Manual step conversion

[Profileair]

I have a 64 E model with manual step extension/retraction. Has anyone converted to pneumatic and if so what did it take.

[HRM]

Lot's of AMU's and patience.

I think it just plumbs directly into the vac system.

[Profileair]

Thank, any ideas on finding one?

 

[carusoam]

We have a guy...

@Alan Fox or @acpartswhse

Both here on MS...

Best regards,

-a-

 

[HRM]

5 hours ago, Profileair said:

Thank, any ideas on finding one?

As per Anthony's post above. Good news is even if you get one with the servo boot shot (about the only thing that goes south with it), Brittain now has them in stock.

[Profileair]

Thanks, l'll give them a try. The cables in mine broke and I think it would be more work to fix that than to convert.

[steingar]

I hate mine, though it works.  I've pretty much permanently retracted it, giving my aircraft a stepectomy.  It comes out for Mrs. Steingar and no one else, sort of like another unmentionable part of my anatomy.

[Profileair]

I’m starting to think this is the best option. Mine also only comes out for the Mrs.

[cliffy]

I've got the Charlie Armstrong one but I'm going to put a fixed one on. Don't care about the mile or 2 an hour.  The other half wants a step NOW. This one is finicky. 

In looking at it over the last couple of weeks, one might do an owner designed part using a car door window motor system and sign it off as a minor alteration. I do think it would qualify on all accounts for both.

[mooniac15u]

Everyone around here can't stop talking about their manual gear and flaps but cranking a step is too much work?

[steingar]

1 hour ago, mooniac15u said:

Everyone around here can't stop talking about their manual gear and flaps but cranking a step is too much work?

Yeah, it can honestly be real pain.  Mine is actually thought to crank.  I've seen Mooneys with permanent stepectomies, and I can see why.  Its what I recommend to the OP, cheapest option by far.  Keep a step stool handy for the Mrs.

[Andy95W]

I love my step crank, but it's smooth and easy to crank.  If it wasn't, I'd fix it.  

It's a simple system, but difficult to get at all the cables. Worth doing, though.

[mooniac15u]

Just now, steingar said:

Yeah, it can honestly be real pain.  Mine is actually thought to crank.  I've seen Mooneys with permanent stepectomies, and I can see why.  Its what I recommend to the OP, cheapest option by far.  Keep a step stool handy for the Mrs.

I had a manual step in my old M20D.  It never gave me any trouble; a couple cranks and it was up.  It sounds like there are some cables in need of lubrication.

[Andy95W]

14 minutes ago, mooniac15u said:

I had a manual step in my old M20D.  It never gave me any trouble; a couple cranks and it was up.  It sounds like there are some cables in need of lubrication.

Ditto.  Friction/binding can only come from a maximum of 3 sources:

-the step slider itself, easy to check and lubricate

-the cables as they run inside their sheaths

-the crank mechanism itself

[takair]

As a result of Anthony dropping a couple of previous hints, I'm close to prototyping an electric conversion.  Goal is to make it weigh less than either the boot or the crank.  Hope to have it working this month if I can sort out a couple of remaining details.  It would be easy to do if weight were not an objective, a little harder with my self imposed weight objective.

[Jerry Pressley]

I have servos for autopilot and for the step  jerry   423 231 3491   any idea what  brittain gets for them?

 

[takair]

On 12/6/2017 at 10:46 AM, cliffy said:

I've got the Charlie Armstrong one but I'm going to put a fixed one on. Don't care about the mile or 2 an hour.  The other half wants a step NOW. This one is finicky. 

In looking at it over the last couple of weeks, one might do an owner designed part using a car door window motor system and sign it off as a minor alteration. I do think it would qualify on all accounts for both.

Cliffy

I have most of the stuff together and two actuators on order.  Should weigh under .5 lbs (so should be a wash once you remove other stuff) and be under $200.  If all goes according to plan, will be a simple install.  It should work for either crank or vacuum steps.  If Mrs. Cliffy can hang in there, it might be a nice post Christmas gift.  I intend to try it all out in the next few weeks. Started building the harness and links.   Of course, these things always seem simple until I try it.  

[cliffy]

I await with bated breath!

[Profileair]

 

I too will wait to see how you do. This sounds like it would be the best option. In the meantime an "in-op" placard will have to do.

[rbridges]

On 12/6/2017 at 9:23 AM, steingar said:

I hate mine, though it works.  I've pretty much permanently retracted it, giving my aircraft a stepectomy.  It comes out for Mrs. Steingar and no one else, sort of like another unmentionable part of my anatomy.

Why do you hate it?  Is it a million turns or something?  I mentioned a few times about wanting to remove my vacuum system but I have a vacuum step. 

[steingar]

12 minutes ago, rbridges said:

Why do you hate it?  Is it a million turns or something?  I mentioned a few times about wanting to remove my vacuum system but I have a vacuum step. 

Its really sticky and difficult to turn, especially in the winter.  I know everyone has told me to lubricate it, but I really don't feel like taking half the airplane apart in the freezing cold (I don't even feel like taking it apart in good weather, it just isn't that important).  Given the number of Mooneys I've seen with permanent stepectomies, I suspect mine isn't the only one.

[takair]

3 hours ago, steingar said:

Its really sticky and difficult to turn, especially in the winter.  I know everyone has told me to lubricate it, but I really don't feel like taking half the airplane apart in the freezing cold (I don't even feel like taking it apart in good weather, it just isn't that important).  Given the number of Mooneys I've seen with permanent stepectomies, I suspect mine isn't the only one.

I find that spraying the tube, from the outside, and then cranking it up and down once or twice helps significantly.  There are some friction stops on the tube that seem to bind. 

Progress is moving along on the electric conversion.  Have most of my "kit" together for the prototype.  Feeling optimistic. 

[cliffy]

fingers crossed  :-)

[steingar]

2 hours ago, takair said:

I find that spraying the tube, from the outside, and then cranking it up and down once or twice helps significantly.  There are some friction stops on the tube that seem to bind. 

Progress is moving along on the electric conversion.  Have most of my "kit" together for the prototype.  Feeling optimistic. 

Put it this way.  Were it that easy I don't think you'd be working on an electric replacement. 

 

I hope it goes well for you.  That said, I've no plans for it in the immediate future.  The crank mechanism may be balky, but it works and is stone simple.  I really like things simple on airplanes.  Probably why I fly a Johnson bar Mooney.

[takair]

20 minutes ago, steingar said:

Put it this way.  Were it that easy I don't think you'd be working on an electric replacement. 

 

I hope it goes well for you.  That said, I've no plans for it in the immediate future.  The crank mechanism may be balky, but it works and is stone simple.  I really like things simple on airplanes.  Probably why I fly a Johnson bar Mooney.

It really may be that easy.  My step actually works very smoothly and that is typically all the maintenance I ever do to it. It is a little easier to lube from inside the hatch, but can be done from the outside too.  There is quite a big hole in the belly with the step down. 

The electric was really @carusoam idea and I thought it might be a fun follow on project to some others I had done with mini-linear actuators.  The goal is to make it lighter than stock and a reasonable option to new cables or servos for those that do have trouble.  Also allows dropping the vacuum pump for those who have gone all electric.