Things I see a lot when I get in a new Mooney customer

[mooneybuilder]

First, I do not take in new customers often, as I am generally booked six months ahead. I am a new member and I was prompted to join this forum after a bad experience I had with a well known shop. So since I joined I might as well make some contributions.

 

I worked at the Mooney factory and know these birds pretty well. What I see a lot of when a new customer brings a Mooney into my shop is that:

 

1. The landing gear pucks are often the originals from the factory.. I have seen pucks with dates from 1963 to 1967 many times.

2. The hydraulic hose for the flaps is also very often the original hose.

3. Brake Rotors

 

We all know that Mooney's can be prone to leaks and there is only two ways to fix them. 1. Have the tanks re-sealed or 2. Install bladders. Leaking cannot really be prevented... they will leak at some point in time, but replacing those pucks before they loose their resiliency will prolong those leaks. Mooney recommends replacing those pucks every five years, but you can probably safely go seven years, depending on the climate your aircraft is in. So if you own or are thinking about buying a Mooney, check the date stamp on those pucks. 

 

The hydraulic hose is another one that seems to never get replaced. After a while those hoses become brittle and start to deteriorate, sending little peices of rubber through the flap system.. that's not good. You can change that hose out with a teflon hose. The cost is not too much greater than replacing it with the same Strat-o-flex or Aeroquip hose. The best part is that every five years for about $40 you can send that hose in to be inspected and re-certified for another five years. The same goes with the engine hoses.

 

I see a lot of brake rotors that for some reason most shops seem to miss that they are below thickness tolerances. It takes a long time for a brake rotor on an aircraft to wear down to that point, but I see it a lot. 

 

 

[Tony__L]

Interesting observations. Thanks for sharing!

[robert7467]

Thanks for sharing!

[N601RX]

Since when are we required to send our hoses in for inspection and re certification every 5 years?

[Mooneymite]

Mooneybuilder,

 

Helpful and informative post.

 

Thank you and welcome aboard!

[jkhirsch]

Since when are we required to send our hoses in for inspection and re certification every 5 years?

I think he said that it was an option, not a requirement.

[ryoder]

My pucks are 49 years old.

[Hank]

My pucks are 49 years old.

For Gods sake, replace them! You'll notice the difference in taxiing, and in landing. Feels like a new plane.

[cliffy]

mooneybuilder- Thanks for attending and the contribution to our forum.

Brakes- many times very neglected. Found mine to be nothing but red jelly inside the wheel cylinders when I first opened them after purchase. Brake hoses were 20+ years old then. They crackled when bent. Rotors too thin.

Nose steering linkage- Have found several of them WAY too loose with wear. Lift the nose wheel off the ground and try turning it. If it moves a lot its worn.

Fuel caps- another neglected area. Replace orings (2 each) every year(cheap), relube and check adjustment to keep out water. Mooneys have gone down because of water in fuel from oring leakage.

Just a caution- If you have one with electric gear and it has ever had a gear collapse with bent rods make sure the link rods are the correct ones for your airplane (several different lengths available) and I found one with an incorrect motor ( no way to "legally" install it).

[ryoder]

My Mooney was maintained at a very prominent MSC for the first 20 plus years of its life.  When the local repair shop got a ferry permit to fly it from PIE to CLW (10 miles) they had to replace all the hydraulic and oil hoses.  It turns out they were factory original from 1965!

[Oscar Avalle]

thank you very interesting contribution

[Ftlausa]

Plus 1 on checking the hoses.  When I bought my plane, which had been serviced by a MSC, and had just been annualized by the same MSC, my PPI mechanic noted the hoses were old and getting brittle.  The seller was not particularly happy that my mechanic dinged it as an airworthiness issue, but all the hoses were replaced and I fly more comfortable. 

[LANCECASPER]

We all know that Mooney's can be prone to leaks and there is only two ways to fix them. 1. Have the tanks re-sealed or 2. Install bladders. Leaking cannot really be prevented... they will leak at some point in time, but replacing those pucks before they loose their resiliency will prolong those leaks. Mooney recommends replacing those pucks every five years, but you can probably safely go seven years, depending on the climate your aircraft is in. So if you own or are thinking about buying a Mooney, check the date stamp on those pucks. 

 

+1 on this. The way the airplane taxis, and the firmness on which it lands really depends a lot on these shock discs. I bought a '97 Encore from the original owner and the first thing I did was change the shock discs - all 11 of them had '97 dates on them. Later I bought a 2000 Ovation and the shocks discs were 11 years old - they were not absorbing any shock and the airplane sat "tail low" on the ramp. Every landing was very firm. Since the discs were changed I notice a difference in the way it taxis and absorbs the shock on landing and like the way it looks when it sits on the ramp - much more level.

 

Mooneybuilder - Do you notice a big difference in how long the heavier long body M, R, S and TN can go on their shock discs? 

 

Thanks

Lance

[Joe Zuffoletto]

Mooneybuilder - Do you notice a big difference in how long the heavier long body M, R, S and TN can go on their shock discs? 

 

 

I don't know the answer to that question, but I have an interesting data point: If you routinely park a TN with full tanks (102 gal, 51 a side), it significantly reduces the lifespan of the pucks on the mains. I had to replace mine when the plane was only 6 years old because of this.

[Jim Peace]

Plus 1 on checking the hoses.  When I bought my plane, which had been serviced by a MSC, and had just been annualized by the same MSC, my PPI mechanic noted the hoses were old and getting brittle.  The seller was not particularly happy that my mechanic dinged it as an airworthiness issue, but all the hoses were replaced and I fly more comfortable. 

I thought MSC was where God lived.....this can't be.............

Ok now we will hear from the Canadian MSC....

[ArtVandelay]

I thought MSC was where God lived.....this can't be.............

Ok now we will hear from he Canadian MSC....

My MSC replaced all fluid hoses and brake hoses,my they said they were unserviceable

[aviatoreb]

I don't know the answer to that question, but I have an interesting data point: If you routinely park a TN with full tanks (102 gal, 51 a side), it significantly reduces the lifespan of the pucks on the mains. I had to replace mine when the plane was only 6 years old because of this.

 

Isn't the alternative more expensive?  If you try to save your pucks by keeping the plane light by keeping it partly fueled on the ramp, then the tank sealant doesn't last as long, and a tank reseal is much more expensive than new pucks.

[ArtVandelay]

Isn't the alternative more expensive? If you try to save your pucks by keeping the plane light by keeping it partly fueled on the ramp, then the tank sealant doesn't last as long, and a tank reseal is much more expensive than new pucks.

I was told it was heat from sun & empty tanks get hotter...FWIW