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pchapman(at)ionsys.com
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 Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject: HDS nose gear bottom attachment to fuselage - sheared rivets |
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Just to mention a maintenance issue I recently found.
This was on a 601 HDS with 450 engine hours (vs. fewer flight hours).
The ramps on which the nose gear steering rod rests, appear to attach
to the U-channel that runs up the firewall, with a bolt and (I think)
an A5 rivet on each side.
On both sides, the A5 was found at an annual inspection to be sheared off.
The ca. 1995 kit was from an era when everything was steel on steel,
with no nylon in the gear slide assemblies. However, this aircraft
was built with a nylon block below the strap that is bolted under the
fuselage, which holds the nose gear tube. A couple of bolts
connecting the strap to the fuselage appear slightly loose, something
I'm now looking into. They're in the first row aft of the firewall,
as if the strap were getting bent up and down, more likely once those
rivets sheared. (Even in the small version of the photo attached,
one bolt head appears to not be flush with the strap.)
It might be possible to replace the rivets with bolts, but there is
limited space on the inside of the U-channel because of other bolts
coming up vertically in that area.
Clearly there's some stress on the area. The aircraft flies mainly
off pavement but from time to time uses a grass runway, and we know
how stiff the bungee gear system is.
Peter Chapman
Toronto, ON 601 HDS / 912 / C-GZDC
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planejim(at)bellsouth.net
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| Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 3:48 pm Post subject: HDS nose gear bottom attachment to fuselage - sheared rivets |
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Peter & List,
I have a 601HD (nose gear version) circa 1995 Plans & Kit. This A/C (
completed in late 1996 ) has over 550 hours with no operation on grass. I
believe the nose gear on the HD and HDS are the same.
I checked my plans, relative to your description of what you are seeing at
your lower nose gear area.
Observations:
Where you note the sheared A5 rivets ( L & R sides ) there is no fastner
required at all. I doubt you will have space to install a AN3 bolt. I
believe you can just ignore the rivets.
The centering ramps are to be secured with one AN3 bolt in the vertical leg
as your picture shows and three AN3 bolts in the horizontal leg as your
picture shows.
The bolt head with the space under the head just aft of the firewall does
look as though the hole was drilled crooked; the bolt is loose and bent or
is just loose and cocked to one side in the hole.
The original aircraft of the 1995 era were metal to metal but it was steel
gear leg to aluminum "wear" plate ( not steel to steel ) both at top and
bottom of the nose gear leg. ( I added the plastic/nylon wear block to the
bottom of the nose gear on my aircraft at 350 hours due to excess wear of
the aluminum wear plate - the original aluminum plate was left in place
also). It appears to me that your original aluminum "wear" plate is also
still in place. The top of my nose gear is still steel to aluminum with
fairly heavy wear. I will soon add the plastic/nylon to the top.
The gear leg in the picture seems to lack a good coat of grease as called
for in the original Zenith operating instructions ( they suggest greasing
the gear every 25 hours if my memory serves me). Also grease the ramps too.
Based on my experience the nose gear must be kept greased well at both the
top and bottom of the gear leg. I have found no loose bolts or sheared
rivets in this area on my aircraft. Also, I would suggest that you check to
assure the all the bolts associated with the nose gear are tight ( check it
at annual condition inspection). Be aware that the nose gear gets a heavy
workout on this aircraft on grass or rough surfaces. I still use the 1080HD
bungee on my nose gear and see about 1" to 1 1/2" vertical movement of the
nose gear leg in normal operation.
As an aside I now use 1080 bungees ( not 1080HD ) on my main gear. ( I
posted extensive information some months ago my experiences with my main
gear).
I hope this information is of benifit to you.
Jim Hoak 601HD - Rotax 912UL - 551 hours.
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