basically the OPP route with them YOU take a part in designing the cable via their paperwork I did mine that way. They then make it using their APPROVED manufacturing procedures. YOU have to sign the log book that you took part in the design of the part (saving the order form) and then your A&P can install it a sign it off.

The Type design DRAWINGS are protected Univair bought type designs from the old manufactures in many cases and could make parts to those drawings. That is why you can't just "make a part" that qualifies to the approved type design unless you have the drawing. Even if you hold a PMA On OPP you have to show some kind of reference to an approved drawing or reverse engineer the part (DER). The FAA can't release the drawings as they are controlled by the Type Design Holder. You can't just "make" a short body elevator spring bungee without reference to the drawing that Mooney made it to- unless you get a DER to sign off on a reengineered bungee design (just a case in point). As to PMAs- They only allow someone to manufacture aviation parts - NOT a specific part unless it comes from someone's approved drawing. A PMA and Approved Parts are two different animals. In the case of a dead manufacturer you can in some cases petition the FAA to release the protected drawings.

To add to the GA Cash Cow mantra one only has to look at the proliferation of RAMP FEES. When one or two operators take over an entire airport (at the sponsors approval) we have no choice but to "pay up" at the point of a virtual gun. Until regulations change it will remain so BUT - there is a reason why GA certified Standard category aircraft have a better safety record than Experimental Regulation change (or loosening) is a two edged sword, do you accept the inevitable increase in accident rate or don't you? The two are concomitant with each other By being locked into a "Type Design" where every part down to the smallest screw is called out for in that APPROVED Type Certificate and that design is a protected product for life (maybe a sunset law on how long a type design is protected -much like the life of a patent) we are stuck with what we have. Question= Why is Type Design protected more than a patent?