M20c front landing gear

[Blunozr16]

Can someone tell me if my front landing gear in the attached picture is on backwards?  I purchased a robotow which is supposed insert in from the right when looking from the front...but mine won’t which makes me think that it is on backwards. 

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard, Blu...

Seen any other pictures of any other Mooneys before?

Did you try to insert the device from the other side?

Any idea what would happen if your landing gear was put on backwards?

If it would make you feel more comfortable... Some MSCs offer a service called a PPI.

For you, that would be called a Post Purchase Inspection... to make sure everything is on the right way... 

Some people buy the other PPI... the Pre-Purchase Inspection.  This way there isn’t a surprise after the purchase.

There is a really cool towing device that many MSers use with their Mooneys... the search function can reveal all the ones that work. The good ones have emotional connections... when sold, the price is often higher than new... so it seems...(this is a bit of a stretch, but not by much...)

For some extra valuable reading... See if you can find the parts manual and service manuals for your plane... some are loaded in the documents section around here... you can probably get info down to the right nuts and bolts and the proper arrangement for the nose gear...

Got a pic of your robotow?  If something is backwards, might it be the robotow?

Did you get the Mooney version?   https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/robotow-heavy-duty-cordless-towbar-mooney.html

watch the video to see where the mis-understanding May lie...

Keep in mind, the steering effect of a nose gear with worn bushings is documented as the eight second ride... same as riding a wild bull, bear back...

Imagine what they would call landing a Mooney with its nose gear on backwards... it would only happen once...

 

Are you familiar with Transition Training?  This comes up every now and then... when a person gets a new 2U plane... it is widely used to cover all the weird things that are not familiar to the pilot.

I would want to have some time with a Mooney specific CFI to make sure my Mooney taxies And flys the way it is supposed to...

Flying in a plane, thinking my nose wheel might be on backwards, and have it wobble because its bearings are worn... would be incredibly counter productive...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...or CFI.

Best regards,

-a-

[MB65E]

Appears to be installed correctly to me. 

The tool/tug probably won’t use the axel as a tow point as you may think. It will most likely uses the horizontal tube above the wheel itself. 

Left or right side, but the tube should be hollow. 

Welcome!!

-Matt

[Ragsf15e]

11 hours ago, MB65E said:

Appears to be installed correctly to me. 

The tool/tug probably won’t use the axel as a tow point as you may think. It will most likely uses the horizontal tube above the wheel itself. 

Left or right side, but the tube should be hollow. 

Welcome!!

-Matt

+1.  Here’s a picture.

[Blunozr16]

This is my second Mooney and it flies great and doesn’t have any problems with taxiing or landing. My hand tow bar goes in from the left when looking at the plane from the front.  My tube is not hollow. Here’s a picture of the tube. There is a ridge about an inch and a half inside and then a mesh of metal 

[kpaul]

1 hour ago, Blunozr16 said:

This is my second Mooney and it flies great and doesn’t have any problems with taxiing or landing. My hand tow bar goes in from the left when looking at the plane from the front.  My tube is not hollow. Here’s a picture of the tube. There is a ridge about an inch and a half inside and then a mesh of metal 

Interesting, I though they were all hollow.  Looks like something was added.  @M20Docthoughts?

[Guest]

I’ve never seen one with the tube blocked. They’re all hollow as far as I know.

Clarence

[gsxrpilot]

Hmmmm... that's odd. I've never seen the barrier in the middle of the tube. On both of my Mooneys that tube is hollow.

[Ragsf15e]

New guy just stumped Mooneyspace?!  Even Doc?!  What’s this world coming to?

[DonMuncy]

Can anyone come up with any sort of theory of why anyone would put something into the tube. This is really weird.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, M20Doc said:

I’ve never seen one with the tube blocked. They’re all hollow as far as I know.

Clarence

Probably someone's homemade anti-tow device, protecting themselves from bent tubes when the guy on the tractor turns too sharp.

[jaylw314]

25 minutes ago, Hank said:

Probably someone's homemade anti-tow device, protecting themselves from bent tubes when the guy on the tractor turns too sharp.

That was my immediate thought when I saw that, too...

[DonMuncy]

It would seem that a punch and I hammer might just solve the OP's problem.

[Andy95W]

@Blunozr16-  what year is your M20C?  I can vouch that from 1964 on, the nose gear truss did not include that piece.  I'm currently helping a guy with a mid-1962 that does not have that either.

(just a note- you can include year and model information with your avatar so it'll be easier for us to help in the future.)

[carusoam]

Modern tow bars extend all the way through the tube... and have a lock hole to really Keep tow tractors uninvolved...

Good news... the landing gear is in right... and so is the pic.

I sense about 23 MSers casually walking out to the hangar tonight with a flashlight...

Best regards,

-a-

[Blunozr16]

My Mooney is a 1966. I will see if I can remove the obstruction 

[carusoam]

Blu,

how well does an ordinary Mooney tow bar fit into that tube?

I’d want to know what that is before pulling it out?

Mostly, I just want to know what that is... 

Best regards,

-a-