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What are the options for jacking a 9A?

FORANE

Well Known Member
It is tire change time.

I have searched and seen some methods of jacking such as on the tie downs, and floor jack to gear.
What is easy with minimal equipment such as when you get a flat away from home?

In the Lancair, I get under the wing on hands and knees and lift the wing with my back long enough to slide a wood block under the brake disc. No jack needed which is nice when away from home / help. Can this be done with an RV?

What method do you prefer to jack an "A" model?

Can one safely jack under the step?
 
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I can think of a few:

a. Wing jack, a few people made homebuilt jack from a HF hydraulic jack.
b. Avery Tool's jack stand, bracket, axel nut mod. This is what I use at home.
c. I have a travel jack point kit that includes two wing tie down jack point adapters and a gear leg clamp jack point. It comes in a little box (like 2"x2"x2"). Unfortunately I don't remember where I brought it. I used it twice on the road.
 
In the Lancair, I get under the wing on hands and knees and lift the wing with my back long enough to slide a wood block under the brake disc. No jack needed which is nice when away from home / help. Can this be done with an RV?

What method do you prefer to jack an "A" model?

Can one safely jack under the step?


Very difficult to do the same with RV. Position of landing gear is different from Lancair and you don't have enough leverage. It changes if you have any help to remove a wheel off the axle with already unscrewed nut and put a block of wood or a stone under the axle. Don't jack up by the step it will collapse and bend your fuselage.


That's how Rosie did it in the Carribean.



Antilles_619.jpg
 
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I can think of a few:

a. Wing jack, a few people made homebuilt jack from a HF hydraulic jack.
b. Avery Tool's jack stand, bracket, axel nut mod. This is what I use at home.
c. I have a travel jack point kit that includes two wing tie down jack point adapters and a gear leg clamp jack point. It comes in a little box (like 2"x2"x2"). Unfortunately I don't remember where I brought it. I used it twice on the road.

I have seen pics of "a".
I have seen "b" and wonder how one removes a wheel with that attached. Do you use it to jack then place a block under the brake disc?
"c" sounds intriguing.

Very difficult to do the same with RV. Position of landing gear is different from Lancair and you don't have enough leverage. It changes if you have any help to remove a wheel off the axle with already unscrewed nut and put a block of wood or a stone under the axle. Don't jack up by the step it will collapse and bend your fuselage.

ok, the step is out; bending the fuselage sounds bad.

Thanks for the feedback guys.
 
I have seen "b" and wonder how one removes a wheel with that attached. Do you use it to jack then place a block under the brake disc?
"c" sounds intriguing.
For "b", check the following photos:
https://plus.google.com/photos/+TedChang/albums/5753162366024267697

For "c", I took some photos this morning. Still don't remember where I brought it.

In addition to the kit I carry a little bottle of baby powder and a valve tool.
IMG_0321.JPG

IMG_0322.JPG


One more thing, if you have a flat tire, the bottom screw on the wheel pant is impossible to remove without someone lifting the wing. Those screws are angled. After I went through that a few times I made a wheel pants mod. Sorry for the missing photos. As soon as I found them I will add them back.
http://3limafoxtrot.com/modificationandoption.htm#pants
 
One more thing, if you have a flat tire, the bottom screw on the wheel pant is impossible to remove without someone lifting the wing. Those screws are angled. After I went through that a few times I made a wheel pants mod. Sorry for the missing photos. As soon as I found them I will add them back.
http://3limafoxtrot.com/modificationandoption.htm#pants
Actually, those screws can be removed with a stubby screwdriver while the wheel is on the ground. I carry one in my flight bag for this exact purpose. It also comes in handy when removing the 6 cowling screws that secure the top and bottom cowl just behind the spinner.
 
Actually, those screws can be removed with a stubby screwdriver while the wheel is on the ground. I carry one in my flight bag for this exact purpose. It also comes in handy when removing the 6 cowling screws that secure the top and bottom cowl just behind the spinner.

Steve,

When you have flat tire that screw is almost on the ground. No screw driver will fit that space.
 
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I used a set of bottle jacks like the set up in this thread:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=82111&highlight=bottle+jacks

I was a bit leery about jacking up my 9A at the tie downs so I called Vans and talked to Stewart. He assured me that the tie downs were a valid jack point. Still freaks me out but it seems to have worked out fine. I'd call Vans again though. :)

I had around 180 lbs of weight to hold the tail down while jacking the plane to keep it level for my wheel pants and gear leg fairings work.
 
I have used the Avrey jack and had it roll off the stand so i perfer the wing jack to the tie down point . I use a ground down pointed bolt . never jack the tie down rings they can collapse.
 
never jack the tie down rings they can collapse.

Instead of the tie down rings, I bought a pair of these: http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Stainless-Tie-Down-Ring/productinfo/RVTR4/#.U3pplF4cuyc and use them with these receivers http://bogertaviation.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=16&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=23 that I place on HF bottle jacks. The receivers are dished/cupped, and prevents the ball shaped tie downs from slipping off. Works GREAT.
 
I have used the Avrey jack and had it roll off the stand so i perfer the wing jack to the tie down point .

Not shown in my photos, as soon as I removed the wheel, I insert the jack stand back and pump the bottle jack up. Now I have both the 2x4s and the jack holding the axel.
 
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33uxy53.jpg


I used the lightweight stock jack from my Subaru Outback. I used a hose clamp on the gear leg to prevent the gear leg from sliding on the jack. This technique worked very well and seems a good lightweight solution for use away from home as well as at home.
 
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