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Preferred method for Johnson Bar for extending the gear?


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I have had a chance now to view a number of down lock blocks, and from the wear patterns, it looks as though not everyone uses the same technique to swing the bar up into the down lock...

Do you raise the bar and just slam it into the ramp on the down lock block and let the ramp guide the handle into the socket, or do you pop the handle into the block by avoiding the ramp section by holding the handle against the spring and manually moving it into the stop block, attempting a perfectly timed insertion?

I do the latter, and am successful about 4 out of 5 times.

I recently saw a chrome handle that was literally beat to death by someone slamming it into the ramp on the block, so I’m wondering what other people do.

How do YOU extend the gear?

Edited by PilotCoyote
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Normally in life, it’s not really good to slam anything :lol:...... especially your J bar.

Gently push bar and secure into both up and down blocks.

 Gear down...you’ll feel and hear the up block latch and see the green panel indicator illuminate green.

Gear up......gently insert into down block.  Once inserted, I stick my finger inside from the back of the block in order to feel that the cap is fully inside the block.

Extending and stowing the gear..... I twist the cap as I pull forward, or down, to remove from the up and down blocks.

My  2 cents :P

I’ve read some folks don’t twist it....twisting it works for me. :rolleyes:

 

 

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Um, I hold the handle down against the spring and guide the bar into the slot. Then I do an up and forward motion to lock it in place. That's followed by my paranoid pull to ensure it's is locked in place, along with a thumbnail check.

I'm trying to picture someone just slamming it up and in. I guess it happens, but I have a hard time picturing it. Are they the same folks who moved from a Cessna and think they have to slam Mooney doors?

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I think my technique was similar to @MooneyMitch's.

Gear up I push the release pull down and push it to the floor. Once on the floor I push it back to the block and twist to make sure it's in. I do this no at more than 90mph.

Gear down I pull it out of the block and it tries to toss itself down and I stop it about half way so I can guide it in then sometimes it locks on its own others I line it up and push  forward and up to get the click and green. 

None of this should require Thor strength. Make sure your preloads are set and the boot isn't snagging. 

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5 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

Um, I hold the handle down against the spring and guide the bar into the slot. Then I do an up and forward motion to lock it in place. That's followed by my paranoid pull to ensure it's is locked in place, along with a thumbnail check.

I'm trying to picture someone just slamming it up and in. I guess it happens, but I have a hard time picturing it. Are they the same folks who moved from a Cessna and think they have to slam Mooney doors?

This, except since I'm quite paranoid it gets at least 3 confirmation pulls accompanied by verbally siting gear down and locked green light on. Weather I'm putting gear up or down the motion of the bar is controlled and not allowed to swing free.

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1 hour ago, PilotCoyote said:

Do you raise the bar and just slam it into the ramp on the down lock block and let the ramp guide the handle into the socket, or do you pop the handle into the block by avoiding the ramp section by holding the handle against the spring and manually moving it into the stop block, attempting a perfectly timed insertion?

I do the latter, and am successful about 4 out of 5 times.

I hold the slide handle down a bit as it enters the block, then push it up firmly with a slight twisting action, and then yank down on it neurotically multiple times on final to make sure it won't dislodge.

If your success rate is <100%, then check carefully if anything is binding the forward travel of the J bar - particularly the boot bunching up in front.

Also subtle adjustments to the lateral position of the block can affect your success rate dramatically. @orionflt fixed the positioning of mine a few years ago and raised my success rate from 50% to 100%.  

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+1 on speed control...

No slamming required...

If slamming is required... somebody’s feet are going to get crushed...

Perfect timing of the J-bar stowage...  not nearly as cool as perfect airspeed of the j-bar stowage...

There is a good speed for putting the gear up and a different one for putting the gear down....

 

Let the guide be your guide...   :)

If you are concerned about wearing out a lock block... they wear out the hole as fast as they wear out the ramp.... every 5k hours or so....

 

PP thoughts only, not a CFI...

Best regards,

-a-

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2 hours ago, bonal said:

This, except since I'm quite paranoid it gets at least 3 confirmation pulls accompanied by verbally siting gear down and locked green light on. Weather I'm putting gear up or down the motion of the bar is controlled and not allowed to swing free.

Paranoia can be a good thing. 

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3 hours ago, DXB said:

I hold the slide handle down a bit as it enters the block, then push it up firmly with a slight twisting action, and then yank down on it neurotically multiple times on final to make sure it won't dislodge.

If your success rate is <100%, then check carefully if anything is binding the forward travel of the J bar - particularly the boot bunching up in front.

Also subtle adjustments to the lateral position of the block can affect your success rate dramatically. @orionflt fixed the positioning of mine a few years ago and raised my success rate from 50% to 100%.  

This is pretty much what I do. 

People actually slam it into the ramp on the block? I'm trying to think if there's anything I slam on the plane, nothing comes to mind. If you have to force something, then something might be wrong... 

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3 hours ago, DXB said:

I hold the slide handle down a bit as it enters the block, then push it up firmly with a slight twisting action, and then yank down on it neurotically multiple times on final to make sure it won't dislodge.

If your success rate is <100%, then check carefully if anything is binding the forward travel of the J bar - particularly the boot bunching up in front.

Also subtle adjustments to the lateral position of the block can affect your success rate dramatically. @orionflt fixed the positioning of mine a few years ago and raised my success rate from 50% to 100%.  

 

7 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

This is pretty much what I do. 

People actually slam it into the ramp on the block? I'm trying to think if there's anything I slam on the plane, nothing comes to mind. If you have to force something, then something might be wrong... 

Me too. When I bought my plane I was having trouble with the uplock. I lubricated the J-bar and haven’t had a problem since.

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1 hour ago, MinneMooney said:

 

Me too. When I bought my plane I was having trouble with the uplock. I lubricated the J-bar and haven’t had a problem since.

Yes, I was having difficulties as well when I first got my plane. It wasn't until about a year later when someone suggested lubing it that I did and it made a huge difference in the was of operation.

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For gear retraction, I do the "Mooney Nod". This allows the J-Bar to smoothy snap into the lower block--no slamming. An added bonus is if you are doing a FR with a young whippersnapper CFI from the local FBO who has never flown in a vintage Mooney it will invoke maximum pucker out of them.

For gear extension, I wait until I get to 125 and then use the gear as a speed brake. When slowed to 120 I snap the J-Bar easily into the upper block.

I then do what Don Maxwell (the Warren Buffet of the MooneySphere) advised, I give it a few good yanks. If you don't yank your Johnson you may lose your (gear) erection.

10 years and haven't had a gear up. Caused at least three CFI's to need an underwear change.

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I’ve never seen where DMax recommended repeated yanks on the Johnson Bar to ensure it was latched. He DOES advocate the “Thumbnail Check” to see if you can fit your thumbnail between the top of the bar and the latching block.  It should be nearly impossible to shove your thumbnail between the two pieces of metal.

So that’s what I do. I gently guide the Johnson Bar into the up and down blocks. When locking down, I listen for and feel the click. If it clicks, it’s locked. Around the pattern I’ll confirm it once down/up, then it’s the thumbnail and green light check only.

The original M20 (and possibly M20A) didn’t even have a thumb latch in the down block. 

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On 12/7/2019 at 1:31 PM, MooneyMitch said:

green panel indicator illuminate green

 

On 12/8/2019 at 2:15 PM, Andy95W said:

green light check only

The green light doesn't really mean anything IMO, it just means the gear is down it does not mean the gear is locked... I always try to get the gear down right as I'm entering the pattern and pull down to verify its locked and double check abeam of the numbers and on final while doing the GUMPS check... 

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3 minutes ago, Old Chub said:

 

The green light doesn't really mean anything IMO, it just means the gear is down it does not mean the gear is locked... I always try to get the gear down right as I'm entering the pattern and pull down to verify its locked and double check abeam of the numbers and on final while doing the GUMPS check... 

Absolutely! That light just let's you confirm gear position status after you have checked and verified the latch after TO and before landing.

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5 hours ago, Old Chub said:

 

The green light doesn't really mean anything IMO, it just means the gear is down it does not mean the gear is locked... I always try to get the gear down right as I'm entering the pattern and pull down to verify its locked and double check abeam of the numbers and on final while doing the GUMPS check... 

You left out 2 parts of my statement.  

I actually said, " Around the pattern I’ll confirm it once down/up, then it’s the thumbnail and green light check only."  

The up/down verifies that the latch did its job.  The thumbnail check ensures it didn't pop back out because I hit the thumb lever by accident.

But yes, the green light doesn't confirm that the gear is down and locked.  It only confirms that the top of the Johnson Bar is seated in the latch assembly.

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On 12/9/2019 at 1:03 PM, PilotCoyote said:

I am surprised that this discussion has not brought mention of the LASAR FAA/PMA gear down lock socket. It is significantly improved from the factory part, with hard anodized aluminum instead of plain cast aluminum. Not to mention that far too many J Bar Mooneys have worn out sockets. I learned first hand that it is virtually impossible to judge the amount of wear on the socket when it remains installed. I was shocked at how worn mine was when I removed it and installed the LASAR socket. One of the reasons the J-bar can come unlatched without pilot action is when the socket gets too ovalized. The parts and labor to do the job should be under 1/2 AMU. Important, because a gear failure on a J Bar Mooney is almost guaranteed to result in insurance totaling the airplane.

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