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Original Rubber Donuts!

xrs135

By xrs135
in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)

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xrs135 Community Regular

xrs135

Posted
Posted

Talked to Kyle at LASAR today... he was astonished that the rubber donuts on my nose gear are originals from 1967. He said that's the first time he's ever seen that. The crazy thing is that they are still in ok condition. I'm going to go ahead and have them replaced with fresh rubber... but I was just wondering if anybody else has original rubber donuts or if I hold an unofficial record?  :D

Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

You may find that they are as hard as hockey pucks and that new ones will actually absorb some bumps while you taxy.

Clarence

DXB Grand Master

DXB

Posted
Posted

Talked to Kyle at LASAR today... he was astonished that the rubber donuts on my nose gear are originals from 1967. He said that's the first time he's ever seen that. The crazy thing is that they are still in ok condition. I'm going to go ahead and have them replaced with fresh rubber... but I was just wondering if anybody else has original rubber donuts or if I hold an unofficial record?  :D

At my prebuy on my '68C in October last year, it was noted that my biscuits were all original as well.  I immediately had them changed out, but I am still hoping for runner up in this dubious contest  ;) .  Wonder if it had any relationship to the long history of tank leak patches in the log before previous owner gave up and got bladders in 2013....

Wakeup Proficient

Wakeup

Posted
Posted

I think my 1961 M20B had the original firestones on if before I replaced them. I have a pic of them in my gallery. Kyle actually looked at mine when he worked in TN before he went to LASAR. I'm happy for him. Great guy!! Troy

Hank Grand Master

Hank

Posted
Posted

I replaced my pucks in Dec '12; the old ones looked like a date stamp of '96, but were dirty and upside down. When removed, they were 6/69. The ride is much smoother when taxiing, and even my landings are smoother now (when I don't drop it in . . .

HRM Grand Master

HRM

Posted
Posted

Talked to Kyle at LASAR today... he was astonished that the rubber donuts on my nose gear are originals from 1967. He said that's the first time he's ever seen that. The crazy thing is that they are still in ok condition. I'm going to go ahead and have them replaced with fresh rubber... but I was just wondering if anybody else has original rubber donuts or if I hold an unofficial record?  :D

 

Sorry, but I think mine are original. The Mistress (N5976Q) was airworthied in October 1965. My IA said that this year is the year--50 years.

RLCarter Grand Master

RLCarter

Posted
Posted

Did the new style update on my 65E three months ago (Lasar parts), noticed them on the pre-buy and just left it on the jacks. They looked fine as well, but I was able to remove the collars off the link assemblies without using the compression tool. Once removed the originals were splitting at the center hole and were as hard as chinese arithmetic.  

DaV8or Grand Master

DaV8or

Posted
Posted

Talked to Kyle at LASAR today... he was astonished that the rubber donuts on my nose gear are originals from 1967. He said that's the first time he's ever seen that. The crazy thing is that they are still in ok condition. I'm going to go ahead and have them replaced with fresh rubber... but I was just wondering if anybody else has original rubber donuts or if I hold an unofficial record?  :D

 

Kyle wasn't working there last summer when I replaced my original nose donuts at LASAR. Technically, mine weren't originals. The original four stack was converted to the current three stack back in 1968 by the Mooney factory when they finally got around to selling my plane after the Mitsubishi take over. So mine were 1968. They passed inspection every year and worked fine, but I thought they ought to go anyhow. I have not noticed any difference in ride quality at all. I can't tell the difference between 1968 and 2014.

ryoder Veteran

ryoder

Posted
Posted

I have the originals in the mains and they pass inspection but make for a rough taxi. At least that is what I hope since this is the on,h Mooney I have ever flown, The nose wheel has new ones.

carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

Things to consider regarding donuts...

Rubber flows over time measured in years/decades...

The driving forces are weight and temperature...

Significant side effects are caused by chemistry like % cross-linking, UV exposure, oxidation, and oil exposure...

Similar to tires on your old Mustang, they cost too much to replace often, newer is better than older...

Best regards,

-a-

Marauder Grand Master

Marauder

Posted
Posted

Things to consider regarding donuts...

Rubber flows over time measured in years/decades...

The driving forces are weight and temperature...

Significant side effects are caused by chemistry like % cross-linking, UV exposure, oxidation, and oil exposure...

Similar to tires on your old Mustang, they cost too much to replace often, newer is better than older...

Best regards,

-a-

Spoken like a true packaging design engineer ;)

  • Like 1
smwash02 Mentor

smwash02

Posted
Posted

Replaced my original '65 ones on my '66 C last year. They technically passed the test per the manual, but they were clearly shot long long before I bought the plane -- my pre-buy missed quite a few expensive things and I didn't know any better.

 

My buddy just went through the same thing on his '68.

ryoder Veteran

ryoder

Posted
Posted

I asked the shop that did my reseal if keeping the old donuts would threaten the integrity of the new seal and he said no it wouldn't.

Same thing from Bob Meier and my IA.

I still want new ones though.

Andy95W Grand Master

Andy95W

Posted
Posted

I thought Paul Loewen, Don Maxwell, and a lot of other Mooney experts recommended regular replacement of shock discs to help protect the integrity of the Mooney's wet wing.

Alan Fox Grand Master

Alan Fox

Posted
Posted

Keep in mind that corrosion is not uncommon between the pucks and stack tubes , there have been failures due to this.....When you replace the stacks , you can inspect the tubes and paint and blast.....

BigTex Mentor

BigTex

Posted
Posted

Keep in mind that corrosion is not uncommon between the pucks and stack tubes , there have been failures due to this.....When you replace the stacks , you can inspect the tubes and paint and blast.....

 

When they replaced mine, that's exactly what happened... and they're not cheap!

HRM Grand Master

HRM

Posted
Posted

How long they last I think is inversely proportional to how heavy you plane is

 

Don't you mean how heavy your landing is?  :P

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