SB M20-345

[JimB]

Just a thought but for everyone scrambling to home brew their own weights and come up with other ways to correct this rather than following the SB, these things have a bad habit of becoming FAA Airworthiness Directives. If it does become an AD you will most likely have to follow the service bulletin to the letter to be compliant or request an AMOC from the FAA. 

[PT20J]

On 10/18/2022 at 9:05 AM, EricJ said:

I think I saw somewhere that they may have had helicoils or something in them, but I don't know for certain.

Keenserts (MS8130-201L) according to the IPC

[Sheriff23]

My Mooney has bad balance weights. I’ve found a set of solid weights, but I am still tracking down the rivets. However, Mooney advised me I am not permitted to install them until the engineering solution is released. I am not sure why, but he did say it would require a new weight and balance, but the data was not ready for release yet.

I’ve spoken with Mooney and the said they’re working with the FAA and are very close to releasing a solution

Fingers crossed it is released very quickly!


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[Kelpro999]

8 hours ago, Sheriff23 said:

My Mooney has bad balance weights. I’ve found a set of solid weights, but I am still tracking down the rivets. However, Mooney advised me I am not permitted to install them until the engineering solution is released. I am not sure why, but he did say it would require a new weight and balance, but the data was not ready for release yet.

I’ve spoken with Mooney and the said they’re working with the FAA and are very close to releasing a solution

Fingers crossed it is released very quickly!


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I do agree with rebalancing surfaces but not installing same fit, form and function falls in the realm of unavailable from the manufacturer. Not sure if I would shy away from same FFF of unaffected parts. Just my two cents.. not a lawyer 

[Raymond J1]

On 10/19/2022 at 2:30 PM, JimB said:

Just a thought but for everyone scrambling to home brew their own weights and come up with other ways to correct this rather than following the SB, these things have a bad habit of becoming FAA Airworthiness Directives. If it does become an AD you will most likely have to follow the service bulletin to the letter to be compliant or request an AMOC from the FAA. 

The first trump card of the "badman" seems to be that Mooney  does not know who has the right weights and who has the wrong ones...
The second trump card is that the weight concerned, even in poor condition, is at the right mass, I mean that it is the mass that is suitable for her elevator...
In fact, by disassembling the wrong offending weight, weighing it and reconstructing it identically, the wrong thinker can believe he is doing a perfect thing...
Especially if he organizes the fusion of the "bad" mass to transform it into the "good" mass...
For the moment, I imagine that Mooney must publish the solution very quickly.

[TomM20F]

I have this update from my correspondence with Mooney's Manager of Technical Resources and Product Support. Mooney has revision A of the service bulletin being reviewed by their engineering department and the FAA. Once approved it will be released. It was sent out this morning 10/24/2022 for review.

Mooney has a vendor quoting new lead weights. They are moving fast to address this issue.

If you have the the hybrid weights PN 430018-1 you need to email technicalsupport@mooney.com They have a spreadsheet identifying effected aircraft (my guess so they know how many sets to order). They would also like pictures of your weights.

Hope this clarifies things.

 

[Sheriff23]

I have this update from my correspondence with Mooney's Manager of Technical Resources and Product Support. Mooney has revision A of the service bulletin being reviewed by their engineering department and the FAA. Once approved it will be released. It was sent out this morning 10/24/2022 for review.
Mooney has a vendor quoting new lead weights. They are moving fast to address this issue.
If you have the the hybrid weights PN 430018-1 you need to email technicalsupport@mooney.com They have a spreadsheet identifying effected aircraft (my guess so they know how many sets to order). They would also like pictures of your weights.
Hope this clarifies things.
 

Any time frame? I have bad weights and have been in contact with Mooney, but have not heard any timeline.

Also, is there any indication of if they are bolt on will use the iron rivets?

I have procured a set of solid weights and rivets, but I am having trouble locating an A&P or a MSC, other than Don Maxwell, who is capable of installing the iron rivets.


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[TomM20F]

Sorry no. If I here anything further I will update.

Interesting N#, I guess Mooney got them assigned in blocks during manufacturing.

[Sheriff23]

1 hour ago, TomM20F said:

Sorry no. If I here anything further I will update.

Interesting N#, I guess Mooney got them assigned in blocks during manufacturing.

Wow!  My serial number is 67-0093.....I am guessing yours is the next one in line if the tail numbers run in sequence?

[TomM20F]

670103

[Kelpro999]

On 10/24/2022 at 3:47 PM, Sheriff23 said:

Any time frame? I have bad weights and have been in contact with Mooney, but have not heard any timeline.

Also, is there any indication of if they are bolt on will use the iron rivets?

I have procured a set of solid weights and rivets, but I am having trouble locating an A&P or a MSC, other than Don Maxwell, who is capable of installing the iron rivets.


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Not really difficult to buck iron. Mine after rebalancing 

[Shadrach]

On 10/25/2022 at 9:02 AM, Sheriff23 said:

Wow!  My serial number is 67-0093.....I am guessing yours is the next one in line if the tail numbers run in sequence?

It appears that the factory registered N Numbers by model and serial numbers as the aircraft came off the line. That means models have chronological tranches of N numbers but chronological serial numbers are   Made up of different models.

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, Kelpro999 said:

Not really difficult to buck iron. Mine after rebalancing 

Nice.   Was this done recently?

[Kelpro999]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

Nice.   Was this done recently?

Yes, still working on paint and other needed issues. 

[Igor_U]

18 hours ago, Kelpro999 said:

Yes, still working on paint and other needed issues. 

Where did you buy the (mooney p/n)  rivets? I was told they are not available.

 

[Sheriff23]

Where did you buy the (mooney p/n)  rivets? I was told they are not available.
 

Igor,
I got mine from Don Maxwell. He has then and shipped them to me.


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[Kelpro999]

5 hours ago, Igor_U said:

Where did you buy the (mooney p/n)  rivets? I was told they are not available.

 

I first got them from Mooney but they were too short. Genuine aviation hardware sold me longer flat head iron rivets that I cut down. The box said “broom handle rivets” so I think you can get them on eBay. Just Plain non plated steel solid rivets. I thought they were something special but turns out they’re not.

[Flyman2456]

On 10/25/2022 at 6:45 AM, TomM20F said:

Sorry no. If I here anything further I will update.

Interesting N#, I guess Mooney got them assigned in blocks during manufacturing.

Have you heard any updates on this?

[Sheriff23]

Have you heard any updates on this?

I have heard nothing for a few weeks now.


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[67 m20F chump]

The funny part of this for me is the fact that I bought a Mooney because I was worried about parts availability for bonanza magnesium tails.  At the time you couldn’t get them.  
 

I started this thread October 8 and on November 15 I still have the same problem and no information on a fix and no timeline.  If I comply with this SB I can’t use the plane and it sits unused setting me up for cam failure (no SB for that).  Mooney has been as quiet as a mouse fart on a solution.

[Shadrach]

2 minutes ago, 67 m20F chump said:

The funny part of this for me is the fact that I bought a Mooney because I was worried about parts availability for bonanza magnesium tails.  At the time you couldn’t get them.  
 

I started this thread October 8 and on November 15 I still have the same problem and no information on a fix and no timeline.  If I comply with this SB I can’t use the plane and it sits unused setting me up for cam failure (no SB for that).  Mooney has been as quiet as a mouse fart on a solution.

Totally piss poor. It seems this is the way the world is going. 25 years ago I could have named several local IAs that would have been comfortable working through an OPP solution. I still know a few but they are the exception not the rule. The factory has the specifications. The solution should have taken weeks not months.

[Pinecone]

Weeks?  Days maybe.

They have the specs.  How many CNC machine shops are there that could program this part and start cranking them out.

[Shadrach]

1 hour ago, Pinecone said:

Weeks?  Days maybe.

They have the specs.  How many CNC machine shops are there that could program this part and start cranking them out.

It could be done in a day if recreating the part were the only consideration.   My guess is that Mooney does not have data on how many of the hybrid weights are out there.  They are likely trying to get an idea of volume before they start having replacements manufactured.  If I had an affected airframe, I would be seeking out weights from a salvage aircraft or working through an OPP with an IA.  There are shops that specialize in lead fabrication that could turn this out in short order once on the schedule but given the specialized nature of the business they likely have a significant lead times. they moght be able to slide a "one off "in between bulk orders.

[EricJ]

2 hours ago, 67 m20F chump said:

The funny part of this for me is the fact that I bought a Mooney because I was worried about parts availability for bonanza magnesium tails.  At the time you couldn’t get them.  
 

I started this thread October 8 and on November 15 I still have the same problem and no information on a fix and no timeline.  If I comply with this SB I can’t use the plane and it sits unused setting me up for cam failure (no SB for that).  Mooney has been as quiet as a mouse fart on a solution.

FWIW, it isn't an AD, so legally you can still fly the airplane.   

[Shadrach]

13 minutes ago, EricJ said:

FWIW, it isn't an AD, so legally you can still fly the airplane.   

True if his counterweight passed visual inspection.  Given it's appearance (deep cracks) in the uploaded image there is a strong argument that it does not meet "condition for safe operation" per 14 CFR 3.5(a).