landing gear donut tools

[flyboy0681]

Quote: Bill_Pyles

What is the deal with replacing the landing gear donuts?  Mine say 1998 and they look great, as in no cracks and they are smooth and black.  I have read that they need to be replaced every 5 years and up to every 15 years.  Has anyone tested the resilience of the old disks versus new disks?  Has anyone checked them with adurometer?  Are old discks harder or softer than new disks and what is the effect of the difference in terms of ride and handling characteristics?  Does anyone know the science on these Lord disks, or is the replacement of them based partly on tribal tradition?  I would really like to know.

[Bill_Pyles]

Thanks Mitch and Scott. 

Those sound like easy tests.  Guess I need jacks...

[MooneyMitch]

Yep, jacks are in order for the test Bill. 

Now, jacking/hoisting methods for your Mooney is another story and they can be found in numerous threads here on MooneySpace.  Lots of opinion on that subject. 

[jetdriven]

I heard that on medium body M20F or J models, the discs typically last 10-12 years. 

[jwhitaker74]

Getting ready to replace my main gear pucks. Got the Discs just waiting on a tool. Anyone done these without the tool? LASAR has tool but im waiting for someone to return it so they can ship to me. Im in Central FL if anyone has tool they would rent sell or let me borrow i could fly and meet you . Replaced nose already in conjunction with STC truss with stops. Im hangared in Brooksville FL. Im licensed to do my own work.

[Hank]

Ivecheard thatvthe mains can be done using weigh if the plane to compress the pucks, and that only the nose requires the tools.

[carusoam]

Don't we have someone that makes a copy of the tools?

Best regards,

-a-

[Andy95W]

http://www.hangartoolbox.com/Instructions/mooneyshockdisctool.aspx

I'll be replacing mine in the next month. I'm going to put in full fuel and hope to be able to do the mains without the tool. Might grab a couple friends to sit on the wings, or only one of Marauder's girls.

[N601RX]

If you have the mounting holes for a shock you can use a turnbuckle where the shock used to mount to compress the nose gear. lub the threads on the turnbuckle before starting.

[jwhitaker74]

Went ahead today without tool. My nose was already done ordered the new STC truss from LASAR with new biscuits installed already, saved me some grief. The mains i did today. While plane was still off jacks i removed covers and bolt and collars. Then i jacked aircraft and pulled lower bolt out of assembly and the whole thing comes right out. For install i did the reverse. I installed the new ones and fed it in upper hole. Then attached lower bolt to tire assembly and lowered off jacks so weight of plane compressed biscuits. I didnt have much fuel onboard so i used an 80 pund sand bag to compress it the last little bit to get holes in collar to line up. Took two hours. While i was their gave everything a good look and greased it. After all together re jacked plane and swung gear a few times. Tail is much higher and rides great. The pucks that were installed had no cure date stamped on them . They were made by RAPCO ? New ones are LORD. I work with LORD mounts on C-130 aircraft so i know they make a good product. 

[jwhitaker74]

http://mooneyspace.com/gallery/image/36672-photo-2gear/

http://mooneyspace.com/gallery/image/36673-/

Guess i dont know how to post pics here but there are pictures in my gallery of pucks.

[Andy95W]

Thanks, jwhit. Gives me the confidence to do the same thing next month without ordering the tool first.

[Sabremech]

I have my prototype tool available if anyone needs it. I found that I couldn't do the nose on mine with the turn buckle method. Too much compression needed for that to work comfortably for me. I plan on making a change to my tooling which will make it easier to use.

Thanks,

David

[TMangold]

Larry, I can't find the landing tools and I am in the middle of an annual. Would you rent them?

 

Tony Mangold

tmangold@sbcglobal.net

830 237-5024

[RobertGary1]

On 4/23/2012 at 12:52 PM, flyboy0681 said:

 

Quote: Bill_Pyles

 

 

What is the deal with replacing the landing gear donuts?  Mine say 1998 and they look great, as in no cracks and they are smooth and black.  I have read that they need to be replaced every 5 years and up to every 15 years.  Has anyone tested the resilience of the old disks versus new disks?  Has anyone checked them with adurometer?  Are old discks harder or softer than new disks and what is the effect of the difference in terms of ride and handling characteristics?  Does anyone know the science on these Lord disks, or is the replacement of them based partly on tribal tradition?  I would really like to know.

 

 

Its an old wive's tale that makes it easier for mechanics to buy a new boat. In truth Mooney have very specific measurements that you do to determine the health of the donuts. There is absolutely no calendar replacement period. Replacing them while they are still within spec is at best an owner's personal preference. Do you replace the shocks early on your car because you enjoy a nicer ride?

 

-Robert

[Hank]

14 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

Do you replace the shocks early on your car because you enjoy a nicer ride?

Shocks on the car make themselves felt every mile. Shock discs in my Mooney are felt typically 1.0--1.5 miles per trip, whether it's 10.4nm for fuel or 400 nm to see family. But boy, did new ones make my landings nicer! When I took the old ines iff in December 2012, imsaw that I had misread the upside down manufacturing date and it was really "09/69"!