Vintage Electric Gear Question (1971 M20E)

[AerostarDriver]

I am on the home stretch of finishing my first annual on my 71 E and something is just not making since when looking at the pilot side main gear. The gear trust has a number of loose or partly attached components. Attached are pictures (which are not my best work) which show the area in question on both the pilot and co-pilot side. My theory is that this was part of the weight on wheels switch that the airplane originally had before an MSC replaced it with an airspeed switch in November as part of the wing replacement my airplane had. 

I am looking for pictures of an example and/or advice on what I can remove, what has to stay and how to secure what has to stay. 

[N201MKTurbo]

Those are the parts for your missing squat switch.

[AerostarDriver]

48 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Those are the parts for your missing squat switch.

So would it would be acceptable to remove effectively all of the components circled in red? At this point I am trying to understand why it was left like this from Don Maxwell shop.

[N201MKTurbo]

If I put my IA hat on, I would have to say the airplane is not airworthy. It does not meet the TCDS. Unless there is an STC or field approval (FAA signed form 337) showing that the squat switch can be removed. If not you must find the parts and put the squat switch back in place and wire it back into the landing gear system.

It may have been removed and jumpered because it was it was causing problems. This is not allowed unless there is some acceptable data saying you can do that. I don't believe there is.

They may have removed it and replaced it with a gear safety switch. There should be a 337 for this and it would have required  an FAA approval unless it was listed in the TCDS as an option for this model and year.

[Mooneymite]

Were I you, I would check with DMax and just ask him.  A wing replacement is no minor modification and there may be paperwork involved.

If DMax gives the okay, all those pieces/parts are pretty simple to remove and would clean up that left gear.

The rod at the top of the tower will require compressing the donuts and removing the top bolt from the tower..

Edited April 26, 2021 by Mooneymite

[AerostarDriver]

5 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

If I put my IA hat on, I would have to say the airplane is not airworthy. It does not meet the TCDS. Unless there is an STC or field approval (FAA signed form 337) showing that the squat switch can be removed. If not you must find the parts and put the squat switch back in place and wire it back into the landing gear system.

It may have been removed and jumpered because it was it was causing problems. This is not allowed unless there is some acceptable data saying you can do that. I don't believe there is.

They may have removed it and replaced it with a gear safety switch. There should be a 337 for this and it would have required  an FAA approval unless it was listed in the TCDS as an option for this model and year.

 

2 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

Were I you, I would check with DMax and just ask him.  A wing replacement is no minor modification and there may be paperwork involved.

If DMax gives the okay, all those pieces/parts are pretty simple to remove and would clean up that left gear.

The rod at the top of the tower will require compressing the donuts and removing the top bolt and collar.

Don Maxwell replaced it with an airspeed switch with the mooney retrofit kit. I should have included that.

[N201MKTurbo]

1 minute ago, AerostarDriver said:

 

Don Maxwell replaced it with an airspeed switch with the mooney retrofit kit. I should have included that.

Nice, Than remove all that unused hardware. I wonder why DMax didn't do it? Seems kind of half way done.

[Hank]

39 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Nice, Than remove all that unused hardware. I wonder why DMax didn't do it? Seems kind of half way done.

"You can have it done fast, right and cheap. Pick any two . . . . " 

[AerostarDriver]

53 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Nice, Than remove all that unused hardware. I wonder why DMax didn't do it? Seems kind of half way done.

 

10 minutes ago, Hank said:

"You can have it done fast, right and cheap. Pick any two . . . . " 

Well they had the airplane for 8 months. I have some very choice words in regards to the condition to how my airplane was returned to me.