teethdoc Posted November 5, 2013 Report Posted November 5, 2013 I posted a pic of me taking off and the step is still down. When does it normally retract? Is it at a certain air speed? Quote
rbridges Posted November 5, 2013 Report Posted November 5, 2013 mine is vacuum driven, not sure about yours. Usually when I get the rpms up, it retracts. Definitely is up before it gets in the air. I hear it drop when I shut the engine off. Quote
Matt Michael Posted November 5, 2013 Report Posted November 5, 2013 I've been wondering about steps too. Been shopping hard and noticed some planes either have the step fixed in the retracted position or entirely removed. Is that allowed with some paperwork? MM Quote
1964-M20E Posted November 5, 2013 Report Posted November 5, 2013 I posted a pic of me taking off and the step is still down. When does it normally retract? Is it at a certain air speed? According to your info you are flying a M20J. I believe all J models have a fixed step. The C, D, E&F models prior to the early to mid-70's had retractable steps. Beginning in 65 the steps were vacuum activated before 1965 the steps were retracted manually with a crank by the pilots left knee. 1 Quote
1964-M20E Posted November 5, 2013 Report Posted November 5, 2013 Oh the A & B models were manual as well Quote
teethdoc Posted November 5, 2013 Author Report Posted November 5, 2013 According to your info you are flying a M20J. I believe all J models have a fixed step. The C, D, E&F models prior to the early to mid-70's had retractable steps. Beginning in 65 the steps were vacuum activated before 1965 the steps were retracted manually with a crank by the pilots left knee. Well there you have it. Thanks for the info. Quote
Hank Posted November 5, 2013 Report Posted November 5, 2013 Steps may be removed, I've seen several that way. Don't know when they went fixed, but my 70 model has never moved. Quote
DS1980 Posted November 5, 2013 Report Posted November 5, 2013 Model year 1968 was when the step became fixed. Quote
N33GG Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 Yep, 68 is when they started trying to reduce costs, and the step became fixed. My 68 is early in the run, and still has flush rivets and inspection panels, but the step is fixed. Wish my step was vacuum retractable, I think they are cool. I suffer from step envy... 2 Quote
Rhumbline Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 Model year 1968 was when the step became fixed. Yep, 68 is when they started trying to reduce costs, and the step became fixed. My 68 is early in the run, and still has flush rivets and inspection panels, but the step is fixed. Wish my step was vacuum retractable, I think they are cool. I suffer from step envy... That was my understanding also which is why I was surprised when I first saw my plane and its retracting step. Don't know if it may still have been an option in '68 or if they were using up surplus inventory but it's definitely a '68, pretty far into the production run and it's definitely OEM. Things that make you go huh, huh? Quote
DrBill Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 My step retracts usually during runup and drops with engine shutdown most of the time. There is a tight fit with the rubber seal in the opening and sometimes the first one out has to "remind" the step to go down. BILL Quote
rbridges Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 My step retracts usually during runup and drops with engine shutdown most of the time. There is a tight fit with the rubber seal in the opening and sometimes the first one out has to "remind" the step to go down. BILL try using some teflon spray. I was using lithium grease, and it was accumulating debris and causing the step to stick. Clean it really well with soap and try the spray recommended in the maintenance manual. Mine works fine now. 1 Quote
stevesm20b Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 I like the manual step, flaps and gear in my "B" model. Simple and always work. 2 Quote
Hank Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 Auburn graduates. lol Always nice to be recognized and appreciated! No applause, just throw money. I'm serious, annual started yesterday . . . Quote
rbridges Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 Always nice to be recognized and appreciated! No applause, just throw money. I'm serious, annual started yesterday . . . did you get those O-rings? Quote
N601RX Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 I think we have quit a few Auburn Grads on here. Seems most are Engineers also. 2 Quote
Hank Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 did you get those O-rings? Yes, thank you. With impeccable timing, the much-maligned USPS brought them yesterday. Now my tanks will be safe for another year or two. (I put a dab of Tri-Flow down the center whenever I spray flap and aileron hinges.) Quote
Schinderhannes Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 Looking at a friends highly modified 201 last weekend I noted a fairing covering the tube connecting the step to the fuselage. Is this standard on all 201s or a mod? Does anybody make a fairing for the much longer Ranger step? In 10 years of Long EZ ownership prior to the M20C, a gear leg fairing was the most effective speed mod I did and I imagine a proper designed fairing around the step could add some performance. At a minimum it would look faster than the standard tube. Quote
1964-M20E Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 I like the manual step, flaps and gear in my "B" model. Simple and always work. Ditto my former 64E had the manual step retraction and it worked great except when the primary aircraft control computer failed to retract it then I would notice about a 5k decrease in speed and would spend 10 minutes trying to figure it out worried that something was really wrong. Of course you B has the truly manual flaps no hydraulic pump. 2 Quote
robert7467 Posted November 6, 2013 Report Posted November 6, 2013 I cleaned mine with wd40 and now it works like a charm. Quote
flyboy Posted November 29, 2013 Report Posted November 29, 2013 I like the manual step, flaps and gear in my "B" model. Simple and always work. Ditto my former 64E had the manual step retraction and it worked great except when the primary aircraft control computer failed to retract it then I would notice about a 5k decrease in speed and would spend 10 minutes trying to figure it out worried that something was really wrong. Of course you B has the truly manual flaps no hydraulic pump. I enjoy the simplicity of my B, manual flaps and gear. However I also have intermittent difficulties with the primary aircraft control computer. The step seems to take lower priority than anything else. Perhaps its a problem with the step retract and extension circuit, as the computer sometimes fails to extend the step as well. The landing gear extend and retract circuits seem to work fairly well. Dare I say it,... perhaps the computers are showing age? 1 Quote
DrBill Posted November 29, 2013 Report Posted November 29, 2013 QUOTE: Dare I say it,... perhaps the computers are showing age perhaps it is time for a RE BOOT ???? BILL Quote
phecksel Posted November 29, 2013 Report Posted November 29, 2013 I cleaned mine with wd40 and now it works like a charm. Pick something else WD40 leaves a waxy film which will be worse than what you didn't have before. One of the reported uses of WD40 is on fishing bait. I'm an awful fisherman, can never catch anything... until I spray the lures or bait with wd40 Quote
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