Need wheel assembly Cleveland 40-87

[cyrill]

Hi folks,

I'm looking for a wheel assembly Cleveland 40-87 for my Mooney 201 if anyone has a spare one by any chance. The full assembly or just the outer half where the valve stem is.
I would prefer a more economical option than brand new. I called baspartsales, faethaircraft and look on ebay but no luck so far.

Thanks,
 

[N201MKTurbo]

I may have one. I’ll look next time I’m at the hangar. What’s wrong with yours!

 

[Fly Boomer]

35 minutes ago, cyrill said:

I called baspartsales, faethaircraft and look on ebay but no luck so far.

What's wrong with these?

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=cleveland+40-87+wheel&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2510209.m570.l1313

 

[cyrill]

Can you use 40-87C model as well?

The only 40-87 model doesn't look in its best shape from the pictures, maybe it's just paint. I was wondering about the middle hole cracked?

[cyrill]

The issue with mine is that the wheel bearing (new) is loose in the wheel assembly which is not airworthy according to my IA. Not sure how that came about.

Edited February 14 by cyrill

[N201MKTurbo]

That’s weird. Never seen that before.

What does the bore look like? All I can figure is the bearing seised and spun the race.

[PT20J]

The races are a shrink fit. Getting that loose would require removing material from the wheel. Have you verified that the bearing is correct part?

[Fly Boomer]

Anyone know the difference between 40-87 A, B, C, etc.?

[Aerodon]

15 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Anyone know the difference between 40-87 A, B, C, etc.?

You can find the cleveland catalogue on line.  Find the correct wheel for your plane, then click on the part number and it takes you to a breakdown of all parts.  Typically it will list the parts for A,B,C in a table, with different part numbers for some of the components.  It could be a different bearing, different wheel half etc.

[PT20J]

I keep a copy on my iPad.

AWBPC0001.pdf

[cyrill]

Yes, confirmed that it was the correct bearing and race (Timken Bearing 08125-20629). Here is a picture of the bearing that we replaced. I ended up getting a wheel assembly replacement from Altair aircraft: https://www.altairaircraft.com/products/40-87-mooney-m20j-cleveland-nose-gear-wheel-assy-5-00x5?_pos=3&_sid=2923ba4e2&_ss=r

 

[PT20J]

Did you clean that or did it really not have any grease in it. 

I used to replace wheel bearings every few years when my '78 J sat outside. Even my '94 J that has always been hangared has minor corrosion pits around the seal area. The felt grease seals need to be kept oiled and even then they let water in. I switched to the new molded rubber seals and haven't had any issues. But they are not for CBs 

[1980Mooney]

13 hours ago, PT20J said:

The races are a shrink fit. Getting that loose would require removing material from the wheel. Have you verified that the bearing is correct part?

You refer to the bearing races as a "shrink fit" but aren't they really just a "press fit"?  I have always pressed or used a soft drift to drift them in and out.  No need to cool the bearing race or heat the hub.

From "Kitplanes" - Maintenance Matters

• By far the preferred way to remove the race is with a hydraulic press. A large socket may work or you might need to find a piece of round steel stock that is large enough to engage the race, but small enough to pass through the hole in the wheel and push the race out. The exact size may vary with the size of the wheel. The other thing you will need is a solid object on which to rest the wheel hub when you are pressing the race out. Do not attempt to press out the race while supporting the wheel on its outer flange. The wheel is not designed to take this stress.
• As a distant second choice, you may use a drift punch and hammer to tap the race out of the wheel hub, also while fully supporting the outer portion of the hub during the process. 

 More from Cessna Flyers on removing races with a hammer and punch or a bearing driver tool. - Cessna Flyer Association - DIY Wheel Bearing Service

Edited Saturday at 04:47 AM by 1980Mooney

[EricJ]

45 minutes ago, 1980Mooney said:

You refer to the bearing races as a "shrink fit" but aren't they really just a "press fit"?  I have always pressed or used a soft drift to drift them in and out.  No need to cool the bearing race or heat the hub.

From "Kitplanes" - Maintenance Matters

• By far the preferred way to remove the race is with a hydraulic press. A large socket may work or you might need to find a piece of round steel stock that is large enough to engage the race, but small enough to pass through the hole in the wheel and push the race out. The exact size may vary with the size of the wheel. The other thing you will need is a solid object on which to rest the wheel hub when you are pressing the race out. Do not attempt to press out the race while supporting the wheel on its outer flange. The wheel is not designed to take this stress.
• As a distant second choice, you may use a drift punch and hammer to tap the race out of the wheel hub, also while fully supporting the outer portion of the hub during the process. 

Using thermal expansion puts the least amount of stress on the wheel casting.    Pressing it in/out is the next best option, and, as stated, a drift works but is the most likely to cause a deformation or crack in the casting.    They all work, they're just different tradeoffs on effort/complexity/risk.

[1980Mooney]

On 2/13/2025 at 6:36 PM, cyrill said:

The issue with mine is that the wheel bearing (new) is loose in the wheel assembly which is not airworthy according to my IA. Not sure how that came about.

 

On 2/13/2025 at 9:47 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

That’s weird. Never seen that before.

What does the bore look like? All I can figure is the bearing seised and spun the race.

 

1 hour ago, PT20J said:

Did you clean that or did it really not have any grease in it. 

I used to replace wheel bearings every few years when my '78 J sat outside. Even my '94 J that has always been hangared has minor corrosion pits around the seal area. The felt grease seals need to be kept oiled and even then they let water in. I switched to the new molded rubber seals and haven't had any issues. But they are not for CBs 

At first, I thought this was crazy - that it must have the wrong size bearing race because there is no sign of galling, heat, build up, metal debris, etc in the pictures.

I had never experienced, seen or even heard of before.  But upon further searching:

• Pilots of America have witnessed this and commented online in 2022:
  • "During inspection of wheel bearings in my C172M I found that the race had broken loose and is spinning in the wheel half itself. The mechanic said that the wheel assembly has to be replaced. I'm surprised that there is no way to build up material so that the race would fit tightly again. I'm just wondering why, I don't doubt my mechanic, but certainly not pleased with the $$ this is going to cost."
• An A&P commented on Reddit in 2022:
  • "Spinning Races in McCauley Wheel" -"Been doing annuals for a while, usually if I find a bad race or bearing...it's more cut and dry. Seized, or burnt up cones. Grooves, cuts or corrosion in the cups...that sort of thing. Just got a 5.00-5 McCauley nose wheel in and both races are spinning freely...and they a can be pushed in or out with a little force by hand. I don't really have a good way to rig up a plunger dial indicator to check round, but with the races in, I don't see any obvious gaps...the bearings themselves move, maybe a little grindy but nothing insane.
• A crew member commented in the same discussion:
  • "The crew I work for fly and maintain the BN2 islanders and we get 100 hours in every 4 weeks or so. We run Cleveland wheels and I think I’ve scrapped 5 or 6 in the last 6 months bc of this.

    We’ve got an engineer who works for us trying to work out a way to fix them but he reckons it’s just cheaper to buy new rims"

Comments about what is causing it:

• Pilots of America: "My belief is that loose races are caused by improper bearing ADJUSTMENT. A complete lack of preload will do this. Several ways to go about it but you want zero side play and just a tiny bit of bearing drag."
• Short Wing Pipers.Org: "One of the reasons for a preload is to keep a load on the steel race in the aluminum wheel.  Lack of preload can allow the race to loosen & wreck the wheel.  You don't want the wheel rattling around since that can wear out the wheel halves so they won't hold the races anymore.

Bottom line - It sounds like you need the new half of the Cleveland wheel and definitely install new bearings/races

BTW - I see in your video that you have stick on wheel weights that have been painted.  On a machined wheel hub of that size, there is generally no need to balance the hub.  When you put the tire on make sure that the red dot on the tire aligns with the stem of the inner tube.

[N201MKTurbo]

I have no response to this except, the wheels are magnesium not aluminum.

[1980Mooney]

7 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I have no response to this except, the wheels are magnesium not aluminum.

I thought they were made out of gold......

[Kelpro999]

 This type of failure was very prevalent in semi trailer hubs while transported via rail.
 Our planes are subject to continuous vibrations while parked. This leads to false brinelling  that looks like rust. This corrosion leads to vibration when in use. Vibration may be slight and masked by normal operations but very damaging to the delicate magnesium or aluminum cast rims utilizing thin profile bearings. 
 I have nothing to prove this other than decades of observation.
 If our gear was parked on continuously moving treadmills then bearing and hub damage or tire deformation would be a thing of the past.

[1980Mooney]

28 minutes ago, Kelpro999 said:

 This type of failure was very prevalent in semi trailer hubs while transported via rail.
 Our planes are subject to continuous vibrations while parked. This leads to false brinelling  that looks like rust. This corrosion leads to vibration when in use. Vibration may be slight and masked by normal operations but very damaging to the delicate magnesium or aluminum cast rims utilizing thin profile bearings. 
 I have nothing to prove this other than decades of observation.
 If our gear was parked on continuously moving treadmills then bearing and hub damage or tire deformation would be a thing of the past.

Piper Short Wings.Org said the same thing in discussion on loose wheel bearing races.

• "If you have marks (Brinneling ) on the bearing or race it probably ocurred from months of pressure & slight movement. The bearing FAILURES I've seen were at these points."

Also Timken notes 

• FALSE BRINELLING 
  Typical causes include excessive vibration during shipment or when the shaft is stationary.
• timken.com/resources/timken-bearing-damage-analysis-poster_7352-small/
• 5556_Bearing-Setting-Brochure-1.pdf

 

 

Edited Saturday at 06:19 AM by 1980Mooney

[1980Mooney]

On 2/13/2025 at 5:29 PM, cyrill said:

Hi folks,

I'm looking for a wheel assembly Cleveland 40-87 for my Mooney 201 if anyone has a spare one by any chance. The full assembly or just the outer half where the valve stem is.
I would prefer a more economical option than brand new. I called baspartsales, faethaircraft and look on ebay but no luck so far.

Thanks,
 

In all seriousness, I think you can get a new outer half from Air Power for $850.  If I cross referenced properly page 5-11 of @PT20J's Cleveland Catalog above, you need part number 162-02800...but you need to verify yourself.

162-02800 | WHEEL HALF Cleveland - Air Power Inc

 

Edited Saturday at 06:22 AM by 1980Mooney

[cyrill]

thanks all for the wealth of information here. 
What is puzzling here is it seems that there was some sort of glue on the race to keep it in place? I’m wondering if the issue was discovered previously but not fixed it properly. 

[1980Mooney]

1 minute ago, cyrill said:

thanks all for the wealth of information here. 
What is puzzling here is it seems that there was some sort of glue on the race to keep it in place? I’m wondering if the issue was discovered previously but not fixed it properly. 

OK - That explains it. This has been going on for a long time - I am assuming this plane is new to you.  This was done by a prior owner. It is a "shade tree" mechanic fix.  Totally unapproved.   On some non-aviation sites, people talk about "fixing" loose bearing races by taking a center punch to the bearing housing to create more interference fit and to use super glue. 

Is the inner side housing for the bearing race also damaged/glued the same?

[N201MKTurbo]

Looks like JB weld.

[Kelpro999]

11 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

Piper Short Wings.Org said the same thing in discussion on loose wheel bearing races.

• "If you have marks (Brinneling ) on the bearing or race it probably ocurred from months of pressure & slight movement. The bearing FAILURES I've seen were at these points."

Also Timken notes 

• FALSE BRINELLING 
  Typical causes include excessive vibration during shipment or when the shaft is stationary.
• timken.com/resources/timken-bearing-damage-analysis-poster_7352-small/
• 5556_Bearing-Setting-Brochure-1.pdf

 

 

Thanks for the reference material.   Loose bearings definitely add one more axis to the failure mode, then again preload does increase pressure loading at a location none is desired. 

[PT20J]

According to Timken, the optimum adjustment for maximum bearing life of tapered roller bearings is zero end play and slight preload. I’ve always adjusted wheel bearings on cars and airplanes using the manual method described on page 6 of Timken’s manual. 
https://www.timken.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/5556_Bearing-Setting-Brochure-1.pdf