How much side to side play in normal for nose gear

[Jeev]

Hello All -

I have a 78 J in for annual now and when up on jacks you can wiggle the nose gear side to side (in the steering plane) when you grab the tire on both sides with out engaging the steering, just feels a little loose.  As this is my 1st Mooney i was wondering if this is normal?  The gear is tight in regards to retraction or lowering with no play and the looseness seems to be isolated to steering only.  I do not notice any problems during ground ops. My mechanic is looking in to this but I  wanted to get some opinions before I spend more money... Gonna be an expensive annual due to a prop overhaul (slinging grease)  :-(  

Thanks,

SP

[GeorgePerry]

Check for wear in the Nose gear steering horn assembly (bushings etc) and Nose gear truss damage (If the nose gear moves from side to side while up on jacks or the airplane "darts" after nose wheel touchdown you've got a problem)

See the article linked below.

http://www.donmaxwell.com/publications/MAPA_TEXT/M20-202%20-%20Eight-Second%20Ride/EIGHT_SECOND_RIDE.HTM

My steering horn bushings were worn out when I purchased my bird and bought the kit from LASAR.  That along with a new nose gear truss did the trick.  Unfortunately it's kind-a an expensive fix, so be sure that's where your slop is coming from.

http://www.lasar.com/mod-details.asp?id=30

 

[Parker_Woodruff]

Quote: Jeev

Hello All -

I have a 78 J in for annual now and when up on jacks you can wiggle the nose gear side to side (in the steering plane) when you grab the tire on both sides with out engaging the steering, just feels a little loose.  As this is my 1st Mooney i was wondering if this is normal?  The gear is tight in regards to retraction or lowering with no play and the looseness seems to be isolated to steering only.  I do not notice any problems during ground ops. My mechanic is looking in to this but I  wanted to get some opinions before I spend more money... Gonna be an expensive annual due to a prop overhaul (slinging grease)  :-(  

Thanks,

SP

[Jeev]

Thanks George - The aircraft doesent dart but I will have a close look at the steering horn.

Parker - Yeah I looked into just having it repaired but the prop has 1750TT on it and an overhaul was only $800 more... I figured I would just bite the bullet now instead of later thanks.

[conom06d]

How often are props supposed to be overhauled and what do you look for to know if it needs it? I have a 3-bladed mccaulley with 780-800hrs

[1970m20e]

Help.  My m20e 1970 model also has some play in it.  Seems like $1000 for this little part is awfully overpriced.  What options are out there really?  

[Jeev]

I just put the $1000 LASAR part on my J and now there is little to no play.  The other option was to send the steering parts to LASAR and they will rebuild it with a Yellow Tag but I think it was only a couple hundred less to go that route.  The parts that come in the new LASAR kits are well engineered, are of great workmanship and better than original IMO.  It is hard to bite the $1500 - $2000 total bill though.  Keep in mind that even though I didn't like the "slop" in my steering it was NOT deemed a "safety of flight" issue, I elected to just do it now instead of later so you may be able to "wait" on this repair.