Nose Gear Woes!

[EricJ]

Even if the old nub can be ground off, it is usually not advisable to put a second weld on the same site as an old weld and many welders will refuse to do it.    If it needs welding and not a simpler repair, you may need to have a sleeve fabbed and attached and the new piece put on that.   Or chop out the old bar and fab a replacement piece (or a piece from a salvage airplane).   There is guidance in AC 43.13 about how to do that.  Getting proper alignment/fitment may be the hard part, which might be easier with a bar chunk from a salvage airplane.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, CharlesHuddleston said:

I am assuming that it either fell out or broke and then fell out. I believe once it was out and lost, it allowed the stress to break the steering pin. Ugh... the joys of plane ownership!

Charles,

Search LASAR kit #148, its a clamp with a new pin.  No welding required.

Clarence

[CharlesHuddleston]

4 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Charles,

Search LASAR kit #148, its a clamp with a new pin.  No welding required.

Clarence

That is the ticket, hank you!!! LASAR website says out of stock, but I will be calling them first thing Monday morning!

[PT20J]

Well, this is getting interesting. The drawing from the IPC shows the bolt installed head down in the retracted position. I looked at mine (1994 M20J) and it is installed in reverse with the head end up when retracted. It is secured with a castle nut and cotter pin. The pictures posted by @larrynimmo show the bolt installed head down (when retracted) but a self locking nut rather than a castle nut with cotter pin. I would think that bolt head up would be better but the most important thing would probably be to use a drilled bolt and a castle nut and cotter pin.

See the attached chart for the length of an AN4-21 bolt (Your A&P probably has them -- it's standard shop hardware).

an3_thru_an20.pdf

Skip

 

 

[larrynimmo]

When you call Lasar, be prepared for them to tell you it’s not going to be available, and ask for the design print of the clamp on bracket.  It might be expensive to do, but someone could machine one for you...and presumably you AI will be ok with a custom made replacement as the original assembly or solution is no longer available from the factory

[Guest]

Their website shows the improved steering tee “not available “. I don’t know if that also means the clamp and pin.

Clarence

[PT20J]

4 hours ago, M20Doc said:

Their website shows the improved steering tee “not available “. I don’t know if that also means the clamp and pin.

Clarence

I asked Corrine about this part a while back and she said that the machinist they used to make these for them had retired. The part was apparently expensive to make (hence the price) and they concluded it didn’t offer significant advantages over the refurbished parts which were less expensive. 
 

Skip

[cliffy]

For those unfamiliar an AN4-21 bolt means that the 4 is the diameter in 1/16ths of an inch and the 21 is the length call out. 

With no other additional letters attached to the call out it means that the bolt has a cross drilled cotter pin hole in the threaded end.

With IPC calling for an AN4-21 I would make a well founded guess that Mooney wants a castle nut and cotter pin on this part and not a self locking nut only. Maybe for the very reason that the OPs part failed?

[CharlesHuddleston]

Oh, Happy Day!!! Spoke with Corrine at LASAR this morning. Although they did not have the entire kit mentioned above, they did have the clamp-on stud! It, and the STC are going in the mail today. Because it was no the entire kit, they gave me a deal on the clamp and paperwork. I danced a little jig! Again, I cannot say enough good things about the people on this site, and the Mooney community in general. Now if we could just get the factory bank-rolled with an unlimited supply of money... I did wonder if they would cut me a deal on a partially completed new airframe??!!

 

[larrynimmo]

Wow

[MB65E]

Really pretty piece!!

-Matt

[larrynimmo]

It would be really great if you take lots of pics of this and measurements so that someone could have one made in future if not available from lasar

[CharlesHuddleston]

1 hour ago, larrynimmo said:

It would be really great if you take lots of pics of this and measurements so that someone could have one made in future if not available from lasar

Absolutely. Will get pics, measurements, etc. and post as soon as I get it. Again, I was so excited when I got off the phone this morning. She did mention that they were looking at finding a new machinist to possibly making some more of the machined steering horns. 

[CharlesHuddleston]

WOW. There is much more to this part than just a clamp with a post... See pics below. Willing to take measurements for anyone that may want them, but I know there is no way I could re-create this thing! It came temporarily mounted on the wooden dowel.

 

[carusoam]

Great pics, Charles!

Looks like CNC machining has come up to the Mooney level!

Thanks for sharing the details...

Best regards,

-a-

[larrynimmo]

Really great pictures...thank you

[Jerry Pressley]

Charles, Give Brent a call over in Morristown for anything Mooney. He was born in Cookeville while I was starting at TTU for Aeronautical Engineering. 423 273 3557

[CharlesHuddleston]

Quick update for those following this thread. I had to order a rebuilt nose truss. And I believe I now know the root cause. On our way to the Bahamas, we stopped overnight in Miami. The next morning we had been towed to a different spot. I believe it was a towing incident. 
 

The left turning limit flange was broken off, and one of the two mounting points for the steering horn on the top of the nose gear is broken off. I am 100% certain there was no damage to The turning limit flanges before we departed. Again, as mentioned in many other threads on MS, that is now on the preflight checklist... ESPECIALLY after stopping at a foreign FBO. Think I will adopt the ‘I will pull it myself’ sign and attitude. Too much trouble, time, and expense to repair. 
 

unless I can develop a free-castering STC!

 

[PT20J]

Thanks for the update. Many threads leave out the conclusion which remains forever a mystery. 

[carusoam]

Charles,

Give an extra look at the tubes supporting the nose gear when you get a chance...

The usual towing incidents include the tubes as they clash into each other during an over stead situation...

Best regards,

-a-

[larrynimmo]

FYI....every time I park at an FBO I explain to them the perils of moving my plane.

they are never happy as they are “professionals” and know better...

[N201MKTurbo]

Just now, larrynimmo said:

FYI....every time I park at an FBO I explain to them the perils of moving my plane.

they are never happy as they are “professionals” and know better...

No kidding! In Branson MO, the line guys almost wanted to fight over it. I asked them if they were going to leave the plane where it was or move it. They said they were going to move it to a tiedown and pointed to the tiedown. I got in the plane to taxi over to the tiedown and they were getting in my face telling me I wasn't allowed to park the plane myself. I did anyway and they followed me to the tiedown and kept telling me I wasn't allowed. I ignored them.

[RobertGary1]

3 hours ago, larrynimmo said:

FYI....every time I park at an FBO I explain to them the perils of moving my plane.

they are never happy as they are “professionals” and know better...

That’s odd. In 20 years I’ve never had that issue in the Mooney. It a similar limitation to the citation. I just make sure they are aware. Knock on wood no one has damaged my nose.  
 

-Robert 

[N201MKTurbo]

7 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

That’s odd. In 20 years I’ve never had that issue in the Mooney. It a similar limitation to the citation. I just make sure they are aware. Knock on wood no one has damaged my nose.  
 

-Robert 

I’ve been flying Mooneys for 35 years. This is new behavior. I think it has something to do with the general downfall of the FBO system and the big FBOs taking over all the airports.

[mike_elliott]

21 hours ago, CharlesHuddleston said:

Quick update for those following this thread. I had to order a rebuilt nose truss. And I believe I now know the root cause. On our way to the Bahamas, we stopped overnight in Miami. The next morning we had been towed to a different spot. I believe it was a towing incident. 
 

The left turning limit flange was broken off, and one of the two mounting points for the steering horn on the top of the nose gear is broken off. I am 100% certain there was no damage to The turning limit flanges before we departed. Again, as mentioned in many other threads on MS, that is now on the preflight checklist... ESPECIALLY after stopping at a foreign FBO. Think I will adopt the ‘I will pull it myself’ sign and attitude. Too much trouble, time, and expense to repair. 
 

unless I can develop a free-castering STC!

 

THis also happened in Miami (KTMB I believe) to a 35 hr old Ultra, and was the catalyst for sim 20-137 being issued last May.