Bungee Cords

[Pearson]

Re: Bungee Cords

I was able to find some old style cloth electrical tape to wrap the safety cables with. It should keep them from chaffing the cords.

I installed the cords yesterday and went for a few touch and goes to see how the stiffer cords worked. They ARE stiffer, but I liked it. I intentionally dropped it in hard on a couple of the landings and they absorbed it very well. On a couple of my nicer wheel landings I didn't even notice them being stiffer. I was afraid that it would be impossible to get a smooth landing with really stiff cords, but that is not the case. I really like the 9010HDX cords.

Thanks for everyone's reply.

[TimHicks]

Re: Bungee Cords

My right bungees failed on a hard landing in October. I had been planning to replace them anyway because they had been on the airplane for many years and one was showing a little fraying. The safety cable did its job

I was on a grass strip far from home, so after considering lots of options, I used a ratchet strap to tie up the gear and flew home.

Of course, I left my 240# passenger and my camping equipment on the ground. And I took off on the left wheel. Then at my fuel stops, I landed and took off on the left wheel. I'm not recommending doing this, I'm just letting everyone know what worked once.

When I got home, I replaced the bungees with 4 ea 1110 rings.
I also wrap my steel cables with vinyl tape in places and pull them away from the bungees with tiny tie-wraps.

[Pearson]

Re: Bungee Cords

Tim,

When the failure occurred was there a sudden jolt right at the moment of touch down? Or was it a slow release after touch down? Any noise or anything other than a crooked view out the windshield?

The strap was a good idea. Good to know that is a way to at least get home. Glad the cable did it's job for you.

[TimHicks]

Re: Bungee Cords

Yeah, it was strange. It wasn't a horrible landing, but it was harder than most. I didn't hear anything until after I had all 3 wheels solid on the ground and was rolling out. Then I heard a dull THWAP! I guessed at that moment that a bungee had failed, but didn't notice that I was leaning over until after I taxiied off of the runway. (I think because it was a pretty rolly, hilly, turf strip.) And nothing seemed to change when I heard the THWAP so I surmised that the noise was probably the second bungee failing.
For reference this is a '46 BC-12.

[Pearson]

Re: Bungee Cords

Thanks for sharing Tim. All I can say is I hope I never hear a THWAP on landing.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Bungee Cords

If installed properly they will not wear the cords.
Use Beeswax and let them stick to the outside in the middle like shown on the photos. At the bottom the safety is between the cords and barely touchs it.
I then tie wrap the cord out to the side, It shows if a Student drops in a bit , it will break the tie wrap.

[KewFlyer]

Re: Bungee Cords

We replaced the bungies last fall (2008) with four new 9010HDX. We picked the best two cords from the four we removed and place them on top of the two new ones on each side. The safety cable was placed in between the two new ones. The safety cable was cleaned and wrapped in 3M 2" wide electrical tape from top to bottom in two layers applied in oposite directions. The A/C sits high with very nice cushion landings, eventhough, it will bounce if landed with a drop. Very satisfied with the results, so far.
BTW, the tool is a MUST to have for a succesful installation without damaging the cords during the process, IMHO.It made my life easy and it took less than an hour to do.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Bungee Cords

So how do you get the "good" old shock cord off the airplane, in order to put on the two new ones and then put the old one back on top?

[KewFlyer]

Re: Bungee Cords

Bill:
We used the tool in reverse and a long screw driver to move it up to the tool and some patience... and some more patience. Remove the old ones first, install the new ones and then the best of the old ones on top and sitting in between the two new ones. Keeping the safety wire clear was a challenge
Ralph

[DPKII]

Re: Bungee Cords

Forrest,

From your pictures I see the cable installed between the bungees. I assume that must be the correct method?

My cable was installed after the second bungee against the metal stop. I put it back the same way when I did my bungees. Is this wrong?

thanks,
David

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Bungee Cords

So how do you get the "good" old shock cord off the airplane, in order to put on the two new ones and then put the old one back on top?

Having just removed (last night); 3, not 2, brand new shock cords on one side, to reposition the safety cable I can attest to the difficulty of removing good condition cords! It was not easy, with two of us leaning in through the doors, four screwdrivers, two large, two small, we still just about gave up before we finally finagled the cords off, cords that we had just put on two weeks before. DON'T ASK!
Larry
PS: We were discussing cutting them but gave it one more try before giving up. By the way using the proper tool to install the cords is much quicker then removing them with screw drivers!

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Bungee Cords

If the safety is not installed correctly , I would probably just wait till replacement time. YES middle is correct from factory instructions.
Removal is easy if youa vhe done a few large screwdriver or taper bar, not for the faint of heart. Just flip them off , BE CAREFUL. OR you can extend a shop crane into the cabin and slip a nylon strap under the first cord and pull up, slip it off let down , maybe cut the strap and you ahve an intact cord . If not saving the cords , cut them off of course. Some cords will de 'dead" and just sit there. The strap method is used on the Pitts Specials too. on and off.