Best way to Jack Up a Mooney to Change a Tire?

[Gary0747]

What is the best way to jack up a single wheel to change a tire when wing point jacks are not available? 

[ShuRugal]

  On 3/23/2018 at 2:22 AM, Gary0747 said:

What is the best way to jack up a single wheel to change a tire when wing point jacks are not available? 

Chock the other wheels
Tow bar through the hinge
Jack up the bar
(This is how my IA/previous owner showed me to do it)


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[Gary0747]

What is the hinge?

[ShuRugal]

  On 3/23/2018 at 2:47 AM, Gary0747 said:

What is the hinge?

The lateral bar above an ahead of the tire. This is the tow-bar point on the nose wheel, but it exists on the other two as well. This bar bears the full load that the wheel bears, so sliding a rod which just barely fits the inside diameter through it makes it a good jack point.

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[Gary0747]

That will work for the nose wheel since you can jack the side away from the side you remove the nose wheel from. but the jack will be in the way of wheel removal on the mains. 

[ShuRugal]

  On 3/23/2018 at 2:55 AM, Gary0747 said:

That will work for the nose wheel since you can jack the side away from the side you remove the nose wheel from. but the jack will be in the way of wheel removal on the mains. 

Good point. I don't know if PP can legally remove the wheel fairing on a retractable... There's a question for someone better versed in the interpretation of that particular FAR/AC.



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[kortopates]

Removing gear doors will defeat the utility of jacking a single door since you'll need to do a gear retract test when done to ensure it all went back together ok.


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[ShuRugal]

  On 3/23/2018 at 3:25 AM, kortopates said:

Removing gear doors will defeat the utility of jacking a single door since you'll need to do a gear retract test when done to ensure it all went back together ok.


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And there's my answer: PP can set jacks, but cannot swing the gear.

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[Hank]

  On 3/23/2018 at 3:00 AM, ShuRugal said:

Good point. I don't know if PP can legally remove the wheel fairing on a retractable... There's a question for someone better versed in the interpretation of that particular FAR/AC.
 

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My memory says I can do non-structural disassembly and reassembly on my own airplane. I can even remove and reinstall the brakes as long as I don't change the pads while they are laying on the floor . . . . Wheel fairings are only cosmetic and aerodynamic, not structural. But I haven't read Part 43 recently. 

Another thing:  you don't need jack points. I have used socket head cap screws in the wing tie down holes, just match the thread size. SHCS are the fat-headed screws used with Allen wrenches.

[Hank]

  On 3/23/2018 at 3:26 AM, ShuRugal said:

And there's my answer: PP can set jacks, but cannot swing the gear.

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I can't jack up my plane and raise the gear???     

[ShuRugal]

  On 3/23/2018 at 3:29 AM, Hank said:

I can't jack up my plane and raise the gear???     

So I have been told by people who I would expect to know (one IA, one DPE, one FSDO DPE-examiner)

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[Hank]

  On 3/23/2018 at 3:31 AM, ShuRugal said:

So I have been told by people who I would expect to know (one IA, one DPE, one FSDO DPE-examiner)
 

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All kinds of people say all kinds of things. What do the FARs say?

[ShuRugal]

  On 3/23/2018 at 3:33 AM, Hank said:

All kinds of people say all kinds of things. What do the FARs say?

Good question. I will have to read them again looking for that in particular, now that you have posed the question to me.

But not right now. Right now I've got some sleep to catch.

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[cliffy]

Attached is a manual from the FAA on what you as the owner/pilot can do to your airplane. Most everything is "inspection". 

The only "maintenance " allowed is contained in Part 43 Appendix A Part C All those items require you to sign off the "maintenance' in the a/c log book as specified in the FARs. 

You'll notice "gear retraction" is not included in any list. But, just to retract the gear and observe you're on your own. Nothing requires a sign off to do that. if you remove a gear door (or unhook it) and do a retract to verify that it clears that is "maintenance" that requires an A&P to sign off. 

As a pilot you can remove "fairings" I could stretch that to "wheel fairings" to change a tire as you are allowed to do in PM work. 

Jacking an aircraft is inherently dangerous . If you haven't been trained on how to do it safely, don't do it. I've seen Boeings fall off the jacks.

FAA P-8740-15 Maintenance Aspects of Owning Your Own Aircraft [hi-res] branded.pdf

[cliffy]

Forgot to add (its late)

Gary  He's referring to the "knee" of the main gear forward of and above the main wheel. Please get some training the first time you change a tire. If you do it wrong, it can literally kill you in the hangar as you disassemble the wheel. I saved an owner just a couple of years ago from just that by seconds on his first tire change. 

In Australia, pilots are specifically restricted from jacking all 3 wheels off the ground  Just interesting FYI

[Gary0747]

Thanks Cliffy for the word of caution.  I have changed a number of tires over the years but always had access to my wing point jacks back in Michigan.  Since I have been hiding out here in Arizona until things warm up I do not have acces the jacks. I was wanting to just remove a main wheel to inspect and see what might be causing a slight imbalance I note just after lift off. I suspect possibly some excess wheel bearing grease might be in the hub as the culprit. 

I was curious to know the lethal dangers you have seen in the past with people improperly changing tires?   I could only think of a few things myself.   Taking the hub apart under pressure?  Pinching a tube?  Improper torquing the hub?    Also I would never recommend installing a new tire on a Mooney with out doing a retraction test.

Edited March 23, 2018 by Gary0747

[RobertGary1]

Gear retraction isn’t included for the same reason that exercising the flight controls isn’t included. Of course you can legally observe the gear swinging. Just like you can observe the rudder wiggle when you press the rudder peddles. 

Of course you can change a tire because it’s listed as preventative in the FaRs   It’s literally the first item mentioned

As an aside, it’s difficult to imagine what you could do in a Mooney during a tire change that would obstruct a gear swing  other planes are a different story 

-Robert

[N201MKTurbo]

  On 3/23/2018 at 8:20 AM, Gary0747 said:

Thanks Cliffy for the word of caution.  I have changed a number of tires over the years but always had access to my wing point jacks back in Michigan.  Since I have been hiding out here in Arizona until things warm up I do not have acces the jacks. I was wanting to just remove a main wheel to inspect and see what might be causing a slight imbalance I note just after lift off. I suspect possibly some excess wheel bearing grease might be in the hub as the culprit. 

I was curious to know the lethal dangers you have seen in the past with people improperly changing tires?   I could only think of a few things myself.   Taking the hub apart under pressure?  Pinching a tube?  Improper torquing the hub?    Also I would never recommend installing a new tire on a Mooney with out doing a retraction test.

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If you can get to KCHD you can use my jacks.

[Gary0747]

  On 3/23/2018 at 1:09 PM, RobertGary1 said:

As an aside, it’s difficult to imagine what you could do in a Mooney during a tire change that would obstruct a gear swing  other planes are a different story 

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The late Russ Stallings had a story many years ago at a MAPA convention where they managed to stick a nose tire in the wheel well because it was slightly larger than the previous   During a test flight they could not get the gear down. They continued flying trying to come up with a solution.   finally they managed to get a very large screwdriver pushed through the cockpit side of the nose wheel housing and were able to lever the stuck wheel lose.   That has been my motivation for a retraction test after new tires. 

[RobertGary1]

  On 3/23/2018 at 2:47 PM, Gary0747 said:

The late Russ Stallings had a story many years ago at a MAPA convention where they managed to stick a nose tire in the wheel well because it was slightly larger than the previous   During a test flight they could not get the gear down. They continued flying trying to come up with a solution.   finally they managed to get a very large screwdriver pushed through the cockpit side of the nose wheel housing and were able to lever the stuck wheel lose.   That has been my motivation for a retraction test after new tires. 

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Not disagreeing with swinging the gear but do you have any details on the model? My F has gobs of excess space jn the wheel wells. 

-Robert

[Gary0747]

I do not remember that detail or even if it wasmanual or electric gear. I think his son is on this list some and may have more info 

[Yetti]

I would think following proper procedures for a tire change would include a gear swing as the operational test.   If you didn't and the gear got stuck then you failed the tire change procedure.   Pretty sure the FAA does not see things as logically as I do.   I would have to say changing the brake pads on a Mooney is a far simpler task.

[cliffy]

To the above-  The MM specifically states to do FIVE gear retractions after any tire change! You shouldn't be doing the work if you don't have and follow the MM. LEGALLY you have to have the manual available when doing any maintenance. The FAA states that the manufacturers instructions must be followed. I know, I'm beating a dead horse but it bears repeating.

To stretch the issue further, yes you can "change a tire" per 43.13 but think of this- when that was promulgated they were referring to tires on non-retractable J-3s and such. Now because you have to follow the MM and it specifically says  to do a gear swing AND because the sign off in the log book must reference some approved data that you followed (the MM), how can you as a pilot sign off the tire change PER THE MM and include the gear swing? Is that included in the 43.13 in allowable maintenance by pilots?  Just bringing this up for discussion. Thought provoking, isn't it? :-)

Secondly, you will find some tire outside diameter variances especially when you use retread tires. There is one retread that has megga thick tread and the outside diameter is larger. Going into the main wheel wells there is not so much extra space. Also have to take into consideration any play in the gear allowing the wheel to come closer to the edge than normal. If the rubber pucks are tired the wheel will move several degrees loosely and possibly drag on the interior of the wheel well. 

Pinching the tube, a fold in the tube or the torque on the axle nut are all important items (all avoided by proper training) but the biggie is unbolting the wheel while it is still inflated!  That is a killer. This is what I caught an owner doing just a couple years ago. Caught him JUST in time. I have a rule that no tire gets dismounted unless the tire valve is removed completely from the stem and remains removed until the tire is ready to be inflated (even from the new tube). Just bleeding the pressure off will not cut it with me. We had huge tire cages at the airlines (some 5 feet tall with 3" thick bars) for inflating jet tires. I've seen a Citation tire explode on the first inflation. Not a pretty sight. Utube it and see what I mean! Inflating tires is no joke. Just look at all the guys injured or killed working on split rim truck tires. 

Here's a question if you do change your own tires-

Do you or have you ever replaced the bolts and nuts with new that hold the wheel together? Can you visualize the stress on those bolts as the wheel hits the ground in a skid? Say after 50 years of service? Corrosion? Have you ever (or do you ever look for) seen broken wheel bolts missing there heads? I've seen many. Now you have a wheel being held together with just 2 bolts. How's the stress on that wheel now? 

Again, thought provoking ain't it?

 

 

[skydvrboy]

Many of these questions can be answered by your local FSDO staff.  Give them a call, after all, they are the ones who will hold you accountable if something should happen.  Some of these posts remind me of when I asked our local FSDO guy about changing interior bulbs to LED's.  I had read on MS that might not be allowed.  He told me "Use some common sense kid, if your allowed to do something as complex as change tires and pack wheel bearings, we don't care if you change a light bulb." 

I'm guessing if I asked him if we were allowed to remove the wheel faring or do gear swing as part of the process he would tell me the same thing.  If you are allowed to change the tire, you must be allowed to do everything the MM calls for when changing a tire.  Not to mention the faring is covered under #12.  How could you repair it if you aren't allowed to remove and replace it?

It seems so many pilots, especially older pilots, are terrified of the FAA.  Get to know them, they really aren't bad guys and are much more interested in keeping you safe than busting you for violating some rule.  We regularly (3-4 times a year) have someone from the FSDO staff come and give safety presentations to our club.

[kerry]

  On 3/23/2018 at 2:55 AM, Gary0747 said:

That will work for the nose wheel since you can jack the side away from the side you remove the nose wheel from. but the jack will be in the way of wheel removal on the mains. 

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Just use a longer bar so that there's between the jack and wheel.