What does your gear down indicator look like?

[Ross Taylor]

Hi all, and thanks in advance for your help!    I want to improve the visibility of my mechanical (floor) gear down indicator in my '66 E.  It was a mechanical system off the factory floor, but got converted to electric about 2 weeks later.  So, I don't know if this is "normal" or not...but I'd love to see what other vintage gear down indicators look like.  Mine is basically a black line painted on the linkage cross tube (not the official name) and a black line marked on the clear cover.  I'm taking off the cover tomorrow and at the least it will get a good cleaning.  But even clean it doesn't really jump out at me.  Maybe that's good, because I definitely make an effort to look in there and ensure the gear's really down.  I would, though, though like something more visible.

I don't see anything helpful in the parts manual and I definitely don't have a light, as I've read about in other (later?) Mooneys.

Here are pics of mine.

Thanks all,

Ross

 

 

[Culver LFA]

Hi Ross,

My bellcrank was gray with a single white line on it, you can see it in the picture listed here:

 

If yours is the same as mine was, taking that cover off to clean the window is a 2 person job with the underbelly panel removed. There are locknuts on the other side of those screws! 

-Joe

 

[Hank]

Huh. Mine's green with white writing saying either "DOWN" or "SAFE" [I forget which]. There's also a red & whjte barber pole section while it's moving. No recollection if what it says in the air . . . . I think it's red. But in 1970, they all left the factory without that heavy steel bar swinging through the cabin after takeoff.

[BrianWilkins]

Mine (69 E) is a green and white indicator that says "DOWN" when the gear is down.  You can get to it for cleaning, etc by removing the belly pan.

[brndiar]

Hi Ross,

This is what mine looked like, when I bought my 1977 C.

m

[Culver LFA]

Guys, the green/white indicator is a different part than what his airplane has. He has a tube with a line painted on it, that’s how it was before your bellcranks came to be.

[Ross Taylor]

Thanks all...and thanks @Culver LFA for reminding me of that part name...bellcrank, not "long white linkage cross tube thingy"...  

I presume there's no aftermarket approved addition for that, right?  Like an adel clamp with a marker?  During the day, this isn't an issue as it is now.  But I'm careful to look closely with a flashlight at night.  Of course, looking carefully at this isn't a bad thing...

[Ned Gravel]

Mine is a round bar in the vertical position by my right leg.

Sorry, couldn't help it.  You knew one of the J-bar pilots was going to say something.  

[Culver LFA]

1 hour ago, Ross Taylor said:

Thanks all...and thanks @Culver LFA for reminding me of that part name...bellcrank, not "long white linkage cross tube thingy"...  

I presume there's no aftermarket approved addition for that, right?  Like an adel clamp with a marker?  During the day, this isn't an issue as it is now.  But I'm careful to look closely with a flashlight at night.  Of course, looking carefully at this isn't a bad thing...

Yep, you’re doing the right thing. There no light illuminating that area so a flashlight is required at night.

[Ross Taylor]

1 hour ago, Ned Gravel said:

Mine is a round bar in the vertical position by my right leg.

Sorry, couldn't help it.  You knew one of the J-bar pilots was going to say something.  

And I'm envious! Thanks for the laugh.