Finding Replacement Nose Gear Part, M20R

[KestrelAJ]

I'm looking to see if anyone is familiar with what options I could use to source a leg-nose gear part. The part number that I've been told will suit repairs are either 940042-503 or 540004-509. This is for a Mooney M20R that apparently got oversteered by a tug, which understandably after I get this fixed I'll go out of my way to ensure never happens again. 

Any help would be appreciated

[KestrelAJ]

4 hours ago, KestrelAJ said:

I'm looking to see if anyone is familiar with what options I could use to source a leg-nose gear part. The part number that I've been told will suit repairs are either 940042-503 or 540004-509. This is for a Mooney M20R that apparently got oversteered by a tug, which understandably after I get this fixed I'll go out of my way to ensure never happens again. 

Any help would be appreciated

Update: A different mechanic I contacted while looking for the part has informed me that the part number is most likely 540017-509, so I’m looking for that part and right now verifying correct number.

[kortopates]

Contact Lasar. They repair them better than new and may have one available for exchange.

[chan65]

8 minutes ago, kortopates said:

Contact Lasar. They repair them better than new and may have one available for exchange.

Dan gave me the bad news yesterday , they are always my first call

[PT20J]

1 hour ago, chan65 said:

Dan gave me the bad news yesterday , they are always my first call

What’s the bad news: They can’t repair it or they don't have an exchange, or??..

[chan65]

2 minutes ago, PT20J said:

What’s the bad news: They can’t repair it or they don't have an exchange, 

Mooney no longer sells, they don’t have one for exchange and he didn’t offer to repair, he suggested a shop K$K in Wisconsin ,

have a couple leads for them here though , so looking up

 

 

[KSMooniac]

You might try Beegles in CO... they parted a Bravo recently and might have a good one.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

[glenn reynolds]

I’m certainly not an expert but I do have a couple of thoughts:

if I remember correctly dan is parts located in clear lake and the former LASAR shop has been moved to ranch mueretta so it is worth calling the shop to see if they can repair.

there are several very good aviation welding shops that may be able to repair your gear. Yes I know it’s heat treated but that just adds a step to the repair. 
last comment,  I recently needed a part for my model 20p and was told by three mooney service centers that it was out of stock at mooney and so I was out of luck. I contacted the factory and was told three weeks. I went back to Maxwell and ordered the part (again) this time explaining that I had spoken to the factory. So far so good. It is my opinion that the dealers are looking at factory part inventory on line and when it says out of stock they give up. 
Nose gear damage  is a common issue. I made a prop streamer in yellow and black with the words restricted tow angle   It seems to help as the FBO s no longer move my plane. I make a point of offering to move my plane for an FBO as it is so vulnerable to towing damage. That also works. Lastly I bought 3M reflective tape in red and green and marked the tow angle on the nose gear. The ovation has this but the factory colors are hard to see. I always use the hand tow bar to “feel” the range of the nose gear after someone has moved the plane. The FBO are insured and damage has been mitigated when it’s happened. 
good luck. 
 

[carusoam]

KAJ,
 

There is only one Ovation being parted out that I’m aware of… (there may be others I’m not aware of)

Mooney legs are stout!

Until somebody with a tug tries to twist them off… 

Check in with @Chrigi he is parting an Ovation…

Just be sure the prop strike it suffered… didn’t pile drive the nose wheel first…

 

Also know we have a contact with the Mooney Factory who is alive and well and promises to be making parts…

They are the most familiar with Ovation legs…

Good luck with your hunt!

Let me invite @Jonny to the conversation… 

Best regards,

-a-

[KestrelAJ]

9 hours ago, carusoam said:

KAJ,
 

There is only one Ovation being parted out that I’m aware of… (there may be others I’m not aware of)

Mooney legs are stout!

Until somebody with a tug tries to twist them off… 

Check in with @Chrigi he is parting an Ovation…

Just be sure the prop strike it suffered… didn’t pile drive the nose wheel first…

 

Also know we have a contact with the Mooney Factory who is alive and well and promises to be making parts…

They are the most familiar with Ovation legs…

Good luck with your hunt!

Let me invite @Jonny to the conversation… 

Best regards,

-a-

Many thanks, will try with @Chrigi

 

Turns out it was one of the original two part numbers needed after all, the third number didn’t suit the repair need sadly.

[A64Pilot]

Just a thought, try giving the new Mooney service center a call, see what they can do?

I’d be interested in their answer

[N201MKTurbo]

Back in the late 80s, I was based at KDVT and the plane was in for annual. The truss was dented. The owner of the shop welded in new tubes and sent it out for heat treat. It looked new and steered true and never broke. He charged like $150 to fix it.

Edited April 24, 2022 by N201MKTurbo

[carusoam]

From the Big Boss at Mooney…

“We still do customer support and Frank Crawford  should get a metal for the number of emails and calls he returns. But I respectfully ask that you consider letting us do a pre-buy, or repair, or an annual. That is what would help the most at the moment. Plus I'd get to meet you in person and you can...”

 

In a Previous post from somebody needing something similar….

You might want to get the ball rolling in case replacement part takes time to get built….

Frank Crawford’s name appears a lot as the go to guy for parts…

-a-