Landing gear problem

[mooniac15u]

On 1/24/2019 at 8:16 AM, MinneMooney said:

What do you use to lubricate the up lock? I am having problems getting mine to engage. No problem locking down, thankfully.

Can you be a little more specific about the problems you're having?  Do you have to push the bar hard into the carpet in order to slide the handle into the up lock?  Or, does the handle slide freely into the block and just won't easily latch?

The first issue is likely to be an obstruction or bend as suggested by others.  The second issue is more likely a worn up lock block.

I had the second issue in my old M20D.  I found I could rotate the handle a little and get it to latch in.  I suspect that it was a wear issue on the handle and/or up lock block.  My ownership of that aircraft ended before I had a chance to address the issue.

[steingar]

Keep in mind that the bar coming loose and swinging up will surprise the heck out of you, and the tray contribute to the impression of violence.  I agree that is unlikely to bend the bar, and I dod suspect that something caught under it is more likely.

[MinneMooney]

So I lubricated the j bar handle with tri-flo and flew today to see if it helped. It made a huge difference. The j bar now locks up and down quite easily. 

[HRM]

On 2/2/2019 at 7:15 PM, MinneMooney said:

So I lubricated the j bar handle with tri-flo and flew today to see if it helped. It made a huge difference. The j bar now locks up and down quite easily. 

Yes, very important to lubricate your Johnson prior to lock and load.

[carusoam]

Was there any dirt in the hole? Or spare change? 

Best regards,

-a-

[MinneMooney]

No sign of dirt or any foreign objects. I believe my plane must have had a gear collapse incident in 2001. The downlock block, the Johnson bar, and the handle were all replaced with new or refurb ones from Lasar. Also, the nosegear truss was overhauled/repaired by Lasar. So, all of those items look pretty new.

I did spray some Tri-Flow into said “hole”.

[ShermAv8tor]

Here's a different question....When the pre-loads are set to the high side, is the J-Bar more difficult to move through the motions, especially towards the end of travel? Conversely if the pre-loads were adjusted to the low end, would the J-bar be easier to swing? Although I use the words Low & High, I do mean that the pre-loads are still within spec for the plus/minus range written in the maintenance manual. 

[orionflt]

19 minutes ago, ShermAv8tor said:

Here's a different question....When the pre-loads are set to the high side, is the J-Bar more difficult to move through the motions, especially towards the end of travel? Conversely if the pre-loads were adjusted to the low end, would the J-bar be easier to swing? Although I use the words Low & High, I do mean that the pre-loads are still within spec for the plus/minus range written in the maintenance manual. 

the range is so small that if it is in the you won't notice a real difference from the top to the bottom of the range

[carusoam]

When moving the J-bar...

End of travel typically gets easier... the doors are no longer out in the wind, and the (your) arm is better angled over the bar to apply pressure...

The middle zone is where the forces become the toughest to deal with...

Pp thoughts, only... it’s been years since I flew an M20C...

Best regards,

-a-