Axle straightening?

[Doc]

After mounting the left landing gear assembly (taken from from another ship), the tapered axle toes out (trails) compared to the right. Any thoughts on how to straighten out this problem? Doc

[astjp2]

Re: Axle straightening?

Go on and do a search. I mounted mine and then used a section of pipe to pry my axle to get my landing gear 1/8" toe in 18" forward of the axle. Tim

[pftcraft]

Re: Axle straightening?

Just read an article on why taildraggers should have "some" toe out...

[Doc]

Re: Axle straightening?

I am with you on that...my problem is unilateral toe out which will drag this shipleft. Doc

[mhorowit]

Re: Axle straightening?

Go on and do a search. I mounted mine and then used a section of pipe to pry my axle to get my landing gear 1/8" toe in 18" forward of the axle. Tim

Just what is being subjected to that torque? I'm visualizing a pipe fitting over the axle and pushed fore or aft putting a strain on the fuselage attach points - Mike

[astjp2]

Re: Axle straightening?

....the pipe method has been used for years, you can always use a torch and heat up the gear to get it to move, I do it cold. If you go toe out, the gear will squat when you taxi, if its neutral the gear wont squat and the aircraft will taxi straight. You can do it anyway you want, just do it with your IA's approval first...Tim

Forrest, do you have any comments on this?

[Carrieve]

Re: Axle straightening?

If you bend it with a pipe you need to make sure it isn't enough to make the wheel bearing's centerline off. I did mine with a piece of pipe that went snugly over the inner wheel bearing race area.

[Doc]

Re: Axle straightening?

Thanks for the input! After the usual pre-disaster ("what do you think"?) conference, 2 IA's (engine, general), 1 A&P (sheetmetal) and myself braced the airplane and decided to apply the approved tool (a very long piece of black pipe) attached to the correct IA official (Mark), who, with the usual amount of left eye squint and tongue stuck out "just right", straightened out the axle to match the right one after about three pulls. The fabric covering the gear leg survived. The ship is now on three wheels, and without its 2x4 "H" brace. The new wing tank lines were fabricated and installed today, and we are ready to build up the new instrument panel. Firewall forward will begin after the bootcowl is refurbished. Again...thanks for all of your help...it has been greatly appreciated! Doc

[tawadc95]

Re: Axle straightening?

if you do use a pipe ,you need to apply equal force in opposite direction
to cure toe out the axle is moved forward so use a 2x4 on the front of the gear leg that holds the axle needing adj and to the rear side of the other gear leg...opposite and equal force to eliminate damage and wrap the 2x4 in a rag where it contacts airplane

[Dick Smith]

Re: Axle straightening?

Having eliminated a bit of toe-out on my plane after welding-in straight axles, I thought I might describe how we did it. After determining the apparent amount of correction that I thought was needed, by a convoluted mix of plumb bobs, string lines, chalklines, measuring tapes, straightedges and gut feeling...I got a stout piece of 2-1/2" pipe about 18-20 feet long, that would fit over the axle and also over a couple of bushings that were used to: 1. Keep the pipe I.D. from boogering up the axle threads and 2. Make for a less sloppy fit over the axle, which improved the "feel" and control over the pressure to be used. We tied ropes to the tailspring and wherever handy, to keep the fuselage from moving as you put pressure on the axle...you want the leverage and movement to be controlled. Some have indicated that they made their correction(s) "cold", I used a large rosebud acetylene tip. I put my "cheater pipe" over the axle and checked for feel and control, angles and how I could best exert smooth, controlled pressure. I had my son play the rosebud over the axle where it was welded to the gear...on both sides of the backing plate... as the metal began to warmup (while keeping the torch in constant motion, trying for even heating) I was already putting steady pressure on the axle in the direction of the desired correction. I was guessing on how much pressure I could exert on cold metal, without bending the axle/gear assembly.
The thought was to exert steady pressure, just short of bending anything and then heat the metal until it yielded. My son gave me a running account of the color appearing in the metal, so I was ready when the metal was about to "give". In this case, the axle had to be heated twice, as I was a bit conservative in my first "guess" as to when to ease-off on the leverage, following the "give" in the heated assembly. Anyhow, after doing the same thing a second time,the toe-in measured out very close between the two axles. ( One point that comes to mind...I wasn't trying to really "bend" the axle itself, as much as impart a gentle "twist" to the heated assembly (ie., where the axle is welded to the gear legs and backing plate) , in order to get the axle to assume the proper geometry. We had the plane positioned so both axles were the same distance off the ground, so as to give the "pipeman" a visual clue as to the proper "angle" to use as the leverage was applied.
The plane tracked as straight as a string after this treatment.
This method worked for me and we have used the gear hard on skiis and wheels. Dick

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Axle straightening?

Long pipe, twist as described above has worked int he past . there is a previous thread on this that verifies that some ships came from the factory with more toe-out on the left side, I agree they should be even.