PIREP Milwaukee Power Ratchet

[Shadrach]

 

‘Tis the season for working in tight spaces (annual due). This year I've decided to pull both mags for IRAN (550hrs left  and ~1400hrs right). Pulling the Mags on an F model is not complicated but like many areas of the Mooney, space is limited especially when it come to finding an area clear for ratchet handle travel. I've often found myself stacking extension bars to get the drive to the clearest area only to find I’m limited to <45° of rotation. This past summer I bought Milwaukee Power Ratchets for both home and hangar. This tool made removing the mag mounting nuts a 5 second per nut event. I am sure I will find other areas where it comes in handy around the Mooney.  For those of you who've ever fought automotive caliper bolts nestled in between suspension parts (Porsche people excluded), this is thing makes life so much easier after the bolt is broken. While it should not be used for breaking a fastener loose, it does deliver 200rpm 55ft-lbs in either direction with an ultra-sensitive variable speed trigger. I've no financial interest in the company.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Shadrach

[LANCECASPER]

Good deals on Milwaukees tools here:    https://www.cpomilwaukee.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Milwaukee-Site/default/Search-Show?q=ratchet&amp;simplesearch=Go

[Hank]

Count your blessings, @Shadrach! Removing the left magneto from my C is a 2-man job, as the battery box must come off of the firewall, as the magneto won't come out between the engine mount and firewall otherwise, and the box mount has four screws into the pilot's footwell, held on with nuts . . . .

With the battery out of the way, access to the left magneto is easy-peasy, as is access to the right one all of the time. Didn't need any special tools, even had room to work with the battery still in place, but couldn't get the magneto out of the engine compartment.

That said, I really really like my Milwaukee cordless drill set at home! Great tools.

Edited November 12, 2018 by Hank

[orionflt]

@

42 minutes ago, Hank said:

Count your blessings, @Shadrach! Removing the left magneto from my C is a 2-man job, as the battery box must come off of the firewall, as the magneto won't come out between the engine mount and firewall otherwise, and the box mount has four screws into the pilot's footwell, held on with nuts . . . .

With the battery out of the way, access to the left magneto is easy-peasy, as is access to the right one all of the time. Didn't need any special tools, even had room to work with the battery still in place, but couldn't get the magneto out of the engine compartment.

That said, I really really like my Milwaukee cordless drill set at home! Great tools.

Hank,

the engine mount is designed to pivot forward to allow more access to work on the back of the engine. but remember you have to use an engine hoist to support the weight of the engine when you tilt it.

[Shadrach]

44 minutes ago, Hank said:

Count your blessings, @Shadrach! Removing the left magneto from my C is a 2-man job, as the battery box must come off of the firewall, as the magneto won't come out between the engine mount and firewall otherwise, and the box mount has four screws into the pilot's footwell, held on with nuts . . . .

With the battery out of the way, access to the left magneto is easy-peasy, as is access to the right one all of the time. Didn't need any special tools, even had room to work with the battery still in place, but couldn't get the magneto out of the engine compartment.

That said, I really really like my Milwaukee cordless drill set at home! Great tools.

Every time I pull my right mag I do a lot of "blessing" but not the kind one would want to count... Left mag is easy. Right mag has vacuum pump above it, prop governor underneath it and the prop governor cable mount behind it. Additionally the fuel and oil pressure gauge lines that space as well.  The mag must be removed and then reoriented within that limited space so that the drive gear end comes through the mount tubes first.  It's not that horrible, but requires a fair amount of finesse.  I had a local A&P tell me that he removes the top engine mount bolts at the firewall and tilts the engine forward to remove the mags on most Mooneys.  Seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Edit: I see that Orionflt is a proponent of moving the mount to the service position.  Perhaps I should try it.

Edited November 12, 2018 by Shadrach

[LANCECASPER]

2 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

Every time I pull my right mag I do a lot of "blessing" but not the kind one would want to count... Left mag is easy. Right mag has vacuum pump above it, prop governor underneath it and the prop governor cable mount behind it. Additionally the fuel and oil pressure gauge lines that space as well.  The mag must be removed and then reoriented within that limited space so that the drive gear end comes through the mount tubes first.  It's not that horrible, but requires a fair amount of finesse.  I had a local A&P tell me that he removes the top engine mount bolts at the firewall and tilts the engine forward to remove the mags on most Mooneys.  Seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Edit: I see that Orionflt is a proponent of moving the mount to the service position.  Perhaps I should try it.

The biggest advantage of getting rid of my vacuum pumps (I had one engine driven and one engine/clutch driven) is that I now have some room behind the engine.

[Shadrach]

Just now, LANCECASPER said:

The biggest advantage of getting rid of my vacuum pumps (I had one engine driven and one engine/clutch driven) is that I now have some room behind the engine.

Yup, it's a PITA to work on the right side of my engine: A lot of components grouped close together and close to the firewall. The vacuum pump in and of itself is a bit of a challenge...it has 4 fasteners, 3 of which are actually easy to access...

[LANCECASPER]

Just now, Shadrach said:

Yup, it's a PITA to work on the right side of my engine: A lot of components grouped close together and close to the firewall. The vacuum pump in and of itself is a bit of a challenge...it has 4 fasteners, 3 of which are actually easy to access...

And the fasteners are probably worse to get back on than to take off . . .  my IA introduced me to plumbers putty to get the nut to stick a little so you could at least get it started.

[Shadrach]

Just now, LANCECASPER said:

And the fasteners are probably worse to get back on than to take off . . .  my IA introduced me to plumbers putty to get the nut to stick a little so you could at least get it started.

good idea! in true CB form I use a waxy and expired old tube of Aeroshell 6 that is no longer fit for service as a lubricant.

[Hank]

48 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

Every time I pull my right mag I do a lot of "blessing" but not the kind one would want to count... Left mag is easy. Right mag has vacuum pump above it, prop governor underneath it and the prop governor cable mount behind it. Additionally the fuel and oil pressure gauge lines that space as well.  The mag must be removed and then reoriented within that limited space so that the drive gear end comes through the mount tubes first.  It's not that horrible, but requires a fair amount of finesse.  I had a local A&P tell me that he removes the top engine mount bolts at the firewall and tilts the engine forward to remove the mags on most Mooneys.  Seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Edit: I see that Orionflt is a proponent of moving the mount to the service position.  Perhaps I should try it.

Wow, maked me glad I have a C! Access to my right mag is simple. The vacuum pump is between them, pretty much in the center. Have not tried rotating the engine mount; hadn't heard of it before, and don't have a hoist . . .

[Yetti]

9 hours ago, Shadrach said:

 

‘Tis the season for working in tight spaces (annual due). This year I've decided to pull both mags for IRAN (550hrs left  and ~1400hrs right). Pulling the Mags on an F model is not complicated but like many areas of the Mooney, space is limited especially when it come to finding an area clear for ratchet handle travel. I've often found myself stacking extension bars to get the drive to the clearest area only to find I’m limited to <45° of rotation. This past summer I bought Milwaukee Power Ratchets for both home and hangar. This tool made removing the mag mounting nuts a 5 second per nut event. I am sure I will find other areas where it comes in handy around the Mooney.  For those of you who've ever fought automotive caliper bolts nestled in between suspension parts (Porsche people excluded), this is thing makes life so much easier after the bolt is broken. While it should not be used for breaking a fastener loose, it does deliver 200rpm 55ft-lbs in either direction with an ultra-sensitive variable speed trigger. I've no financial interest in the company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So would this be different than any other air rachet?   Have you used others and is there something better about this one?    I have a cheap one and usually forget to use it, or it won't fit on half the bolts of what I am working on.    I like Milwalkie tools.   Sawzalls and circular saws are awesome and last a long time.

 

[KSMooniac]

I love the 1/4" drive Milwaukee m12 ratchet...it is lower profile than air ratchets I've used in the past, and of course easier to use in some places since you don't need to wrestle the air hose with you, inside the cabin for example.

Sent from my LG-US996 using Tapatalk

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, Yetti said:

So would this be different than any other air rachet?   Have you used others and is there something better about this one?    I have a cheap one and usually forget to use it, or it won't fit on half the bolts of what I am working on.    I like Milwalkie tools.   Sawzalls and circular saws are awesome and last a long time.

 

Well, it's a 12V electric for one thing, so...No hose. No compressor noise.  I only have a single 20amp outlet to power everything in my hangar - between the lights, stereo, fridge and other accessories, I don't have a lot of current left for the small compressor that's currently in my hangar much less something large enough to reliably drive air tools (If I wanted to do that I'd put in a 3 phase power supply and a large compressor).  It delivers about the same or more torque than a comparably sized air ratchet but with a lower profile and portability. Lithium ion makes for batteries that store a level of energy unheard of just 10 years ago, it rarely gets to 50% before it's back on the charger and if it dies, I have tons of batteries du to the fact that it's modular. The M12 Fuel batteries work in my hammer drill, ratchet, impact driver, heated jacket or the over 50 other specialty tools that I've yet to purchase.  Soooo, for $150 it does a lot.  I can't say how the Milwaukee compares to other electric power ratchets, only that any Lithium Ion powered ratchet would probably be a of use in any situation where space is tight.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Shadrach

[Yetti]

I missed that it is electric.   I was thinking the other day that the White Makita ratchet drill and regular drill are 18 years old and on the same set of batteries.

[Shadrach]

5 minutes ago, Yetti said:

I missed that it is electric.   I was thinking the other day that the White Makita ratchet drill and regular drill are 18 years old and on the same set of batteries.

I have an old Dewalt 18V NiCD cordless that refuses to die even after 10 winters in an unheated hangar.