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Lifting wheels for Tire/brake work

Plummit

Well Known Member
How are you guys lifting the MLG for work on the tires and brakes? Is it OK to use the tie-downs as a jack point?

thanks

Marc
 
Yes, it is perfectly OK to use the wing tie-down point as a jack-point. Just be sure everything is properly supported so nothing will slide off.
 
I suspect you can - but why would you want to do that? Putting all your faith in an aluminum block that you cut the treads for is, in my view, an unnecessary risk. Depending on how you do this adds more risk. I've seen very expensive planes jacked up with an eyebolt screwed into the tie down, and the jack then balancing the plane on the end of the eyebolt. One bump and the wing would have a new lightning hole.

I made two wing jacks from Harbor Freight bottle jacks like this one http://www.harborfreight.com/8-ton-heavy-duty-long-ram-hydraulic-flat-bottom-jack-60394.html The jack is held upright by a simple homemade frame.

I use a padded 12" 2x6 between the jack and the wing. The 2x6 has a floor pipe flange screwed to the bottom such that the jack ram can't slip off. I put a piece of 1/4" aluminum plate under the pipe flange so the ram does not work it's way through the 2x6.

The 2x6 gets centered under the wing spar just outboard of the tank.

Two planes and 13 years and all is well.

Carl
 
wheel jack

Here is a fixture that I made to jack a main wheel to change a tire or brake. You can use the fixture with any floor or scissor jack as well, so you only have to travel with the fixture. I have shaken the wingtip with the wheel slightly off the ground and it is very secure, but I would still chock the non-jacked wheel. After the wheel is removed, lower the jack slightly to allow the axle to rest on a block of wood while you work on the tire change. This is much safer than jacking the wing tie downs
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2nm5hh.jpg
 
Jack safety

I use a galvanized pipe cap big enough for you bottle jack to fit in with extra room for the angle if I remember about 1-1/4". Drill a 3/8" hole in the end put 3/8" bolt through the hole with a nut on it. Tighten the nut now you can screw the whole thing in the tie down point. Then just block up your bottle jack I use a little saw horse and jack away. Caution don't jack both sides at once or it will get nose heavy. I keep one in the plane in case I need it on the road. With this the jack can't slip off and cause damage to the under side of the wing.
 
Saddle Clamp 1 1/8"

I wanted a quick ,light way to jack the wheel for possible flat tires out bush.

While not as elegant as the previous post,I found this to work well and only $3.00 at your local auto store.
I use a bit of tape to protect the powder-coat and with both other wheels chocked,it was very stable to remove the wheel.

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The small ratcheting screw driver was added to the fly away kit,because if you do have a flat,there is very little room to get to the lower wheel pant screws.

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Cheers,
 
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I wanted a quick ,light way to jack the wheel for possible flat tires out bush.

While not as elegant as the previous post,I found this to work well and only $3.00 at your local auto store.
I use a bit of tape to protect the powder-coat and with both other wheels chocked,it was very stable to remove the wheel.

The small ratcheting screw driver was added to the fly away kit,because if you do have a flat,there is very little room to get to the lower wheel pant screws.

Photos here :

https://goo.gl/photos/H62RDWJFU7cMLB5L8

ps: if anyone can help me to re-size photos and add to post,this old mechanic would be most grateful :)

I had to download to post as insufficient authority was granted.
Photo%2B1-12-2015%252C%2B1%2B41%2B13%2BPM.jpg
 
I found that a 3/4" bar will slide perfectly in the RV7 axle. Take the axle nut off, slide the bar in and jack up the LG from the outside of the 12" bar. Pull the wheel out a ways, then block the axle and take the jack off the bar and remove the wheel. Lots safer than a wing jack....I used a short piece of 3/4" sucker rod. If you are from West Texas Oil Country, you know what a sucker rod is!
 
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Tie down point lifting

So, we trust the tie down to be good for holding the plane to the ground in conditions that may lift it off the ground. Why can't we trust the tie down point to hold a comparable load in the reverse direction?
 
The tie down point CAN hold the weight. The risk is the balancing of the load on a small point. There are horror stories of the jack slipping off the tie down and busting a hole in the wing. Some have suggested screwing in a bolt into the tiedown spot. The bolt method is also risky due to side loads possibly snapping the bolt ending in again a hole through the bottom skin. It can be done, but with extreme caution.
 
whatever method you use, take the load off the lifter and support the axil with something after removing the tire. chalk the other tires to.
P1000459.jpg
 
So, we trust the tie down to be good for holding the plane to the ground in conditions that may lift it off the ground. Why can't we trust the tie down point to hold a comparable load in the reverse direction?

The issue does not seem to be the ability of the threads to carry the load, it is how the load is carried into that thread. Jacking under a tie down eye generates a bending load on the joint. A short spherical end with a matching cup on the jack carries the load with minimal bending. Just be sure there is a "fence" in case it wants to slip. There is a lot of wobbling potential with the plane on jacks this tall. The jacks should be very stable, and able to carry some side loads without deflection or tipping. Look at how the multi-thousand dollar jacks are made. They address the issues. Not saying they are required, just an example of a good design.
 
How about someone produce these for resale! I think this is EXCELLENT!! ****...I'll have them made and resell just to contribute to the RV community! Someone send me a spec sheet for these to send to a local machine shop. I don't see any issues with these.

NICE work!!

2nm5hh.jpg
 
Hi Bill-
What's this fitting called? (It looks like a u-bolt with a special bridge.) Just in the regular hardware section of any auto parts store store? I've seen others use 1-2 stainless hose clamps to serve the same purpose but yours seems much more substantial.

Although I currently use a tall jack at the tie down, I'd really like to carry this in my travel pack b/c it can be used anywhere with a regular car jack--plus, no danger of anything slipping off the tie down and poking a hole in my wing.
 
Hi Bill-
What's this fitting called? (It looks like a u-bolt with a special bridge.) Just in the regular hardware section of any auto parts store store? I've seen others use 1-2 stainless hose clamps to serve the same purpose but yours seems much more substantial.

Although I currently use a tall jack at the tie down, I'd really like to carry this in my travel pack b/c it can be used anywhere with a regular car jack--plus, no danger of anything slipping off the tie down and poking a hole in my wing.

I just reposted the photo - see post#6 above by dustyone.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=1077119&postcount=6
 
Saddle Clamp 1 1/8"

Correct,

1 1/8 " Saddle Clamp normally for auto use.

The goal was to have a stable,easy to use way to lift the wheel while on outback adventures away from any hangers or workshops.

It worked so well and was very stable with the bottle jack,that it is now my preferred way to jack one side to rotate the tyres.
The heavy wing jack will be used when lifting both sides.

Cheers,
 
I have 4 years of maintenance experience with this.

Simple and solid on hard surface hangar floor. The conduit and hose clamps may look hokey but it works very well (I just copied someone else's design).

Once a tire comes off, I use blocks under the axle.

I've never had a need to lift both sides so only 1 is needed.

I had a flat tire away from home once. Having the round headed bolt in my tool kit made it easy to use an FBO's jack.

I got stuck in the mud once on my home port. I used this jack to lift each wing to slip plywood under each wheel to roll it out. So it worked surprisingly well on an uneven, muddy soft surface - that was a bonus.
 
I jack from the wing tie down points as recommended by Van's. As Bill suggests, side load on the bolt is the main concern. I am only aware of one accident that was caused by a bolt failure with the probably cause being side load. It was a severe example. Low grade bolt, and a steep angle producing a lot of side load.

The jacks I use have a cup and guard that will not allow the bolt head to slip off, even if you tried. I round the bolt head to allow it to rotate freely in the cup.
To avoid side loading, I jack the tail. I tie the tail to the jack and weight the jack so I don't "fly" the tail. If you don't jack the tail, you will have a side load on the bolt.

Other methods like clamping on the gear will not work well if you followed plans with hard lines for brakes. There isn't a very good place to put the clamp on the gear leg. I carry an emergency clamp, sold by Van's, that in a pinch off field, I could make work. I also carry the jack point bolts.

My jacks are the most widely borrowed item at our airfield. They spend more time away from my shop than they do in it. Most of the time they are being used to jack up the many RV's on our field, and the occasional Bonanza etc.... They are plenty heavy duty, purpose built aircraft jacks.

If you use a high quality jack system, nothing is easier, quicker, or, in my opinion, safer. ( not that there is anything wrong with the other suggestions. )
 
Audi Aluminum Jack

Here's another option: An Audi aluminum jack. It weighs 3 lbs. and folds up so it's light and compact enough to carry with you. It's rated at 2,117 lbs. You'll have to make some kind of adapter:

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