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nose wheel pant mounting

Bill Boyd

Well Known Member
I'm at that stage.

Looking at the design, it seems like the brackets on the rear half of the pant are meant to slide on and off the fork to remove it. If that's the case, it seems safe to treat the attachment of the brackets to the pant as permanent - meaning one need not worry about the flox engulfing the bracket ears (vs the main pants, where this was a specified concern.)

Is that correct? If so it will give me much-needed liberty to reach in there and slop it on - since I see no way to apply it to the pieces first and then assemble them without scraping and smearing flox everywhere but where I want it.
 
I went down that route as far as glassing over the attachment screws on the basis the rear section could be removed by sliding the brackets aft off the axle. What a PITA - I really regret it.
 
I went down that route as far as glassing over the attachment screws on the basis the rear section could be removed by sliding the brackets aft off the axle. What a PITA - I really regret it.

Can you elaborate on what you don't like about this arrangement?

Larry
 
Yeah - not the answer I was expecting. Inquiring minds really want to know on this one. Do the brackets not line up well? Cuz it's a LOT of spreading and tugging to get the rear pant half on over the brackets even before the flox shims are molded in...
 
Bill,
You are correct the bracket attachment to the pants are permanent. In my opinion the design is easier to get on and off than my 7A completed in 2005.

They slide on/off with ease. Just make sure to loosen the axel bolts enough. I use a ratcheting 9/16 on the nut and normal 9/16 on the bolt head. It takes a little while because of the tight space. After it's loose slightly tap on the nut side of the bolt to create the space between the bracket and the washer on the bolt head side.

Gary
 
Gary, my washer "stack-up" per the plans makes for plenty loose slide-in fit of the brackets, at least before they are bonded to the wheel pant. I don't want to be messing with the axle bolt if I can help it - the MATCO axle is safetied in with a set screw and collar, and I'm not sure (without studying it more) that I want to mess with that torque every time I take the pant off.
 
I ditched the Matco axle for the Grove. That being said I love the Matco mains, calipers and rotors vs the Cleavlands. My washer stack up has worked well for 600 hours.
 
Can you elaborate on what you don't like about this arrangement?

Larry

I don't have my plans to hand but seeing the other comments it appears that perhaps I did what I was supposed to after all - been a while...... However, I don't like having to remove the trapezoid mounts to get the pant off.

I have seen other set-ups which have left the screws accessible and the general feeling is that it is much easier to remove the rear pant. I guess it's like the mains where you just have to make sure you don't lock the pant in place with the flox flowing round the mount.
 
Bill,
I would not do what you are thinking about. Yes, they are kind of permanently mounted to the rear pant and slide on and off, BUT, I've seen the mounts crack and had to be replaced. I think it was also discussed on this forum a few years ago. I reinforced my mounts from the outset. I also made sure that when in position there is no play at the rear over the washer. My thinking was that vibration might add to failure. So far so good!
Johan
 
So far I've proceeded exactly as per plans, and tonight I'll pull the assembly and see if I was too lean anywhere with the flox, adding a second layup if/where necessary. I plan to leave the screw heads exposed and the brackets not engulfed by flox so as to keep all options open.

Here's where we're at as of last evening



And here's a still life showing the wax bowl ring I use for thread lubricant and the buckets of water I hang on the engine mount when the fuselage is not resting on a workbench, to keep the tail from squatting. Little by little the elephant is being et'.

 
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Gary, my washer "stack-up" per the plans makes for plenty loose slide-in fit of the brackets, at least before they are bonded to the wheel pant. I don't want to be messing with the axle bolt if I can help it - the MATCO axle is safetied in with a set screw and collar, and I'm not sure (without studying it more) that I want to mess with that torque every time I take the pant off.

I had the Matco axle in my 10, not an issue. I just removed the front allan head bolts and loosened the axle nut---pant slides right off. You do not need to disturb the bearing preload, it is set by the collar on the axle.

I did make sure to have a good fit with the spacer stack, used calipers to set for a few thou negative clearance. Also used a large area washer on the outside of the stack. Seems I remember the plans called for a standard washer there.
 
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I'll have to check washer size, Mike.

Correct on the bearing preload set.

The tolerance you speak of - is it referencing washer thickness, or diameter?
 
Gary, my washer "stack-up" per the plans makes for plenty loose slide-in fit of the brackets, at least before they are bonded to the wheel pant. I don't want to be messing with the axle bolt if I can help it - the MATCO axle is safetied in with a set screw and collar, and I'm not sure (without studying it more) that I want to mess with that torque every time I take the pant off.


Yes, it's just like my -6A assembly.

The AN960-616 and AN960-616L shown on the axle stack up on the outside of the yoke should provide plenty of clearance to slide in the aft nose gear fairing.

Top right of Page 46-05

You might have to relieve the edges so the aft fairing doesn't catch when being slid forward during installation.
 
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Interesting thread, Mike. The brackets shown in your picture appear to have fractured at the line of contact with the aft edge of the tow bar spacer. I wonder if the edge of that spacer should receive a small radius to prevent it from cutting into the bracket.

I will add grinding washers to minimum acceptable stackup thickness to my list of steps here this week.

Got an IO-540 core arriving tomorrow (hopefully) so I'll be facing "shiny-object" distraction syndrome :D:D:D in the evenings until the "new" wears off...
 
Gary, my washer "stack-up" per the plans makes for plenty loose slide-in fit of the brackets, at least before they are bonded to the wheel pant. I don't want to be messing with the axle bolt if I can help it - the MATCO axle is safetied in with a set screw and collar, and I'm not sure (without studying it more) that I want to mess with that torque every time I take the pant off.

If you are using the special matco axle with the collar, you don't need to mess with it. Once set, you can loosen and tighten the axle nut (not the internal axle collar, without impacting the bearing preload.

Larry
 
That's what I thought

Good to be reminded. I like the MATCO stuff so far - seems a good investment.

Definitely putting in an air door or air hole to avoid the need to take the pants off much in routine service, though.
 
A further question

... about the 1" holes the plans call for in the sides of the nose wheel pant to allow access to the cap screws and of course the tow bar: I've seen where builders have armored this area with a SS washer embedded in the glass to protect the hole edges from scratches in use.

My question is whether 1" is really required for clearance when using a typical tow bar. Seems overly large.

I guess they would typically be covered with snap-in hole plugs, but if not, they seem really draggy and un-cosmetic.
 
Still waiting to hear if I should drill a one inch hole in the sides for a Bogart tow bar. Seems large, but what do I know?

Meanwhile, a small issue has emerged. I have a shape discrepancy like this on both sides but it's worse where shown. I can fix this with LOTS of micro on the back half of the pant and some sanding, or pull 95% of it out with an additional nut plate and #6 screw down low on both sides.

But I've had bad experiences with wheel pant screws too far down on the pants an a flat tire - nearly impossible to get a screwdriver on without jacking the plane.
 
Still waiting to hear if I should drill a one inch hole in the sides for a Bogart tow bar. Seems large, but what do I know?

Mine's 1". The Bogart bar has a lot of spring to it. It goes over center fairly abruptly. So a large hole is recommended to keep you from beating up the hole/wheelpant a lot.

I'm trying to come up with a of bushing or similar to protect the hole and an inch or so around it...
 
In addition to the 1inch hole, I used chrome socket head bolts that are just a bit longer so as to protrude from the wheel pant. It makes it easier to get the bogart bar attached without damaging the wheel pant. Also, when the fbo lineman goes to tow your plane, he will realize how to attach his tow bar.
 
Still waiting to hear if I should drill a one inch hole in the sides for a Bogart tow bar. Seems large, but what do I know?

Meanwhile, a small issue has emerged. I have a shape discrepancy like this on both sides but it's worse where shown. I can fix this with LOTS of micro on the back half of the pant and some sanding, or pull 95% of it out with an additional nut plate and #6 screw down low on both sides.

But I've had bad experiences with wheel pant screws too far down on the pants an a flat tire - nearly impossible to get a screwdriver on without jacking the plane.

My 6 has the screws down low to deal with that. If you don't want the screws, I would make a 1/2" flange on the inside of the forward piece that will form a small slot for hte rear piece to fit in to. Could either be a steel joggle rivetted on or make one with f/g.

Larry
 
Good idea, Larry. I must've had a brain freeze...

Just finished constructing fiberglass tabs full-length on my lower intersection fairings to hold them in alignment since I split them down the middle and they tend to splay out. Why didn't I make the logical connection here? Sheesh!
 
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