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Bungees too tight

sdischer

ATP, CFII, A&P
MEMBER
COLLEGE STATION, TX
I replaced all four bungees about a year ago and thought they would settle down but they haven’t. The outside of my tires lean outward like it is in flight. Should I use something besides the recommended part number like a combination of tensions?
 
Plane model???

Gear style/STC???

Bungee part numbers???

Number of bungies per side???

Lots more information needed!

“Outside of tires lean outside?? “???? WTH???


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Plane model???
J3

Gear style/STC???
Stock 1942
Bungee part numbers???

1174 Shock Cord 11/16" x 7-1/2"M-222-005
Number of bungies per side???
2

Lots more information needed!
sorry my bad

“Outside of tires lean outside?? “???? WTH???

probably a bad description but another way to say it is the struts/shock cords are completely retracted and they are not extending at all even with for fuel and my 200 pound butt.

E8B6DD97-6756-4AAC-B48B-0A6E3B76E4B4.jpeg


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is this a certified j3, something dosent look right there, could you take one of the covers off and show a closer picture?
 
is this a certified j3, something dosent look right there, could you take one of the covers off and show a closer picture?
Yes it is a certified AC. I’ll grab some photos tomorrow. It has 850’s on it right now.
 
1174s are the right cord for below like 8000 serial number, but after that they call for even a stronger cord, have you measured your struts to other j3s? never seen one sit like that, hmm. at the 8200 serial number break there different long shock struts above and below. u31382 vs u30562. maybe univair would tell you if a difference in length, i have no drawings.
 
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1174s are the right cord for below like 8000 serial number, but after that they call for even a stronger cord, have you measured your struts to other j3s? never seen one sit like that, hmm. at the 8200 serial number break there different long shock struts above and below. u31382 vs u30562. maybe univair would tell you if a difference in length, i have no drawings.
This on is serial 7203. It didn’t sit that way with the old cords, it sat normally. I have owned it thirty years. When i replaced them this time I stripped the pieces and repainted, cleaned up inside and greased and they operated smoothly before I installed the new cords. I even “pranged” it in a few times and they haven’t relaxed at all. Possibly they were mislabeled.
 
This on is serial 7203. It didn’t sit that way with the old cords, it sat normally. I have owned it thirty years. When i replaced them this time I stripped the pieces and repainted, cleaned up inside and greased and they operated smoothly before I installed the new cords. I even “pranged” it in a few times and they haven’t relaxed at all. Possibly they were mislabeled.

No.


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Number 14
 
Are the bungees even on both sides of the ears? Are they locked on one end so they can't stretch? Just thinking.
 
After sixty years fooling with these things I just discovered there are several lengths for each part. There is a standard length that seems to cover 1946 J3 through the PA-18-95, and then there are weird varieties. I asked on the J3 forum but got no responses.

If your aircraft is experimental, I recommend a brand new set from ExpParts. Better than the originals, inexpensive. But you need to put the rubber bands on. If you are in SoCal, happy to help you do that.

If not experimental, Univair has equally high quality parts (you cannot tell the difference) for roughly twice the price.

I think your struts got swapped out when the new bungees were installed. A good Cub mechanic would never take a straight set and return the aircraft pigeon-toed.

But it is marginally possible that your struts were incorrect to start, and your old rubber bands were so weak it looked normal.
 
Went to the airport, took these shots, did four landings, came home. As soon as my stomach recovers, I am going back for six slow rolls.

Anyway, look for two different strut lengths, two different bungee lengths, and understand - I just became aware of all this in the last six months, when a bunch of spares arrived and two buddies noticed a problem on their J3s
 

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Those wood sticks are parallel, and the upper holes are aligned even with the upper wood stick. Should have lined them up for a less distorted shot. You get the idea?
 
After sixty years fooling with these things I just discovered there are several lengths for each part. There is a standard length that seems to cover 1946 J3 through the PA-18-95, and then there are weird varieties. I asked on the J3 forum but got no responses.

If your aircraft is experimental, I recommend a brand new set from ExpParts. Better than the originals, inexpensive. But you need to put the rubber bands on. If you are in SoCal, happy to help you do that.

If not experimental, Univair has equally high quality parts (you cannot tell the difference) for roughly twice the price.

I think your struts got swapped out when the new bungees were installed. A good Cub mechanic would never take a straight set and return the aircraft pigeon-toed.

But it is marginally possible that your struts were incorrect to start, and your old rubber bands were so weak it looked normal.
Did he fix the issues I posted about in this post? https://www.supercub.org/forum/showthread.php?50611-Experimental-Parts

There are 2 different J3 gear depending on serial number. The differ in attachment bolt size and shock strut tube wall thickness.
 
pictured gear does not look correct. Since it was correct prior to the new bungees do you think the shock strut could have been assembled incorrectly?
 
Hey look...it's just a Cub trying to become a Champ with oleo gear. Nothing wrong with that transformation today.

Gary
 
Len makes the bumpers for us.

The lack of a bumper would mean at most a 1/8" difference. Missing the hole in the slider and leaving out the bumper could not account for this much difference.

All of these have AN-6 bolt holes. Some have PA-11 ears.

The OP has the wrong length struts.
 
Okay, if nobody else is going there.....I may as well.

In fact, there seem to be a few folks on here whose bungees are too tight.....

MTV
 
pictured gear does not look correct. Since it was correct prior to the new bungees do you think the shock strut could have been assembled incorrectly?

That's what I was thinking too. Is the slider even in there? If it is, it shouldn't matter how tight the bungees are--yes it would matter on how the suspension felt, but the gear wouldn't be at that weird angle.
 
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