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Changed out gear plates on HDS

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larry(at)macsmachine.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:43 am Post subject: Changed out gear plates on HDS

Hi guys,

I finally moved the fuselage into the booth for painting, but first

had to remove the gear box, strut and bungees on the main gear.

There were only 85-hours on the plane, but I inspected the guides

and strut cross tube.  No wear or even missing paint.  I did have one

bungee that had been damaged, probably during the first excruciating

assembly of the 32 bolts and nuts.  It still took hours to reassemble

each gear box with a custom socket welded to a short L-arm extension.

I jigged and matched the plates, then cut off the strut half an inch 

from the

plate, squared the end and slid the weldment tube with 1/4 inch plate into

the strut.  The strut was drilled first and the weldment tube match drilled

to it.  The gear is now 1/4 inch longer, held by a 1/4-inch AN4 and the

main wheel alignment has a 6-tenths of a degree toe in.  The socket and

plate replacement is a very viable way to change out the plate thickness

and eliminate the potential for gear plate failure.

http://www.macsmachine.com/images/completion/full/gear-plate-and-strut.gif



Thought you'd like to know,



Larry McFarland - 601HDS at www.macsmachine.com

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planejim(at)bellsouth.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:44 pm Post subject: Changed out gear plates on HDS

Listers,



This is for those of you flying with Bungee Gear, and as a follow on to what 

larry said about his gear modification below.



Since I have 531 hours on my 601, I have been following with interest the 

problem of cracking around the weld at the plate at the bottom of the main 

gear struts. I remember Chris Heintz telling me to avoid side loads on the 

gear. I've been carefull to do that. My .125" plates have only four bolt 

holes. I have never landed on grass ( I would like to but felt it might 

cause a problem ) as I believed that may be part of the problem. I think the 

mod that Larry and others are using should eliminate the problem. However 

I've decided to just add four Gussetts to my gear as I have a 

friend/neighbor who is a professional welder , A&P and IA, who belives that 

our planned mod will work. I will continue to operate only on paved runways 

though. That's my problem, Right?



Now for what I found when I removed the right main gear ( the left will be 

done next ). By the way I devised simple nut plate strips for the bolts that 

everyone has to fight with when installing the gear. I also designed my own 

simple fixture to stretch the bungees while installing the gear. I had 

submitted these to the Zenair Newsletter several years ago. Chris said" nice 

idea but why, the bungees will last a long time". I'm an old mechanic and I 

know everything has to be worked on at some time. Now I'm laughing all the 

way to the workshop, so to speak, in that I removed the gear in just a few 

minutes and will reinstall it in just a few minutes when the welding is 

done. I was amazed that the bungees were in pretty sad condition, even 

though the plate on the top of the wing was bearly raised up from the plate 

on top. In my opinion the 1080 bungess are just too stiff for this airplane. 

I think I remembered that some one recently removed one of the bungees at 

each main gear to make theplane ride softer.  Maybe that's what we need, but 

I'm no engineer.



But, I've already bought new bungees frm A/C spruce ( one day delivery ) and 

will put it all back together as original except the new gussets. My warning 

to you all is that just because the plate on top of the wing is still almost 

flush, it doesn't mean the bungees are in great shape. I had some fraying I 

could see from the bottom but I couldn't see where all the outer threads 

were completely gone.



Also, even though I keep the gear legs greased, and since I had only the 

.125" thick aluminum WEAR plates ( I'm adding the 1/4" nylon wear plates 

now ) and there is .002" to .003" wear on the main gear struts in the area 

where thay remain in contact with the aluminun wear plate. The funny thing 

is that the aluminun wear plate is only worn a couple of thousanths too. 

There was NO wear on the crosstube that rides up and down between the 

extrusions up inside the wing, and it's impossible to keep this area greased 

either!



Those of you who haven't installed your gear legs yet, do youirself a favor 

and make up some simple aluninum strips with the nut plates for the gear 

attachment bolts. It will make you life easier, you'll cuss less and it will 

be a piece of cake when you have to do maintenance in that area.



Smiling!



do not archive



Jim Hoak  601HD 531 hours - Rotax 912UL



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gboothe(at)calply.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:52 pm Post subject: Changed out gear plates on HDS

Jim,



Any chance of posting a picture of your aluminum strips & nut plates?



Gary Boothe 

Cool, CA 

601 HDSTD, WW Conversion 

Tail done, wings done, working on c-section

Those of you who haven't installed your gear legs yet, do youirself a favor 

and make up some simple aluninum strips with the nut plates for the gear 

attachment bolts. It will make you life easier, you'll cuss less and it will



be a piece of cake when you have to do maintenance in that area.



Smiling!



do not archive



Jim Hoak  601HD 531 hours - Rotax 912UL



 	  Quote:

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marinegunner(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:59 am Post subject: Changed out gear plates on HDS

Jim,

 I have a CH 600 and believe the main gear is the same as the older main gear in the 600. Interested in your modification as well as bungee puller. Is there any way you can send me the details of your modification and bungee puller? Even if they do not work, I expect they will be very close and I can modify. 

  

 Recently received registration numbers and should be seeking a DAR during late November if all goes well. They first flight in late November or sometime in December.

  

 The airplane was plans built. Started in 1985 by local folks, changed hands a couple of times, including a tour with local EAA folks. I have had it for a while and am getting very close to completion & flight. Would like to make sure my gear is in the best condition possible and will modify if necessary. 

  

 Leaving on a jet plane for Corpus Christi to attend a reunion with a bunch of retired and active Marines Tues. morning. May not answer email' after today, until my return on the 9th.

-- 

Semper Fi,

Steven R. Hulland 

CH 600 Taildragger

Amado, AZ



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planejim(at)bellsouth.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 9:58 am Post subject: Changed out gear plates on HDS

Steve,

  

 RE: Bungee gear

  

 Please contact me direct at planejim(at)bellsouth.net (planejim(at)bellsouth.net) . I don't want  to burden everyone else with all the gory details about the bungee gear on the  600 and early 601. I've already shared this info with another lister and I'll  probably put you in touch with him also. Awaiting your direct  contact.

  

 do not archive

  

 Jim Hoak  at planejim(at)bellsouth.net (planejim(at)bellsouth.net) 

  

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