Jump to content

new bearings every annual


BettyFord

Recommended Posts

if you are replacing wheel bearings that often something is wrong and your shop should be looking for the cause. there are 2 wheel bearings per wheel so 6 bearings total for the aircraft. when i change bearings I change both bearing/race combination in the wheel at the same time, I would check your logs to see what bearings have been replaced and if any of them are repeats or if they are on different wheels.

Brian

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of two things in my experience cause wheel bearings to prematurely fail: corrosion (Parked outside / exposure to rain snow, etc) or ... over torqued axle nut. 

If your plane doesn’t roll easily on a flat surface and your calipers release then your axle nut is over torqued and your bearings will eventually fail. 

PP only etc. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, bradp said:

One of two things in my experience cause wheel bearings to prematurely fail: corrosion (Parked outside / exposure to rain snow, etc) or ... over torqued axle nut. 

If your plane doesn’t roll easily on a flat surface and your calipers release then your axle nut is over torqued and your bearings will eventually fail. 

PP only etc. 

under torqued is just as bad, or there could be missing or damaged spacers.

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does the plane actually fly, or are you taxiing it all those hours?

Unless you taxi extensively, or there is something wrong with your wheels, annual bearing replacement is crazy.

Can you send me your "old bearings"?  I bet they're in better shape than the ones I've been running on for 20 years!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, BettyFord said:

Hi, every annual my maintenance is replacing 1 or 2 wheel bearings? The ac is flying 50-70hrs a year. Are the bearings so weak or what is the problem. (M20J 1995)

It seems unusual to replace that many wheel bearings.  Are they greasing them when they replace them?

Clarence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

So let's say all 6 were looking a little pitted, but still had some life in them. Your mechanic may have replaced the two worst ones. The next year he looked at them again and replaced two more. 

He may just be doing you a favor by spreading the pain over a few years.

This brings up a pet peeve of mine, mechanics/avionics shops seem to suck at communicating.  You basically have to interrogate them about what they do and why are they doing it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, teejayevans said:

This brings up a pet peeve of mine, mechanics/avionics shops seem to suck at communicating.  You basically have to interrogate them about what they do and why are they doing it.

Depends on your mechanic. I try to give all the info to the owners who’s airplanes I work on. 

Brian

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^ can confirm - this is one of the many reasons Brian is a cut above the rest. 

I think a lot of it comes from those A&Ps who are also pilots and treat you the way they would want to be treated if someone was working on their airplanes. They understand the cost of ownership which makes them worth a premium in my eyes. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Immelman said:

 

If the airplane is tied out, it is common to have the NLG wheel bearing(s) corrode over the course of a year. They are exposed. I guess I would not expect that in a desert environment but anywhere it rains.

 

 If you keep fresh grease on them annually they shouldn’t have contact with corrosives  

-Rober 

Edited by RobertGary1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do the wheels have the old felt seals or the newer molded seals? I had a '78J years ago with felt seals that sat outside, and every year the main wheel bearing races would show corrosion at some point around the circumference. Try changing the seals if you have felt.

Skip

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't taxi more than other....and the aircraft is hangered since it was produced. It was my first annual, but the previous owner had changed bearings also every year with the same maintenance place. Could the gras airport be the problem? Surface is smooth though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, BettyFord said:

I don't taxi more than other....and the aircraft is hangered since it was produced. It was my first annual, but the previous owner had changed bearings also every year with the same maintenance place. Could the gras airport be the problem? Surface is smooth though.

It does seem odd.  Did the shop show you the bearing they replaced during your annual inspection?

 I take care of numerous airplanes that are parked outside, they don’t experience wheel bearing replacement more than any other and certainly not annually.

I would be asking what grease they are using? And are they using enough of it?

Clarence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, M20Doc said:

It does seem odd.  Did the shop show you the bearing they replaced during your annual inspection?

 I take care of numerous airplanes that are parked outside, they don’t experience wheel bearing replacement more than any other and certainly not annually.

I would be asking what grease they are using? And are they using enough of it?

Clarence

 

5 hours ago, BettyFord said:

I don't taxi more than other....and the aircraft is hangered since it was produced. It was my first annual, but the previous owner had changed bearings also every year with the same maintenance place. Could the gras airport be the problem? Surface is smooth though.

Nothing against the shop that has been doing the annuals, but you may consider another shop for the next annual. I personally recommend that the owners take the planes I look at to some one else every couple of years just to get another set of eyes on the plane. I try to be though but I can miss things someone else will catch and vice versa. I especially have someone else take a look at my plane because I know it so well and can easily overlook the obvious.

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, PT20J said:

Do the wheels have the old felt seals or the newer molded seals? I had a '78J years ago with felt seals that sat outside, and every year the main wheel bearing races would show corrosion at some point around the circumference. Try changing the seals if you have felt.

Skip

Do you have any info on the molded seals? I would much prefer these to the felt that we have

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.