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Gear handle spins


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Finally got the plane back today 10 months and $48,000.00 lighter, after the nightmare began and after take off I flipped the gear switch to up and pretty much shredded my left knee. The gear handle spun like mad. Why? I then tried moving the engagement/disengagement lever but no change.

 

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This happened to me during transition training, after cranking the gear down. Except that the rapidly-spinning handle caught my headset cord and almost smashed my face sideways into the yoke. At least it gave my CFI a good laugh . . . .

Going from memory at home, eleven years later:  slide the little red engagement lever towards the center of the handle, then fold the handle up and slide it towards the center until it catches. This should leave it somewhere around the 2:00 position when retracted, and it won't spin anymore.

If the lever won't slide, hit it with a little TriFlow and wiggle it, see if you can get it loose. Otherwise you may need to remove both front seats (easy) and the long left sidewall (not easy to remove, a genuine pain to reinstall) and see what's going on back there . . . .

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This happened to me during transition training, after cranking the gear down. Except that the rapidly-spinning handle caught my headset cord and almost smashed my face sideways into the yoke. At least it gave my CFI a good laugh . . . .
Going from memory at home, eleven years later:  slide the little red engagement lever towards the center of the handle, then fold the handle up and slide it towards the center until it catches. This should leave it somewhere around the 2:00 position when retracted, and it won't spin anymore.
If the lever won't slide, hit it with a little TriFlow and wiggle it, see if you can get it loose. Otherwise you may need to remove both front seats (easy) and the long left sidewall (not easy to remove, a genuine pain to reinstall) and see what's going on back there . . . .
Give it a try thanks.

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Joe,

You have found an important checklist item...

At least for the post maintenance checklist...

on the newer Mooneys that mishap can strip a single brass gear that in turn  disables both the electric and manual landing gear... in the unsafe position... and the engagement lever is nicely placed under the millennial kids feet...

Be sure it all goes back in order...

Great pic, Yetti!

Thanks for sharing the detail!

Beat regards,

-a-

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  • 1 month later...

Finally found the problem. During the government required circus show they require for an inspection I found out why my gear handle was spinning. During assembly the tech failed to install the return spring correctly. Removing the belly pan the spring rolled out. Pictured is it correctly installed4e90e3ec4786dd77245293540cdf0c87.jpg

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If that spring was not installed correctly, it would not cause the handle to spin.     The spring is just to positively engage the E landing gear handle.   The handle spins because the little lever by the gear is down = engaged.   The lever has an over center spring and should engage on its own.  The big external spring is just extra encouragement.

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If that spring was not installed correctly, it would not cause the handle to spin.     The spring is just to positively engage the E landing gear handle.   The handle spins because the little lever by the gear is down = engaged.   The lever has an over center spring and should engage on its own.  The big external spring is just extra encouragement.
It was not on at all. I reconnected it with the ends in the holes and everything works as it should. I tested this by removing the spring and the handle didn't disengage correctly. When the spring is installed the system works. Did I miss something else???? Everything is still open so now would be a good time to repair.


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That spring doesn’t look like it is closed up enough to be retained on the end...

But, it doesn’t look mis-shaped either.

Finding another pic or drawing (from the MM) might be helpful.(?)

Best regards,

-a-

I finished the install by closing the gap. When I dropped the belly pan the spring was on the pan and rolling around. So I went exploring till I found where it fit. My guess is they installed the spring around the post instead of thru the post.

 

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Oh sure just post the drawing and make us look stuff up like we are some kid shade tree mechanics that need to be edumicated.  :-)   An310-3 is a castle nut.   The drawing shows the lever bolt going in threads up.  Not sure that would work.   or be easy to get the big spring on .  The drawing does not show how the e gear cable connects to the lever.

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I need all the education I can get. It seems that big shops in ND can screw up a ball bearing and make it your fault. I had a fuel leak because when the new electric pump was installed by the same smart guy who installed the spring he forgot to tighten both ends of the new line connecting the pump to the valve. Good thing I learned righty tighty lefty loosie.

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What position is the handle in the cockpit currently?

FWD or AFT? 

The way the cable and lever appear as it’s still incorrect, but hard to tell with out seeing it all. 

I have mine safetied to the aft position with breakable copper wire. It helps the system to stay dis-engaged when it’s unused. (In the cockpit)

-Matt

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What position is the handle in the cockpit currently?
FWD or AFT? 
The way the cable and lever appear as it’s still incorrect, but hard to tell with out seeing it all. 
I have mine safetied to the aft position with breakable copper wire. It helps the system to stay dis-engaged when it’s unused. (In the cockpit)
-Matt
Mine works by electric motor when the release knob is at the 12 o'clock position. When moved to the 2 o'clock position the manual handle works. The problem with mine was in either position the manual handle was spinning with the electric motor because the spring didn't hold the release arm.

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1 hour ago, MB65E said:

My point is the spring is almost worthless and the handle can still fall FWD into the manual position.

You’ll only need the device once a year at annual, but it needs to work. 

-Matt

My E lever takes some effort to move forward. 

Edited by Yetti
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1 hour ago, MB65E said:

My point is the spring is almost worthless and the handle can still fall FWD into the manual position.

You’ll only need the device once a year at annual, but it needs to work. 

-Matt

In my F it takes a good amount of push to engage it. Enough to make your thumb sore.

 

-Robert

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In year one of ownership my engagement lever engaged on its own once. It happened again in year two after a pitot static check. The crank moves really fast when the electric gear is engaged !!!

Inspection revealed that the plastic kick panel by the left leg was not aligned properly and was touching the engagement lever in the disengaged detent over-center position. We figured my left foot put just enough pressure on the panel to move it and pushed the lever out of the over-center detent position causing it to move forward just enough that the spring moved it to the fully engaged position. We removed the plastic trim screws and slid the kick panel aft about 1/2 inch and problem solved.  After reading this forum I cut a piece of small gauge safety wire a few inches long. I twisted a small loop on each end and covered with painters tape so there are no sharp ends and wrapped it such that the engagement lever is pulled toward the center post of the crank.  The crank lever rotates freely when disengaged and I position it such that is covers the engagement lever knob too for added protection. The wire can be removed in seconds and painters tape covering the loops on the end makes it easy to find. Two twists and the safety wire is gone. 

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