That nasty trim wheel!

[Browncbr1]

The trim wheel on my 67F is bare aluminum, so my hand always has black crap on it after flying, no matter how many times I clean the wheel.   

Has anyone painted their trim wheel or is there another style available?

[Browncbr1]

1 hour ago, Freemasm said:

You're probably getting black from the aluminum oxidizing. Have you been "detergent" or chemically cleaning it or using Met-all (or equivalent).   Yes it can be painted. If you want to maintain the appearance, just clear coat it. A Powder Coat finish (that process also has a clear finish) which would outlast all of us without maintenance.  Lots of options.

I’ve just been rubbing it clean with a dry terry cloth.   I’ll try as you suggest..    

[Shadrach]

1 hour ago, Browncbr1 said:

I’ve just been rubbing it clean with a dry terry cloth.   I’ll try as you suggest..    

Weird. I've a 67F as well. It gets a cursory wipe every few years when the interior of the plane is cleaned.  It is bare aluminum with a knurled edge. It's never left residue on my or anyone else's hands.  I know for sure it's been exposed to sweaty palms a time or two.

[TTaylor]

You might trying AL polishing compound and then a good hard wax.

[cliffy]

I cleaned and coated mine with clear nail polish  No more black stuff! :-)

[Shadrach]

You guys must have some sort of acidic hand funk (good name for a band).  This is the first I have ever heard of black trim wheel residue.  Aluminum trim wheels are not unique to Mooneys.

[N201MKTurbo]

It is skin cells in the knurls. 

Here in Arizona it is dry and it never comes off. When I fly to a cold and humid place my hand gets smeared with black yucky gunk. 

A tooth brush and some soap and water every annual will keep it under control.

[Shadrach]

30 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

It is skin cells in the knurls. 

Here in Arizona it is dry and it never comes off. When I fly to a cold and humid place my hand gets smeared with black yucky gunk. 

A tooth brush and some soap and water every annual will keep it under control.

I live in Maryland. Dry is the last thing you would call this state. Never had any black residue from the trim wheel.

[Niko182]

What about anodizing it?

[Hank]

54 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

I live in Maryland. Dry is the last thing you would call this state. Never had any black residue from the trim wheel.

I don't get any "goo" from my 48-year-old trim wheel here in Alabama summers or winters. As far as I know, it's all original. I'll grab a picture . . . . .

[Shiny moose]

Try Flitz polish, it will clean it, shine it, and leave a protective coating. 

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, Shadrach said:

I live in Maryland. Dry is the last thing you would call this state. Never had any black residue from the trim wheel.

Well, it probably rubs off continuously and doesn’t build up like it does here in dry country. Just like cars have different issues here than there, airplanes are the same way.

[RLCarter]

2 hours ago, Niko182 said:

What about anodizing it?

I'm 100% sure but I was going polish mine and it looks like it was anodized from the factory so i left it alone

[Shadrach]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

I don't get any "goo" from my 48-year-old trim wheel here in Alabama summers or winters. As far as I know, it's all original. I'll grab a picture . . . . .

I’m not sure what to think of it. The first post had me picturing the black residue you get when polishing brass with brasso. Then we moved on to dead skin cells. Either way I’m glad it’s not occurring in machine.

[carusoam]

Early in your Mooney life...

Flying comes with a bunch of dirty surprises...

Oxydized aluminum is one of them... get anywhere near the gear down, lock block... that is full of black particles...

Sitting on the ground, draining sumps... lots of unknowns to go with blue fuel that is guaranteed to be splashed everywhere...

A single drop of oil can be spread about an acre of cloth material when dripped properly...

At annual, many panels are worn so bare aluminum, touches bare aluminum... a micro, black dust factory there... microns in size...

 

Later in your Mooney life... If you choose to accept it....

The ground in the hangar has a piece of carpet, or a piece of cardboard, and less wind...

There are spare rolls of paper towels around, every where...

And that nasty aluminum trim wheel... has been enlarged and made out of plastic... And somebody had the audacity to power it with an electric motor, so you don’t even remember where it is....

Some Mooney pilots haven’t seen that wheel in years... There is a trim indicator on the panel so you don’t look down and risk inducing any nausea...

 

I liked my aluminum trim wheel... It was worn pretty smoothly, it never sat idle... 

 

Try that purple product people use to clean their polished prop spinners... might work on the knurled finish... might also be hard to get the excess of the knurling....

See if @Hank has this trim wheel oxidation challenge in Alabama?

there are so many ways to get metal parts finished or anodized.... it could probably be sent out to get some graphics emblazoned on it...pick a good Mooney logo to fit!

Best regards,

-a-

[Prior owner]

I have found that nothing else safely cleans bare aircraft aluminum better than Eox aircraft cleaner- Boeing and other manufacturers use it and the stuff is amazing. Leaves no residue and will not harm anything if used properly. It’s a great belly cleaner as well- insid and out.

Eox Aircraft Cleaner

Edited November 16, 2018 by PilotCoyote