Upper Truss Pain and Frustration

[FlyWalt]

Good Morning All,

'Last night I had to reject my aircraft after a test flight. The work being tested was the installation of an upper truss and new shock discs on my nose gear after a towing incident at an FBO. 

After liftoff, while the gear was in transit to the up and locked position, I noticed a movement of the rudder pedals to the right with a corresponding yaw to the right. This lasted for a few seconds and and then righted itself back to the center. I came around in the pattern and then lowered the gear for a low pass for visual confirmation of gear down. There was no yaw at all during gear extension.

During the low pass, the mechanic on the ground advised me that the nose gear looked good. I then did a go around and retracted the gear. Same exact experience when the gear came up again. The rudder self activated again to the right along with the corresponding yaw to the right. Then it centered itself again. 

I came back around and landed without further issues and advised the IA of my findings. It is back in their shop for evaluation.

Does anyone have insights or suggestions that can help?

Thanks in advance,
Walt

[N201MKTurbo]

You need to put it on jacks and remove the nose gear door links so you can watch things on retraction. Then watch the steering horn while you retract the gear and see what is happening.

Can you send a picture of your steering horn?

Didn't you see this on the gear swing after the nose gear work?

[FlyWalt]

"Didn't you see this on the gear swing after the nose gear work?"

No, as I am the owner/pilot, not the mechanic. And the shop is 85 miles from my home base. Thus, I was unable to watch this process.

Edited October 28, 2022 by FlyWalt

[A64Pilot]

My guess is the nose gear and rudder are not aligned, but if that’s true you should have gotten a pretty hard kick in the pedals on landing when the nose came down with the  nose gear not aligned with the runway. So maybe that’s not it, but very easy to check

If you don’t mind, please post the answer when you find it

[FlyWalt]

23 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

My guess is the nose gear and rudder are not aligned, but if that’s true you should have gotten a pretty hard kick in the pedals on landing when the nose came down with the  nose gear not aligned with the runway. So maybe that’s not it, but very easy to check

If you don’t mind, please post the answer when you find it

There was no kick on landing. That is the weird part. It centered itself after full retraction. And then there were no abnormalities when the gear was extended.

I certainly will post the final answer here. RIght now the mechs are working on it.

[chriscalandro]

1 hour ago, FlyWalt said:

"Didn't you see this on the gear swing after the nose gear work?"

No as I am the owner/pilot. Not the mechanic. And the shop is 85 miles from my home base. Thus I was unable to watch this process.

This is a bad attitude. Just because you aren’t the mechanic does not mean you should be there and verify operational tests. 

[slowflyin]

11 minutes ago, chriscalandro said:

This is a bad attitude. Just because you aren’t the mechanic does not mean you should be there and verify operational tests. 

I disagree.  Lots of owners trust a qualified A&P to swing the gear and do other checks.  Some folks are hands on and some are not.  I'm an A&P but I didn't fly to the West coast from Virginia to observe my engine on the test stand post overhaul.   

[PT20J]

3 hours ago, FlyWalt said:

"Didn't you see this on the gear swing after the nose gear work?"

No as I am the owner/pilot. Not the mechanic. And the shop is 85 miles from my home base. Thus I was unable to watch this process.

Not your fault. Sounds like maybe the gear swing was done with the doors attached and probably everyone was watching the gear and not the rudder. It would be difficult to see an interference with the steering horn/linkage with the doors on. I believe the service and maintenance manual calls for checking the rigging with the doors off after replacing the nose gear. Anyway, it should be easy to figure it out as Rich suggested above.

Skip

[cliffy]

As mentioned it should be an easy fix with the gear doors wide open and on jack stands

(disconnect the link rods and safety wire the doors wide open)

Just as an aside - think about this-

You had a gear anomaly on takeoff when the gear was retracted  You were able to get the gear down (with I presume green lights)

and had it verified by the ground. GOOD!   You are/were in a safe position. 

At this point there really is no need to retract the gear again  "in flight"

with a known problem on the last retraction and possibly really cause an issue the next time up and down. 

If you have a gear problem and you can get the gear down and locked then its usually best to just leave it there and fix the problem  on 

the ground while on jacks. 

Just a suggestion to give you something to cogitate over. 

[FlyWalt]

19 minutes ago, PT20J said:

 Sounds like maybe the gear swing was done with the doors attached and probably everyone was watching the gear and not the rudder.

That is exactly what I was thinking when I was running it through my mind last night. They are good guys. But its a newer shop and these guys are young.

However, from now on, major Mooney work will be done by our local MSC which is just an additional hour north of this shop.

Oh and no more towing is allowed with a tow bar.

[GeeBee]

Very few people get to tow my airplane. That is why travel with my Sidewinder and move it myself.

[Fly Boomer]

4 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

Very few people get to tow my airplane. That is why travel with my Sidewinder and move it myself.

How much does it cost these days to repair towing damage?  And how long does it take?  LASAR seems to be getting out of the business?

[GeeBee]

34 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

How much does it cost these days to repair towing damage?  And how long does it take?  LASAR seems to be getting out of the business?

I am not sure of your question? The intent of my statement was I avoid towing situations unless I am very comfortable the person towing is fully knowledgeable about Mooney limits or I do it myself.

[Fly Boomer]

4 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

I am not sure of your question? The intent of my statement was I avoid towing situations unless I am very comfortable the person towing is fully knowledgeable about Mooney limits or I do it myself.

I responded to your post, but it was really a question for all readers.  I'm in agreement with your strategy, but I'm also interested in the financial consequences of unforeseen circumstances.  

[GeeBee]

Don't know how much it costs, but I am deeply committed to not finding out.

 

[Shadrach]

3 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

I responded to your post, but it was really a question for all readers.  I'm in agreement with your strategy, but I'm also interested in the financial consequences of unforeseen circumstances.  

I replaced my truss back in 2008. I think it was ~$800  for the rebuilt unit from LASAR. Installation is probably 3-4hours.

[PT20J]

Hopefully all the rebuilt ones include the stops which offer some protection. 

[cliffy]

I think LASARs do if ordered that way

[Fly Boomer]

10 hours ago, cliffy said:

I think LASARs do if ordered that way

There doesn't seem to be consensus on whether LASAR is still providing trusses.

[cliffy]

Call them and ask

[1980Mooney]

7 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

There doesn't seem to be consensus on whether LASAR is still providing trusses.

 

37 minutes ago, cliffy said:

Call them and ask

REPAIRED NOSE TRUSS — LASAR

$1,322.50 exchange.  With shipping and labor I bet it is 2 AMU.  They say to call to check availability

[Guest]

If you can get one from Mooney, you’re assured that it’s all new construction.

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, M20Doc said:

If you can get one from Mooney, you’re assured that it’s all new construction.

Do the Mooney trusses come with stops?

[N201MKTurbo]

I saw one once, with stops, that was damaged by a tug. The stops didn’t stop anything.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Shadrach said:

Do the Mooney trusses come with stops?

If they were designed with adjustable stops I would expect Mooney to build replacements with stops.  And for models without the stops there are kits to add them.