Need to find a good wheel alignment IA/A&P for my 180
- Thread starter Alex Clark
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mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
Need to find a good wheel alignment IA/A&P for my 180
Step one, that’s not in the book, (on well greased grease plates) measure from strait edge touching front of tires back to a drain hole just forward of tailcone and see if it’s the same, if not put a spacer in front of tire to space strait edge off tire till equal to other side. This accounts for bent legs and bent gear boxes. Now do the normal measurements. If you don’t do this step and have one leg trailing you will pull to one side of runway.
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Step one, that’s not in the book, (on well greased grease plates) measure from strait edge touching front of tires back to a drain hole just forward of tailcone and see if it’s the same, if not put a spacer in front of tire to space strait edge off tire till equal to other side. This accounts for bent legs and bent gear boxes. Now do the normal measurements. If you don’t do this step and have one leg trailing you will pull to one side of runway.
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mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
I don’t do the actual changing of the shims, but I make custom shims for other mechanics. Remove all old shims before measuring and in one shot I make a custom set of shims in one shot. https://photos.app.goo.gl/1oSPijbAAyJ7B7fs1
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Alex Clark
Registered User
Life Long Alaskan
The plane was nosed over years ago and rebuilt. I usually have her on floats so I never fixed the land-gear.
But she was going all over the place so I tried to get somebody here to fix them during the last annual. They used dollies under the main wheels instead of grease plates. And did not shoot a straight line from the spinner tip to the tail drain hole. Anyway, the port side was super toed out and now it is a little better after reversing one shim. For some reason the IA in question would not continued with the starboard side. So it is still F'ed up like Hogans Goat. Although now when taxiing it only slowly goes off to the right instead of violently breaking to the right like it did before. 30 years ago there was a guy in Biglake who was good at this. But he is probably dead by now.
But she was going all over the place so I tried to get somebody here to fix them during the last annual. They used dollies under the main wheels instead of grease plates. And did not shoot a straight line from the spinner tip to the tail drain hole. Anyway, the port side was super toed out and now it is a little better after reversing one shim. For some reason the IA in question would not continued with the starboard side. So it is still F'ed up like Hogans Goat. Although now when taxiing it only slowly goes off to the right instead of violently breaking to the right like it did before. 30 years ago there was a guy in Biglake who was good at this. But he is probably dead by now.
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mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
What’s the use of the line from spinner to tail? None...
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mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
If it goes to right that probably means right gear is trailing left gear.
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Alex Clark
Registered User
Life Long Alaskan
Originally it was DUCK-Footed when I bought it. Both toed way out. So it would go hard right unless you rode the left rudder. Then after 100 feet it would suddenly spring over and try to go hard left. Then it would go back to pulling right. It must have been the gear legs building up spring tension on the pavement..
Now it gently pulls to the right. And as you can see the camber is off on one side.
As for the center-line of the aircraft, one old guy I helped used that as a base line. Years ago ( early 90s) when I helped him, we hung a plumb-bob off the nose and one off the rear drain hole or base of the stinger. Then marked the floor. Then we measured the front and back of the tires ( on grease plates) to the center line and back to the drain hole so he could figure out which one was doing what. I do not have a place down here to hang my hoist.
Now it gently pulls to the right. And as you can see the camber is off on one side.
As for the center-line of the aircraft, one old guy I helped used that as a base line. Years ago ( early 90s) when I helped him, we hung a plumb-bob off the nose and one off the rear drain hole or base of the stinger. Then marked the floor. Then we measured the front and back of the tires ( on grease plates) to the center line and back to the drain hole so he could figure out which one was doing what. I do not have a place down here to hang my hoist.
cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
Alex, why don't you take some fresh Halibut and crab and fly up and visit Mike.
Glenn
Glenn
TurboBeaver
Registered User
Northern Maine
Alex,
If you can get Mike to look at it no matter what it costs it is a bargin considering how easy it would be to wreck the beautiful old 180 if you have the "wanta bee" crowd dicking around with it. I wouldn't even ask him how much just run it up to him if he would do it and then you know it will go straight down the runway when you pick it up …………………… how much is that worth when you need to land in Homer in a big Xwind???? PRICELESS.
Good Luck
Earle
If you can get Mike to look at it no matter what it costs it is a bargin considering how easy it would be to wreck the beautiful old 180 if you have the "wanta bee" crowd dicking around with it. I wouldn't even ask him how much just run it up to him if he would do it and then you know it will go straight down the runway when you pick it up …………………… how much is that worth when you need to land in Homer in a big Xwind???? PRICELESS.
Good Luck
Earle
mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
You guys gotta quit volunteering me. Like I said I just make the shims. I haven’t seen my jack for doing installs in 15 years, but I hear it under someone’s house.
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Eddie Foy
MEMBER
South Florida
As I told you. My 180 was screwed up. It has been put on it's tail. Please do yourself a favor and read this.. It is not hard. Mine tracks straight and true after I did this. It is not rocket science.
https://www.groveaircraft.com/accessories.html
https://www.groveaircraft.com/accessories.html
mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
I guess that will also take into account of a trailing gear leg....
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Eddie Foy
MEMBER
South Florida
Probably not but I had removed and reinstalled the gear. It worked with me. Mine was toe in/out.
mike mcs repair
Registered User
chugiak AK
It will...
Different method from cessnas strait edge in-front of tires. This method looks better.
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skywagon8a
MEMBER
SE Mass MA6
Was there any consideration taken for the engine offset?
Center of the firewall is the better choice. Equal distance between the two lower engine mount to firewall bolts.
