Alex's M20D (continuous thread)

[Raptor05121]

Annual for N6744U is coming up soon. This year (in my quest of upgrading something every annual) is focusing on the landing gear. For reasons unbeknownst to me, I found the entry where the old style puck system was changed out and my plane was retrofitted with the newer style, but when this was done in the 1990s, they used rubber pucks from 1968! So mine are extremely worn. My plane rides harsher than any other Mooney I've flown and it desperately needs to be redone. At the time time, I'm going to replace the steering horn as its also got some play in it. Lastly, I hope to get one of those down block locks being made. If I had more time, I'd look into getting my landing gear trusses powder-coated but I think it would take too long to accomplish and I plan on switching careers here shortly and will be using my plane as a commutable vehicle to get between where I am stationed and home.

Stay tuned for updates.

[hammdo]

Down/up lock blocks! Can’t wait either...

interested to see the steering horn when you pull it — so I know how much play is too much...

-Don

[carusoam]

New paint would be good...

Adding The tow limits decal and associated pointer might be good as well...

New job to pay for all the updates will be helpful... don’t quit the first job...   

Consider swapping the old parts for a rebuilt one from Lasar... once you have it off...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

[Skates97]

41 minutes ago, carusoam said:

New paint would be good...

Adding The tow limits decal and associated pointer might be good as well...

New job to pay for all the updates will be helpful... don’t quit the first job...   

Consider swapping the old parts for a rebuilt one from Lasar... once you have it off...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

Any sources for that besides LASAR? They show sold out.

https://lasar.com/service-bulletin-kits/service-bulletin-kit-towing-limits-indicator-m20-151-000?rq=tow

[hammdo]

I could not find the pointer — have the labels. OPP like the down/up blocks?

-Don

[Raptor05121]

5 hours ago, hammdo said:

Down/up lock blocks! Can’t wait either...

interested to see the steering horn when you pull it — so I know how much play is too much...

-Don

THIS is what too much play looks like...

 

[hammdo]

Damn! That is a lot!

-Don

[bradp]

Looks like an 8 second ride there. 

[HRM]

23 hours ago, Raptor05121 said:

For reasons unbeknownst to me, I found the entry where the old style puck system was changed out and my plane was retrofitted with the newer style, but when this was done in the 1990s, they used rubber pucks from 1968! So mine are extremely worn. My plane rides harsher than any other Mooney I've flown and it desperately needs to be redone.

Frankly, I think you can completely toss out the 'puck check' parameters and go with 'landing feel'. I was astonished how (pleasantly) bouncy my landings became with new pucks/donuts/discs.

[David Lloyd]

The 8 second ride is caused by lack of nose gear caster, not the slop in the steering.  The slop will cause it's own problems.

[Raptor05121]

2 hours ago, David Lloyd said:

The 8 second ride is caused by lack of nose gear caster, not the slop in the steering.  The slop will cause it's own problems.

I haven't checked to see if I have the spacer SB installed. That will also be on my list to do, if needed.

[bradp]

So as long as its castering properly it will so so like any other free wheeling nosewherl? 

[Raptor05121]

Finally got a lead on a job thanks to a good friend and fellow Mooney owner. They flew me up to Massachusetts, got me hotel and rental car and did some survey lines over Lawrence, Mass and put my commercial ticket to use and made my first dollar! Ironically, I was born a few miles away so spent my free day off playing in snow and visiting family I haven't seen in 15 years. I've got a month left working local government before I turn in my notice and "deploy" to Illinois for 6 months flying a 172. I plan, of course, of redoing the landing gear in N6744U and flying her up there with me as a commute vehicle to get back and forth between, and also to take her to Oshkosh for my first time ever!

[RLCarter]

Congrats

[Hector]

Congrats ALex!!


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[Andy95W]

You'll never forget the first dollar you make as a pilot when you no longer have to pay to fly.  Congrats!

[carusoam]

Way to go Alex!

Get a good Sox T-shirt while you are up there!

Fire up your best Boston Accent.

Best regards,

-a-

[steingar]

Many congratulations.  It appears your plan is having some preliminary success.  May it continue.

[Raptor05121]

First part showed up.

[RLCarter]

You’ll be surprised on how smooth it will taxi with new shock disks

[Raptor05121]

Well that hurt. But you have to love one-stop shopping for our vintage birds.

[Raptor05121]

I'm sorry for lack of pictures but three of us spent 3 days doing this annual with a time crunch for my upcoming move. We started off with overhauling the nose gear. I removed the entire truss and removed the bushings from all the joints. Cleaned the dirt/grime from all the crevasses and lubed and rebuilt it. New LASAR steering horn really tightened things up! After the nose was back together, we removed the old pucks and then fought to get the new ones in. I found a local Mooniac who had the OEM tools and that helped us press the new donuts in. What weird, is I have the SB tracking spacer but we COULD NOT get it on. With the tool at max compression, a breaker bar twisting it, we couldn't compress the donuts enough to get the collar and spacer on. So we elected to skip the SB spacer and just installed the collar. Surprisingly, she taxis and lands fine! No more "8 second ride", even without the spacer! My donuts were dated from 1999 so they were also due. The mains were easy to do with simply the weight of the plane.

Then we noticed a faint smell of fuel eminating from the engine bay. Running the boost pump gave us a tiny drip coming from behind the engine. Removed the battery, battery box and found the culprit- fuel line from the gascolator to the engine-driven fuel pump had a pinhole leak.

 

Whoever made this one years ago had safety wire wound around it to hold some makeshift insulation on it. We took it out, removed the fittings and fashioned a proper replacement.

 

Proper AD's taken care of, buttoned up and everything else done, she was ready to go. I can't begin to explain how bad she needed new knees. Grass landings and takeoffs are not anywhere near as bad as they used to and I don't have to taxi around with dancing feet like a taildragger with the worn-out steering horn.

Next week I'm loading up my most precious belongings, an air mattess and relocating to Illinois for 6 months- I got a job flying 172s for an outfit doing aerial survey.

[tigers2007]

Excellent news Alex. It also looks like you'll be doing more flying than many pilots at the majors!

[RLCarter]

@Raptor05121 when I purchased my E we did the pucks and it had the spacer. We ended up not needing the spacer once the nose truss was all “tightened” up, spacer was cleaned, painted and put away in case it needed. Congrats on your new adventure, you might be flying with a friend of mine, she’s up there now

[Raptor05121]

3 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

@Raptor05121 when I purchased my E we did the pucks and it had the spacer. We ended up not needing the spacer once the nose truss was all “tightened” up, spacer was cleaned, painted and put away in case it needed. Congrats on your new adventure, you might be flying with a friend of mine, she’s up there now

Robert, what is your friends name?