Inspecting nose gear assembly for damage

[Supercop0184]

What am I looking for? What specific areas and what kind of damage - just want to know what I look for after it’s been towed or left at an FBO. Also, would I be correct that these pucks are dated 1999? 

 

Thanks!

[DonMuncy]

If you hook your towbar to the nose gear, lay on the ground, and swing the towbar to the side, it is immediately evident where the two bars come together. Then you can stick your finger up there and feel if there is a dent. Unfortunately the one that dents is the front-most of the two, so you can't see it (without a mirror). But you can feel it.

[Supercop0184]

Awesome - thank you so much! I’ll give it a look. Also - Is that the date manufactured in the picture? Looks like 1999

[carusoam]

Sept 99...

just make sure they aren’t the old style pucks.... or it might be June 66... 

Something I learned from Hank...

-a-

[DXB]

Placard I made to send a message to FBO before towing.  Haven't found a good way to affix it to nose gear yet. 

The recent nose gear collapse on a brand spanking new Acclaim that was discussed here has me thinking about this issue again.

[carusoam]

Great idea Dev,

Placard on a rope dangling from the prop at the right height may help a bit too...

If you haven’t printed that yet.... Check the wording, looks like Siri did some editing, without notifying... 

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

8 hours ago, DXB said:

Placard I made to send a message to FBO before towing.  Haven't found a good way to affix it to nose gear yet. 

The recent nose gear collapse on a brand spanking new Acclaim that was discussed here has me thinking about this issue again.

Great idea! Print and laminate several, and hang one in the towbar hole before you leave. Then when it gets beat up, faded or lost, you'll have a spare to use. These will be good things to store on the hatrack--small, lightweight and useful. I may do the same, thanks for the idea and prototype!    Photo and red writing on the front, black text on the back.

[Tcraft938]

This is something I was wondering/worried about.  Am I correct in assuming that if I'm manually using the towbar that came with the plane, unless I get stupid and put a lot of force on it I cannot likely over rotate the nose gear and damage something?  My 15 year old son employed a creative idea.  He gently moved the towbar from side to side until it stopped and put a small piece of black tape above the bar to use as a reference not to move the towbar beyond that point.

Has anyone come up with a solution or modification so that the towbar that comes with the plane doesn't slide out of the nose gear fork while you're turning?  That gets really annoying especially on an uneven surface and the bar slips away.  I was wondering about a longer shaft that goes all the way through the nose gear barrel and putting a beefy cotter pin at the end for when using the bar.

[skydvrboy]

1 hour ago, Tcraft938 said:

Has anyone come up with a solution or modification so that the towbar that comes with the plane doesn't slide out of the nose gear fork while you're turning?  That gets really annoying especially on an uneven surface and the bar slips away.  I was wondering about a longer shaft that goes all the way through the nose gear barrel and putting a beefy cotter pin at the end for when using the bar.

This was just discussed recently on here.  Put a wrap of duct tape on the tow bar, simple, yet very effective.  If you are more inclined to spend substantially more time and effort on this for a very elegant solution, look up DonMuncy's profile pics.

[Tcraft938]

Thank you very much, very useful info.  I like simple effective fixes.  The motorized tow he made looks interesting.  I have a small tractor I could use, but I don't want to risk turning it too far.

 

[PT20J]

5 hours ago, Tcraft938 said:

Has anyone come up with a solution or modification so that the towbar that comes with the plane doesn't slide out of the nose gear fork while you're turning?  That gets really annoying especially on an uneven surface and the bar slips away.  I was wondering about a longer shaft that goes all the way through the nose gear barrel and putting a beefy cotter pin at the end for when using the bar.

The angle between the shaft that slips into the nose gear truss and the shaft with the T handle should be slightly acute. The T part of the handle should be about in line with the center line of the airplane when the nose wheel is straight. Put the shaft that goes into the nose gear truss in a vice and bend the handle slightly. If the angel is right, it doesn't slip out (even my fancy optional chrome plated one) even when wet.

Skip

[Tcraft938]

1 hour ago, PT20J said:

The angle between the shaft that slips into the nose gear truss and the shaft with the T handle should be slightly acute. The T part of the handle should be about in line with the center line of the airplane when the nose wheel is straight. Put the shaft that goes into the nose gear truss in a vice and bend the handle slightly. If the angel is right, it doesn't slip out (even my fancy optional chrome plated one) even when wet.

Skip

Mine is a perfect 90 degree angle, so the handle in your hand is about six inches off the nosewheel centerline.  I may try bending it a bit as you recommend and a wrap or two of duct tape.  Thanks

[Ragsf15e]

51 minutes ago, Tcraft938 said:

Mine is a perfect 90 degree angle, so the handle in your hand is about six inches off the nosewheel centerline.  I may try bending it a bit as you recommend and a wrap or two of duct tape.  Thanks

I had mine extended and installed a cotter pin exactly as you described.  I really hate it slipping out and ending up on my butt in front of a busy ramp. Again. 

[Guest]

12 hours ago, Tcraft938 said:

This is something I was wondering/worried about.  Am I correct in assuming that if I'm manually using the towbar that came with the plane, unless I get stupid and put a lot of force on it I cannot likely over rotate the nose gear and damage something?  My 15 year old son employed a creative idea.  He gently moved the towbar from side to side until it stopped and put a small piece of black tape above the bar to use as a reference not to move the towbar beyond that point.

Has anyone come up with a solution or modification so that the towbar that comes with the plane doesn't slide out of the nose gear fork while you're turning?  That gets really annoying especially on an uneven surface and the bar slips away.  I was wondering about a longer shaft that goes all the way through the nose gear barrel and putting a beefy cotter pin at the end for when using the bar.

You can add a piece of larger diameter heat shrink tubing the the tow bar.

Clarence

[skydvrboy]

9 hours ago, PT20J said:

The angle between the shaft that slips into the nose gear truss and the shaft with the T handle should be slightly acute. The T part of the handle should be about in line with the center line of the airplane when the nose wheel is straight. Put the shaft that goes into the nose gear truss in a vice and bend the handle slightly. If the angel is right, it doesn't slip out (even my fancy optional chrome plated one) even when wet.

Skip

Mine is bent exactly as you describe, but still ended up on my butt a few days ago.  Then I read the duct tape solution thread and it locks in tight now. YMMV

[carusoam]

Watch how people use a tow bar...

The un-trusting tow bar users...

• keep one hand on the prop, the other on the bar...
• Their fancy leg work is set so when the bar does free itself, the other leg is positioned properly...

To fix the ancient tow bar... takes an industrial vice to hold the bar (protected properly) while bending a few degrees...

 

Always remember... that prop is live... (no, it’s not supposed to be. But at least once a year, somebody reports a broken Plead..., or doesn’t admit to leaving the keys in the ignition...) 

PP thoughts only...

Best regards,

-a-

[M20F-1968]

I am making from PVC a pipe with a plug on one with a "Do Not Tow" banner and a small lock on the other.  When put into the nose gear the plane cannot be towed.

As for the tow bar, I bought an Ovation tow bar.  They are twice as long, easier to pull and probably easier to push and fold in the middle.  They come with a fuel

cup to check for water.  From the factory the cup is not firmly attached and usually comes off, but with some ingenuity I was able to fix that.  There is a sliding extension

that goes completely through the nose gear tube and I put a lynch pin on the end so the bar stays in the nose gear when being used.  I can send some pictures when I get to the hangar.

John Breda

[RLCarter]

26 minutes ago, M20F-1968 said:

I am making from PVC a pipe with a plug on one with a "Do Not Tow" banner and a small lock on the other.  When put into the nose gear the plane cannot be towed.

Most of the FBOs I've seen have the tugs that scoop up the front tire, the banner might make them think though

[PT20J]

Here are pictures of my  '94 J factory tow bar which doesn't slip. My '78 J tow bar slipped until I bent it a bit as described in an earlier post. Maybe the earlier tow bars were welded at a different angle?

On 4/29/2019 at 11:10 PM, M20F-1968 said:

As for the tow bar, I bought an Ovation tow bar.  They are twice as long, easier to pull and probably easier to push and fold in the middle. 

The Ovation tow bar seems like a good idea - I think my J  tow bar is too short anyway. How does it compare to the one from Redline Aviation  ($295) https://www.redlineaviation.com/mooney/be-3-xl-mooney-airplanes/ ?

Skip

[Prior owner]

On 4/29/2019 at 11:10 PM, M20F-1968 said:

I am making from PVC a pipe with a plug on one with a "Do Not Tow" banner and a small lock on the other.  When put into the nose gear the plane cannot be towed.

I like your idea. Just be sure not to fly away with that device still installed...!

Yet another item to add to the prestart checklist.

[jaylw314]

On ‎4‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 11:40 PM, RLCarter said:

Most of the FBOs I've seen have the tugs that scoop up the front tire, the banner might make them think though

You know, I noticed that at the shop last time that they had that type of tug, and I realized that they still turn the nose gear when pushing the plane, since the "scooper" is simply attached to the tug, not articulated.

 

[Hank]

30 minutes ago, jaylw314 said:

You know, I noticed that at the shop last time that they had that type of tug, and I realized that they still turn the nose gear when pushing the plane, since the "scooper" is simply attached to the tug, not articulated.

 

Some scooper-type tugs have the nose wheel on a swivel-mounted plate, where the plate turns but the nose wheel doesn't. Very handy to have.

[gsxrpilot]

I find the Mooney quite easy to move without a tow bar. And just a little pressure one way or the other gets it to turn just fine. If you need a sharper turn, just have someone put pressure on one of the wings out near the tip. I learned this from DMax while he was moving a plane around his lot without a tow bar.

[Hank]

26 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

I find the Mooney quite easy to move without a tow bar. And just a little pressure one way or the other gets it to turn just fine. If you need a sharper turn, just have someone put pressure on one of the wings out near the tip. I learned this from DMax while he was moving a plane around his lot without a tow bar.

With a helper, just push the rudder thw direction you want the plane to go. 

[tigers2007]

Don't forget about the Bogert Bar. I'm thinking about buying one as the $139 + $19 shipping from the Spruce may be cheaper than engineering my own.