Johnson Bar will not lock in the down position w/o a fight.

[mikesalman]

Can you check with the ferry pilot if he had any problems with locking down the bar?.  Are you sure that something didn't get between the bar and the floor and you did no notice.  I know because it happened to me! Now is an item in my checklist.

Nothing in between. I called the previous owner and he said it gets like that after the annual and should loosen up???

[mikesalman]

My guess is speed. If I ever forgot to retract on my F model it was impossible to get it down at higher speeds.

It probably took me longer than normal due to my Instructor and myself being unfamilliar with the Johnson bar and its operation.

[jetdriven]

The previous owner is BSing you. The gear should latch freely up and down.

[mikesalman]

He said gear down, right? That would be locked up on panel. Nothing to do with something on floor...I have to give a slight twist of the locking handle to secure down and locked. Make sure to pull the handle down as you swing it in then up and twist. It will become natural. Have fun with your new bird. PS. I installed an audible gear alert and it has sounded for both my partner and I. A little twist and it locked in place. Pull twist seat and give a tug.

Johnson Bar down. Gear up.

[mikesalman]

I had this problem with my "new" Mooney. In my case it was glue thickness where someone had stuck down the back edge of the cloth boot. There's a "nip point" right behind the hole in the floorboard where the lever has to get very close to the floor. Be sure there's little or nothing on the floor at that spot. Bob

Thank you.

[Sabremech]

Yep, got mine from Aerocomfort too! It definitely needs care when installing it or the Johnson bar will not lock in the gear down position without considerable force.

 

 David

[N601RX]

With the boot sticking up I could not get it to work without extreme stretching. With the boot pushed down flush with the floor it fits good and is not stretched in either gear position.

[DrBill]

When I bought my Mooney I got in when it was on jacks for the prebuy, and cycled the gear many times to get the feel of it.  It was harder than I expected at first.  That gave me a good preview of flying. THe first time was no problem.  Speed is the problem when it gets really hard to push down.

BILL

[piperpainter]

If you haven't already purchased your own Jack pads you can get a set from LASAR that fit in the whole for the tiedown but it's a jack pad & tie down together. So I don't have to ever remove them when I jack them. I mean if you're going to spend money on a new plane, why not buy some new fun toys!

[Alan Fox]

My mechanic is waiting on some Mooney jack pads so we can cycle the gear.

Thanks

Buy the wing tie downs from lasar , They have the jacking points built in , and they look a lot better , also if you get stuck somewhere(flat tire) you wont need the jacking points.....