Manual Gear Downlock Socket

[afward]

Soooo...  The new plane still has its original downlock socket and really needs a new one (the thumbnail check would best be described as "sloppy").  The J-bar is latched solidly when I check it (in-flight!), but I'd really like to replace the socket soon.  Does anyone have any ideas on where I could find a good one without paying the factory mark-up?

Note, I do have a replacement socket I can use from Texas Air Salvage.  It's also worn (not quite as bad), but I'd prefer new or nearly-new.

LASAR is out of stock.  When I called, they said their "guy" wasn't making any more, so there's no telling how soon they will have stock again.

Thanks!

[steingar]

Have you checked with Mooney to see what they charge?  The panel lock was recently replaced on mine, it was 0.5 AMUs, which isn't that bad.

[afward]

DMax said Mooney had it listed at $1,063.  Do I need to email Mooney directly?

[steingar]

7 minutes ago, afward said:

DMax said Mooney had it listed at $1,063.  Do I need to email Mooney directly?

Ouch!  I don't know how to get it, my mechanic ordered it and put it in after my prop strike.  I hope you don't have to spend that.  Perhaps check a couple more salvage yards?

[afward]

I'll probably have to.  Ah well, such is owning a 52-year old machine, I guess.

[steingar]

Just now, afward said:

I'll probably have to.  Ah well, such is owning a 52-year old machine, I guess.

Yup, welcome to the fun times.  Eventually we'll have to junk these things due to lack of spare parts.  Not quite there yet, though.  Then again, a thousand dollars is the worst case to fix a squawk.  In airplane terms, that isn't really that much.

[RLCarter]

LASAR’s is a nice piece, hopefully they will find someone to pick up production 

[DonMuncy]

7 hours ago, steingar said:

Have you checked with Mooney to see what they charge?  The panel lock was recently replaced on mine, it was 0.5 AMUs, which isn't that bad.

Only in aviation will you find "0.5 AMUs", "only", and "isn't that bad", all in the same sentence.

[J0nathan225]

Well that's atleast 2 people who have called LASAR this month asking for one, maybe that'll get them moving on production. 

[carusoam]

Try some searching...?

I believe somebody went into production of these things a while ago...

The egg shaped hole seems to be what causes some GU landings...

0.5AMU round holes are hard to sell...

Is this one of those devices listed for sale next to @Sabremech‘s cowl and tool sets?

Best regards,

-a-

[RLCarter]

Too bad it can't be machined and a bushing inserted..... Or could it?

[Jerry 5TJ]

6 hours ago, RLCarter said:

Too bad it can't be machined and a bushing inserted..... Or could it?

I replaced the downlock block in my C.  I bought a new block from LASAR for about $200... A decade ago. 

I gave the worn part to another MooneySpace fellow who bored it oversized and pressed in a custom-turned aluminum insert.   If you have access to a vertical mill and a metal lathe it’s straight forward.  

[RLCarter]

44 minutes ago, Jerry 5TJ said:

I replaced the downlock block in my C.  I bought a new block from LASAR for about $200... A decade ago. 

I gave the worn part to another MooneySpace fellow who bored it oversized and pressed in a custom-turned aluminum insert.   If you have access to a vertical mill and a metal lathe it’s straight forward.  

Yep,......I have both, I guess I should have said is it legal to repair

[Browncbr1]

You could also add material by welding, then machine it back to spec. 

[afward]

2 minutes ago, Browncbr1 said:

You could also add material by welding, then machine it back to spec. 

I've thought about having this done, but I'm not sure how it would work legally (wouldn't qualify as owner-produced and the machinist shop wouldn't qualify as a repair station).  I've also thought about going to the local machinist shop and seeing if they can make a new one as owner-produced.  I currently have a spare they can use as a template...

[vorlon1]

3D printing?

[steingar]

13 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

Only in aviation will you find "0.5 AMUs", "only", and "isn't that bad", all in the same sentence.

True dat.  But that's just how it is.

[Bob_Belville]

@AGL Aviationhas replaced quite a few down lock blokes in the past few years including mine which came from LASAR. Perhaps they''ve found another supplier.

It would be worth a call to @Pmaxwellto see what they are doing now.

[Bart Chilcott]

Interesting.  With all the aircraft machine shops here in ICT (Wichita) supporting Boeing, Cessna, Beechcraft and Learjet, I would think it would be easy to find someone here to machine them for Lasar.  I’m due for one myself.  Think I’ll look into this.  

[Jerry 5TJ]

23 hours ago, RLCarter said:

Yep,......I have both, I guess I should have said is it legal to repair

Always an interesting question.  

Mike Busch has a good review article:  Owner Produced Parts

If you can not obtain the part you can duplicate it as best as possible (a phrase certainly open to interpretation) and use it.  

The Mooney downlock block is arguably a key part of a major system (retractable landing gear) and a 337 should probably be filed detailing the owner produced part.  

I feel a replacement block machined from correct aluminum alloy to match the dimensions taken from the original item meets the required level of care. 

Now, if the part is “available” but backordered out 3 months is that good enough justification to create and use an owner produced part?  How about 12 months?  Beats me. 

[Sabremech]

On 9/19/2019 at 11:15 PM, carusoam said:

Try some searching...?

I believe somebody went into production of these things a while ago...

The egg shaped hole seems to be what causes some GU landings...

0.5AMU round holes are hard to sell...

Is this one of those devices listed for sale next to @Sabremech‘s cowl and tool sets?

Best regards,

-a-

It doesn’t make economical sense for me to make these parts since LASAR has engineering and production data already. It would take way too long to recover the investment into the engineering costs. 

David

[Sabremech]

6 hours ago, Whiskey Charlie said:

Interesting.  With all the aircraft machine shops here in ICT (Wichita) supporting Boeing, Cessna, Beechcraft and Learjet, I would think it would be easy to find someone here to machine them for Lasar.  I’m due for one myself.  Think I’ll look into this.  

I don’t think this is a fully machined part. I think it’s a casting that is then machined where necessary. That’s not saying a fully machined part wouldn’t work, but to remain legal the strength would need to be proven equivalent and I’m not sure that it would fit the owner produced part verbiage as it’s technically not identical to the original. This is the big hurdle with making aircraft parts. It is quite frustrating most days and if there’s little money to be made for that frustration, why do it? 

[RLCarter]

Just now, Sabremech said:

It doesn’t make economical sense for me to make these parts since LASAR has engineering and production data already. It would take way too long to recover the investment into the engineering costs. 

David

Not to add to you plate.... But couldn't you or any person for that matter manufacture the part for LASAR to their specs?

[RLCarter]

The block I purchased from LASAR was a machined part, the original was a cast piece with machining to bring to deminsions 

[Sabremech]

2 hours ago, RLCarter said:

Not to add to you plate.... But couldn't you or any person for that matter manufacture the part for LASAR to their specs?

If LASAR wanted to add me as a supplier, yes I could. I would be subject to supplier surveillance and audits but since I already hold FAA/PMA authorization it wouldn’t be a big deal for me. The big question is how much profit would I make and is that enough to offset the hassle of aviation regulation? 

Edited September 21, 2019 by Sabremech