Landing gear problem

[steingar]

The dohicky that holds the Johnson bar in the panel is getting really sticky.  It was all I could do to get the J-bar seated flying last night.  The whoodanger (really, I don't know what to call it other than the Johnson bar holder, which sounds more like a lady of rentable virtue) is quite new, it was replaced last year. I'm getting concerned, its getting harder and harder to seat the J-bar and lock the gear down.

Any ideas?

[mike20papa]

My first thought is - when situation is getting worse - is not to fly the airplane till you get the problem resolved.  Put the airplane up on jacks and look for the cause.  The difficulty in seating the bar sounds like it could be as simple as "Stuff" in the carpet in between the bar and wheel well or incorrectly, over adjusted gear actuator rods.  Best 'o luck.  Joe

[bonal]

We had a couple of flights where it took a couple tries to get the locked green light to come on. Took some tri flow on next flight and sprayed the J bar while in flight with it locked in the floor location. Now it jumps right into the block and locks practically by itself.

[steingar]

The problem isn't in moving the bar, it swings quite freely throughout its range of motion.  The problem is in specifically seating it in its holder in the panel.  I am going to try to get this addressed where the aircraft is, but I suspect the mechanical services that were there are gone.  Aircraft might have to get moved to get worked on anyway.

[bonal]

Our bar swung freely as well it was the slider that was not locking easily into the block in the panel. After tri flow it went in to locked position with zero effort.

[RLCarter]

get it on jacks is the best way, lube the handle and bar so it slides freely, check the adjustment of the handle that it is going far enough up the bar to engage the lock and lube the lock block itself. I use Silicone spray liberally 'cause it won't stain or drip once it dries (very quick), Tri-Flo is great but will leave it oily

[Andy95W]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

We had a couple of flights where it took a couple tries to get the locked green light to come on. Took some tri flow on next flight and sprayed the J bar while in flight with it locked in the floor location. Now it jumps right into the block and locks practically by itself.

+1

I had EXACTLY the same symptoms that @steingar described and I was convinced that it was the latching mechanism- until I lubed the slider like bonal said.  I can now latch the Johnson bar with my thumb and forefinger.

One exception- make absolutely sure there isn't any carpeting bunching up at the base of the Johnson bar- otherwise you'll get a situation that @Sabremech has described with his airplane.

[orionflt]

bring it out to KUKT and visit, I bet we can get it resolved quickly

Brian

[ShuRugal]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

Our bar swung freely as well it was the slider that was not locking easily into the block in the panel. After tri flow it went in to locked position with zero effort.

+1 for TriFlow - I keep a can in the plane and squirt some under the slider any time I feel that it is getting too stiff to operate.  Level flight, stabilize at gear speed, squirt the handle at the bottom edge of the slider, then unlock the gear and actuate the slider up and down the handle half a dozen times or so, until the movement is smooth and light.

[Don Heene]

I replaced my Gear down block last year and the new one was a little hard to get the bar in the new block, after using Tri flow worked fine. 

[steingar]

I think I'm going to try the lubrication thing.  I doubt there's anything wrong with the gear itself, airplane came out of annual in June.  But I think the gear holder thingies could use some lube at both ends.  Ordered some trifle off Amazon, but I doubt it'll be here in time (unusual, stuff usually gets here fast).  But I can get some silicone lubricant form the auto parts store and use that.  Seems to me like a stickiness thing, and lube usually gets that.

[Hank]

I've bought Tri Flow in a local mom & pop hardware store. Never hurts to check.

[Andy95W]

Michael- I used silicone on my slider and it worked great.  You can do it in flight if you have someone to help,  but it's better to do it on jacks. While you're lubing stuff you should probably try to get some on the thumb slide mechanism too, just in case that's what's binding. 

[HRM]

23 hours ago, steingar said:

The dohicky that holds the Johnson bar in the panel is getting really sticky.  It was all I could do to get the J-bar seated flying last night.  The whoodanger (really, I don't know what to call it other than the Johnson bar holder, which sounds more like a lady of rentable virtue) is quite new, it was replaced last year. I'm getting concerned, its getting harder and harder to seat the J-bar and lock the gear down.

Any ideas?

When was it replaced? Mine had the original in it (+45 years or so) and I had it replaced a couple of years ago and it works perfectly and will be good for another 45+ years.

I believe it came from LASAR.

[Hank]

Harley, you must have been distracted by the "lady of rentable virtue" comment . . . .

[carusoam]

To add to the serious nature of the handle.... it is held in place with a single nut?  Visible through a hole in the Jbar...

We only have one reported incident of the handle falling off.... (that I remember)

So If things are getting worse, Something is changing...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic....

Best regards,

-a-

[Guitarmaster]

This is why I fly an electric gear airplane!

Sorry, just had to take a poke at the J-bar guys.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[steingar]

Poke away, it is deserved. Sprayed the thing with silicone lube last night, not a lot of improvement but I’ll keep my eye on it. Good news is the aircraft’s next flight will take it to a mechanic who I will ask to look at the gear.

[HRM]

11 hours ago, Hank said:

Harley, you must have been distracted by the "lady of rentable virtue" comment . . . .

GUILTY as charged 

[HRM]

2 hours ago, Guitarmaster said:

This is why I fly an electric gear airplane!

Don't get us started. Oh hell, why not...hows that Plessey spring holding up?

[Guitarmaster]

Don't get us started. Oh hell, why not...hows that Plessey spring holding up?

So far so good!

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Hank]

12 hours ago, HRM said:

Don't get us started. Oh hell, why not...hows that Plessey spring holding up?

It's in better shape than my right shoulder. The original is soldiering on nicely.

How's your uplock block and leather boot doing? Bet ain't neither one more than a few years old, and the boot is probably the third one.

Meantime, I actually put things between my seats when traveling . . . .  

[HRM]

2 hours ago, Hank said:

How's the leather boot doing?

There's supposed to be a leather boot?

[BDPetersen]

A groove can wear in the socket that will make sliding the latch handle in or out difficult. When it’s on jacks, unlatch and have a look (or feel). A new latch is an easy fix.

[Prior owner]

Not a good idea to fly without the boot...!