Front Gear Door Alignment

[81X]

Hi team, I have a total noob question here- I have a somewhat new to me 231 and one of my hangar-mates pointed out that the front gear doors aren't straight.  Ground handling and landing tracks are perfect and the jam nuts for the door adjustment all look right and tight.  Is this just one of those Mooney things so the pilot gear door properly closes on top of the copilot gear door?  

 

 

 

[N201MKTurbo]

That looks right. You have to put it on jacks to tell for sure.

[jetdriven]

You can adjust the spacers on the bottom heim bearing where it bolts to the gear door. if you move the spacers to the front of the heim bearing on the bolt, it will open that right-hand door a little further for you on the ground. 

It also changes how tight the door closes so you want to have it on Jacks and  cycle the gear to be sure that the door closes with the proper tension not too tight and not hanging down

Edited February 28, 2018 by jetdriven

[81X]

Thanks, I'll see if I can get it on jacks the next time I'm taking things apart to see how the doors close during retraction.  

[Hank]

Like this:

 

Sorry for the delay, the IA had a hard time finding the switch while I ran the camera. Motors a little loud, too . . .

20180120_120726.mp4

[DonMuncy]

Hank, What kind of car is that visible outside the hangar?

[EricJ]

36 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

Hank, What kind of car is that visible outside the hangar?

Looks like a Miata.

[DonMuncy]

1 minute ago, EricJ said:

Looks like a Miata.

Kinda, but not quite. Also resembles my Lotus Elan (from which the Miata was copied).

[Hank]

2 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

Hank, What kind of car is that visible outside the hangar?

It's a Miata. There are several.

[jetdriven]

20:1 gears can do that. 40:1 on later models are easier on hardware. 

[DonMuncy]

EricJ. . You were right. I drive a Miata, but the lights on the one in the video indicate it must be one of the earlier ones.

[Hank]

9 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

interesting vid, that down lock is quite violent, mine is not so violent, doesn't vibrate the doors at all like yours does.  Is something loose on yours?

Just watched it for the first time on a larger screen than my phone. I think I now know why the arm going to my left nose gear door broke a few years ago . . . .

There is a satisfying "thump" as the mains nestle gently into the wings under my seat, and I can also positively feel them extend and lock into place. But I still check the panel light and the floor indicator on final. 

[flyboy0681]

Man that is a fast cycle.

[kortopates]

Doors look normal to me as well. But as others have stated its all about them fully closing without added/unnecessary  tension on them.

[Hank]

3 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

Man that is a fast cycle.

They are the original factory gears. It's somewhat slower in the air due to drag. 

[flyboy0681]

3 minutes ago, Hank said:

They are the original factory gears. It's somewhat slower in the air due to drag. 

Can't be slower than this

 

 

[Hank]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^   Ah, yes, the infamous wounded duck retract look . . . . .      

[flyboy0681]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

^ ^ ^ ^ ^   Ah, yes, the infamous wounded duck retract look . . . . .      

You have to admit that it looks pathetic.

[jaylw314]

16 hours ago, Hank said:

^ ^ ^ ^ ^   Ah, yes, the infamous wounded duck retract look . . . . .      

That is mean, but accurate

[Hank]

4 minutes ago, jaylw314 said:

That is mean, but accurate

That's what came to mind the first time I saw one takeoff . . . Except wounded ducks usually go down not up.

[Skates97]

17 hours ago, Hank said:

^ ^ ^ ^ ^   Ah, yes, the infamous wounded duck retract look . . . . .      

Every time I see them taking off and the gear going up I always wonder if it is going to come back down and actually support the plane. The way they wobble does not instill confidence...

[flyboy0681]

Just now, Skates97 said:

Every time I see them taking off and the gear going up I always wonder if it is going to come back down and actually support the plane. The way they wobble does not instill confidence...

Back when I was flying a 182 retract I always said a prayer when I placed the handle in the down position. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw it swing around, hoping it locked into place.

The whole system is so freaking complicated that I've often wondered if they could have taken another approach such as using a telescoping system, sort of like the chrome antennas on our 7 transistor radios.