Lifting Eyes for J-3 Cub

[Quazzi]

HI Folks,

Does anyone know where I can find Lifting eyes for a J-3??? Thought Atlee Dodge would have them for sure, but they have only for supercub. It is a Certified airplane so looking for PMA types. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark

[cubdriver2]

Call Browns SPB and ask what they do

Glenn

[BC12D-4-85]

I have helped others use a soft strap or rope around each spar under the front upper wing fairings tied to a spreader bar. FAA PMA'd parts of course.

Gary

[mvivion]

Lifted mine (carefully) by the base of the engine mount. A number of times. Be careful and it works.

MTV

[tempdoug]

wonder how that would work? on a j3 the front spars attach in the middle.

[BC12D-4-85]

#3 worked on my PA-11 until we got a FA for permanent lift eyes. Metal spars on that one tho. Under the wing roots live the exposed spars. Wrap once all around so they can't slide and up she goes. Motor mounts work if the tail can be maneuvered during the lift.

Gary

[AdirondackCub]

Burl aircraft in AK makes one for the J3 that mounts where spars join. It's one piece and 4 bolt holes with lifting eye. That's the one.


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[wireweinie]

SOMEONE explain why a lifting eye needs a field approval or PMA, etc?

Web

[BC12D-4-85]

For lifting eyes that go under an inboard spar/fuselage fastener component N/A I assume...like Piper, Taylorcraft, Champ. For my PA-11 the FA was for AD's Piper outboard tie down bracket installed on the spar at the wing root pointing up. Could have put two lift eyes at the center spar/fuselage connection I guess but it wasn't my job.

Gary

[Steve Pierce]

Atlee Dodge lifting eys don't have a PMA. http://www.fadodge.com/lifting-eyes/

[Quazzi]

Hi Gary,

Rope and Strap has always worked for me, but when I bought my floats from a guy with lifting eyes on his J-3, I had to have them.......he was the third owner and didn't know where they came from....

[Quazzi]

I'll give Burl a call.....Thanks for the info.....I have metal spars on mine.

Mark

[Quazzi]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for pointing that out......Maybe I need to understand better PMA and FA. I bought weld on float fittings from Atlee and they PMA'd. The PMA for the lifting eyes was an Assumption!!!

Thx,

Mark

[wireweinie]

Welding on structure constitutes a major repair/modification. Installing a steel tab with a bolt does not.

Web

[skywagon8a]

I bought weld on float fittings from Atlee and they PMA'd.

Mark

The PMA only means that the parts are approved as designed and authorized to be manufactured. It Does not authorize the installation on any airplane.

[GCyr]

This is what it looks like from burls make sure you check the measurement of where your spars connect in the center the one they sent me was 2.5 inches center to center. It didn’t work on my experimental cub I ended up just making one myself.

[Dave Calkins]

I hadnt seen Burls J3 tab. nice! He makes nice stuff.

Have been using a strap around the spar junction after removing a fairing for years.

Eyes off metal spars like a SuperCub would be very nice and more stable than a “centerline” pull

[Quazzi]

Thx GCyr.

Just saw your post...Thank you for taking the time to send the details. Putting the ruler next to it really helps.

Take Care,

Mark

[reliableflyer]

L
ATLEE lifting eyes for 18. Bolt on. Minor alteration. No STC required only log book entry

[johnhefley]

I saw a J-3/Frankencub yesterday that had lifting eyes installed that the owner stated came from Atlee Dodge. They looked like the ones pictured by reliableflyer. Basically a long, oval piece of 3/16" or 1/4" stainless steel, twisted.

However, the eyes didn't form an inverted "V" as pictured. They were vertical, and separated by quite a bit of space. I wish I'd gotten pictures. In any case, thinking I could source them from Atlee, I didn't bother. But it's clear to me that Atlee's won't work on a J-3, so I'm back to the drawing board, myself. The installation looked pretty nice. I just wonder what the heck it was that I saw!!!

We've been using the rope method for years. Unfortunately, the way I looped the rope once broke my skylight, and I'd like to avoid that EVER happening again.

jh

[Grant]

Those on the J3 that look to be an inverted V are, in fact the Dodge lift eyes for the PA-18 they are just attached to the J3 Wing attach point and tilted inward toward each other.

[johnhefley]

Thanks, Grant. I figured. That’s probably not a bad application, I suppose.

Still searching for an elegant solution. Particularly one that doesn’t risk water invasion in the rain.

jh

[Quazzi]

Hi GCYr,


Can you tell me how thick was the metal you used when you fabricated your lifting bracket?

Thanks,

Mark

[GCyr]

Mark the one i got from Burls is 1/8 and I believe i used same thickness on the one i made it’s on my plane and 30 miles away.

[Quazzi]

Thank you GCYr for the info......welded on the Atlee Dodge float fittings the other day and getting more serious about how I will be lifting it...

[skywagon8a]

What is the purpose of the short step on the left float struts? When the wings are installed, the wings will be in the way when you stand on the step to attempt fueling a tank in that wing.

[Quazzi]

I bought these floats from a local North Carolina pilot that sold them separately from his 46 J-3. I did not mount the steps, it is in the same config that I bought them.

I am assuming that both the left and the right steps have enough room to step up and have access to the top of the wing.....With my experience in float planes ( 1 hour dual in a Jack Brown Cub), that is my best guess.

[skywagon8a]

Quazzi, IF you do plan on having a fuel tank in the left wing, you will want a longer step. With that step you will not be able to stand on it, hold on and fill the gas tank without the risk of falling and hurting yourself.

[Quazzi]

Thank you for the advice......I have a 12 gal wing tank in the left wing so I will be using that side step. When all the pieces are put together it looks like an easy adjustment to remove the step and redrill or get a longer one.

thanks again,

Mark

[Sikorsky]

I don’t want to reinvent the wheel. What’s the parade model lifting method for a J3 floatplane? I should have put in anchors when doing the fuselage but didn’t think of it. The plane is done and flying. What’s the best way, after the fact?

Zach

[Skywalker]

Burl's has a bolt on lifting tab, just have to make a slot in the skylight.

[Sikorsky]

Picture?

[cubdriver2]

Something like this



Glenn

[BC12D-4-85]

before metal tabs we used nylon lift straps around the front spars...left them on when done and reinstalled covers

Gary

[RaisedByWolves]

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[frequent_flyer]

CubCrafters lift ring is a round section steel rod formed into an inverted "U" with a plate welded to the inside of each end of the "U". The plates are parallel to each other and at right angles to the axis of the "U". The plates are drilled and the front spar attach bolts pass through them. Needs a longitudinal slot in wing root fairing and it leaks like a sieve in the rain. Not hard to fix but they didn't bother on mine.

CubCrafters cautions that a spreader bar must be used or the lift rings can rotate and damage the root fairings.

(All from memory and I don't have a hoist so my aircraft has never hung on them except at the factory.)

[RaisedByWolves]

CubCrafters lift ring is a round section steel rod formed into an inverted "U" with a plate welded to the inside of each end of the "U". The plates are parallel to each other and at right angles to the axis of the "U". The plates are drilled and the front spar attach bolts pass through them. Needs a longitudinal slot in wing root fairing and it leaks like a sieve in the rain. Not hard to fix but they didn't bother on mine.

CubCrafters cautions that a spreader bar must be used or the lift rings can rotate and damage the root fairings.

(All from memory and I don't have a hoist so my aircraft has never hung on them except at the factory.)

The j3 the spars are in the middle of the fuselage.


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[mvivion]

The j3 the spars are in the middle of the fuselage.


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Yes, the J-3 spars end in the middle of the fuselage, and in any case, the spreader bars aren't intended to protect the wing root fairings.....lifting without a spreader bar can fold the entire top deck up, and dramatically increase wing dihedral.

A herring boat crew in Kodiak demonstrated that quite effectively. Pretty impressive, but they had to find another spotter for the rest of their season.

Do NOT lift a Super Cub with those rings without a spreader bar.

MTV

[Sikorsky]

Good information. I’ll hopefully have a combination of all of the above cranked out soon. Thank you!

Z.

[Steve Pierce]

I merged this thread with an older one that had some good pictures and suggestions as well. Go back to the top of the thread to see the earlier posts.