New Serious Flight Control Problem Showed Up On Last Flight

[PT20J]

I agree with @EricJ. The IPC is for identifying and ordering parts; it’s not an assembly drawing. 

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

It's possible that the orientation of that link makes no difference.

It would only matter if the OD of the bearings is different.  I’ll be out at the plane later today. I’ll check it out.

[N201MKTurbo]

40 minutes ago, PT20J said:

I agree with @EricJ. The IPC is for identifying and ordering parts; it’s not an assembly drawing. 

I completely  agree, but they are best assembly drawings we have. Does the maintenance manual have any guidance about this?

[PT20J]

14 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I completely  agree, but they are best assembly drawings we have. Does the maintenance manual have any guidance about this?

I didn’t see anything in the C-F manual. Here’s the drawing from the J manual with the newer type steering horn. 

[takair]

As I recall, you have to swing the gear with the nose gear doors open or the firewall panel removed to see the proximity of that bearing to the gear when turning.  I think the flat gives just that extra amount of clearance to feel good when you see it.

[N201MKTurbo]

I checked mine today. It is just like the 201 drawing above. I measured the OD of both ends and they are both 3/4”. There are no flats machined in either end. But it’s a J not a C.

[cliffy]

12 hours ago, EricJ said:

It's possible that the orientation of that link makes no difference.

I agree but I will check anyway

[cliffy]

19 hours ago, takair said:

As I recall, you have to swing the gear with the nose gear doors open or the firewall panel removed to see the proximity of that bearing to the gear when turning.  I think the flat gives just that extra amount of clearance to feel good when you see it.

Correct   In fact lots easier with the gear doors removed along with the tire and wheel

The manual only talks to using the eccentrics for how high in the wheel well the tire goes and not to looking at this 

interference fit on the link rod at the same time. 

It was probably tribal knowledge 40 years ago at the factory.

[cliffy]

The rod ends are listed in Heim's catalog in the "Aircraft Quality" section

Aircraft quality means they are magnafluxed for cracks before delivery. 

 

[47U]

On 4/23/2025 at 9:29 AM, cliffy said:

The manual only talks to using the eccentrics for how high in the wheel well the tire goes and not to looking at this interference fit on the link rod at the same time. 

The fact that the mx manual doesn’t fully address the ramifications of the eccentric bushings is (I think) a pretty big deficiency.  I only learned of them when I was trying to figure out why one of my nose gear extension tubes was so tight I couldn’t rotate it, and the other one was sloppy-loose.  The eccentrics were not set to the same position.  And, there is some evidence that at some point my nose tire had retracted high enough to leave skid marks on the top skin of the wheel well.  To leave out the possibility of rudder interference and to also not explain the reason for the shaved Heim bearing and the steering link orientation… I’m fortunate for the smart people on this forum.

Oh, and I fixed the orientation of my steering link.  Interference must be a concern based on how much material is shaved off the Heim bearing.  It’s almost down to the bearing insert. 

[MB65E]

Is that to clear the grease fitting? We think?

-Matt

[47U]

1 hour ago, MB65E said:

Is that to clear the grease fitting? We think?

-Matt

No, it’s well after.  There’s no depth perception in this picture… the steering link arm is actually just aft of the zerk when the nose wheel is straight.

[Ragsf15e]

7 hours ago, 47U said:

The fact that the mx manual doesn’t fully address the ramifications of the eccentric bushings is (I think) a pretty big deficiency.  I only learned of them when I was trying to figure out why one of my nose gear extension tubes was so tight I couldn’t rotate it, and the other one was sloppy-loose.  The eccentrics were not set to the same position.  And, there is some evidence that at some point my nose tire had retracted high enough to leave skid marks on the top skin of the wheel well.  To leave out the possibility of rudder interference and to also not explain the reason for the shaved Heim bearing and the steering link orientation… I’m fortunate for the smart people on this forum.

Oh, and I fixed the orientation of my steering link.  Interference must be a concern based on how much material is shaved off the Heim bearing.  It’s almost down to the bearing insert. 

Still interesting how yours has no threads showing.

I have a brand new (from Mooney) female end of that heim joint, im going to see if it’s ground down like that, but I don’t think so.  Weird.

[47U]

4 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

Still interesting how yours has no threads showing.

Threads are hidden by the female end of the bearing.  Reposting the picture below where I installed the link backwards… there’s some room for adjustment.

[cliffy]

I have seen one other Mooney that has the nose wheel skid marks on the top of the wheel well.

A lot of info was taken for granted in the early models and their maintenance manuals.

Take for instance the description of how to set the elevator bungees from the early short bodies to the J manual explanation. 

Lots more description in the J manual. 

[cliffy]

8 hours ago, 47U said:

The fact that the mx manual doesn’t fully address the ramifications of the eccentric bushings is (I think) a pretty big deficiency.  I only learned of them when I was trying to figure out why one of my nose gear extension tubes was so tight I couldn’t rotate it, and the other one was sloppy-loose.  The eccentrics were not set to the same position.  And, there is some evidence that at some point my nose tire had retracted high enough to leave skid marks on the top skin of the wheel well.  To leave out the possibility of rudder interference and to also not explain the reason for the shaved Heim bearing and the steering link orientation… I’m fortunate for the smart people on this forum.

Oh, and I fixed the orientation of my steering link.  Interference must be a concern based on how much material is shaved off the Heim bearing.  It’s almost down to the bearing insert. 

I've seen this before but wondering as to why one of the Heim joints had a castle nut and cotter pin (rotating joint) and the other doesn't (only a shake proof nut). Just wondering  Same kind of connection   (Yes I can be OCD at times) :-) But still that is one of the leanest nose gears around.

I found one down in Australia that was MUCH better though. Couldn't believe how well that airplane was maintained  It looked almost new everywhere.. 

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, 47U said:

Threads are hidden by the female end of the bearing.  Reposting the picture below where I installed the link backwards… there’s some room for adjustment.

Ahh, that makes sense!

[47U]

13 minutes ago, cliffy said:

I've seen this before but wondering as to why one of the Heim joints had a castle nut and cotter pin (rotating joint) and the other doesn't (only a shake proof nut). Just wondering  Same kind of connection 

It made no sense to me, either.  I referenced three Mooney vintage IPCs (‘62-‘64, ‘65-‘67, & ‘’68-‘76) to try to get the hardware correct.  They all show the drilled bolt with cotter pin in front and undrilled bolt in the back.  Sometimes though, you just go back to standard installation practices for hardware in 43-13… or more relevant to my experience, T.O. 1-1A-8.   

[cliffy]

1 minute ago, 47U said:

It made no sense to me, either.  I referenced three Mooney vintage IPCs (‘62-‘64, ‘65-‘67, & ‘’68-‘76) to try to get the hardware correct.  They all show the drilled bolt with cotter pin in front and undrilled bolt in the back.  Sometimes though, you just go back to standard installation practices for hardware in 43-13… or more relevant to my experience, T.O. 1-1A-8.   

YUP  :-) :-)

[Ragsf15e]

Here’s pictures of a brand new one from Mooney…

[Fly Boomer]

On 4/23/2025 at 3:16 PM, cliffy said:

Aircraft quality means they are magnafluxed for cracks before delivery. 

I thought “aircraft quality” meant ten times as expensive.

[cliffy]

On 4/26/2025 at 4:42 PM, Fly Boomer said:

I thought “aircraft quality” meant ten times as expensive.

Go there nd check the prices!