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Aero M2000 question

skukum12

MEMBER
The Last Frontier
I have a damaged M2000. Are these skis left and right specific or can they be swapped? Deciding whether to find a single or repair. Thanks again.
 
Good it helped. Keep an eye on the front and rear ski tab holes through the tunnel and bottom. They can crack there from stepping on and flexing the tips (I assume) plus the fit of the tab isn't always flush over the rolled tunnel. If plastic bottomed monitor the UHMW plastic edge to rivet for eventual cracking. Sunlight weakens the exposed plastic so paint the edge.

Gary
 
Hmmmmm, My Aero Skis were clearly left and right. Look very carefully at the pedestal (you might have to put a straight edge or pipe in there to see it) but there was/is a slight angle in the axle. The ski should slope up toward the outside. If you put them on backward you will see some incredibly long take off runs. Maybe I got an odd set but I’m quite sure I had a left and right and I’m also really sure once I got my shoes on the right feet my performance got a LOT better.

Bill
 
Hmmmm, Interesting obs Bill re your axle tilt. I've had three sets - two 2000's and one 3000 - all from the 1980's. Same pedestal and tunnel with just a larger bottom on the 3000. None had perceptible axle angle beyond potential manufacturing tolerances at the welds that hold the hollow cross sleeve. Just measured my 2000's and they are equal from the sleeve to the tunnel flange and smaller cross sleeve on both sides.

It's possible that at one time AERO made them that way - tilted. According to the link above they are currently intended for either left or right gear, but maybe they can better offer an explanation for your experience.

Edit: I sent Aero in Brooten MN. and High Country Aviation in Soldotna a mail asking about sleeve tilt. Waiting for a reply.

Federal skis are quite similar and incorporate a rubber bushing between the sleeve and pedestal that's given to compression with age and twist. No guarantees on them not toeing in and rocking.

Edit: I looked up my Federal ski blueprints at (http://www.skiplane.org/Ski Drawings/Federal A1500.pdf) and Federal does tilt the axle down 3 degrees towards the outboard side. Maybe that's what you had Bill or Aero did that in their early production? See print below. Click on it to enlarge some. The -3* offset is shown in the lower left drawing of the axle and pedestal. I have more specific prints for various models but they all are tilted at least through A-2000A.

And if memory serves Landes did tilt the axle sleeves on the L2500A's I had in the 1970's and '80's. I think they were labelled L and R or -1 and -2.

Gary
 

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Gary

I thought they were Aero Ski, but perhaps they were Federal. They were on a C-170 many years ago. I just remember having them backwards and having long take off slides. Once I figured out I had them on backwards and got that fixed things got much much better.
Thanks for all your input

Bill
 
More AERO ski info today from Shawn Holly Alaska dealer (http://aeroski.net): "There is no tilt in the sleeve and the skis are all identical. No left or right. Shawn"

And direct from AERO: Gary, Aero Skis can be used either on the left or the right -- there is no "tilt" to the pedestal sleeves. This would include all models of the wheel replacement ski line. Best Regards, Troy D. Reese Aero Ski Mfg. Co., Inc.

Hey Bill just a fun discussion and recollection. Better than yelling at the kids in my yard. Was this your plane and skis in a 2010 thread here about ski dollys (https://www.supercub.org/forum/showthread.php?36817-New-ski-dolly-alternative-need-advice)? Those are Federals and they have the sleeve offset and larger tunnel than AERO's.

Gary
 

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Well there you go. I guess I had federal. You can disregard everything after hello in this thread. LOL


Yep that was my 170. Had a lot of fun with that airplane, but I’ve had a lot more fun with super cubs


Thanks for all the input


Bill
 
I had bookmarked that thread a few years ago so I could make some dollys. I later bought a partially finished set and now need to copy these but only one sided.

In the past I used three 2x4's to lift and block the skis up but unless careful eventually that can crack the plastic bottoms at the ski edges...one long board to lift the ski front then slide a second under the pedestal. Repeat for the other ski then lay the third in front (makes a triangle) and push the plane up on them.

Gary
 
Those dually dollies are pretty nice. Once cammed over do they stay or do you need to anchor the handle down to the ski? I like the design since it doesnt side load the axle like a single. Do you have a pic with them apart to show the connection method used?
 
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