Recommended OWNER maintenance tools

any body mention a simple bottle jack? with gear leg adaptor?

Makes changing tires a lot simpler.
 
DUCT TAPE!!! :D
 
On my purchase list right now:

1. Compression tester
2. Cylinder base nut wrenches

For sockets I try and stick to 6 point 1/4" drive as much as possible. I do have. 3/8 in the hangar as well. I keep 1/2" at home because there aren't many times you need that much torque on airplanes.
 
Last edited:
No one's mentioned a 1/4 inch drive inch socket set with a good short handle ratchet (w fine clicks) and a full set of 1/4 inch drive extensions. Make sure it has an 11/32" drive socket too for #8-32 nut.

An extra set of cheap combination wrenches with extra short handles (a hacksaw can do this as required).

Skip the 1/2 inch drive stuff.
 
Last edited:
jesse said:
On my purchase list right now:

1. Compression tester
2. Cylinder base nut wrenches

For sockets I try and stick to 6 point 1/4" drive as much as possible. I do have. 3/8 in the hangar as well. I keep 1/2" at home because there aren't many times you need that much torque on airplanes.
Click to expand...

Did you see the earlier comments. Sounds like an automotive compression tester isn't good enough. There was a link to a leak down tester. Unfortunately I already bought a compression testing adapter for aircraft.
 
Alexb2000 said:
I'll price those accessories, they would be nice to have, but I bet they are really expensive.

I'll also keep an eye on ebay, that's where I got my manuals.

I've also got the dealers chief mechanic's cell phone number, so he can help me out if I get caught somewhere and need some tech support.

The airplane is in annual right now. I am having them go through and IRAN the mags, just to try to minimize any problems.
Click to expand...

I think the -AJ1A comes with Slick mags - I typically advocate just buying new ones of those every 500 hours. Keep your old ones as spares, problem solved. :)

You could do same for starter/alternator. If you don't have a SkyTec NL starter, it's a worthwhile upgrade. There are a few good alternator upgrades out there as well - we will be doing PlanePower alternators at some point. Was originally thinking with annual, then was thinking this annual. Maybe next annual.

We have SkyTec starters on the 310, kept an old stock one in the plane for "just in case." I carry a spare alternator on the other engine, so I don't bother with that anymore, but I do carry a spare mag. After a mag died (with 25 dogs in the plane) I just opted not to return the core to Aviall and had my shop rebuild it.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I think the -AJ1A comes with Slick mags - I typically advocate just buying new ones of those every 500 hours. Keep your old ones as spares, problem solved. :)

You could do same for starter/alternator. If you don't have a SkyTec NL starter, it's a worthwhile upgrade. There are a few good alternator upgrades out there as well - we will be doing PlanePower alternators at some point. Was originally thinking with annual, then was thinking this annual. Maybe next annual.

We have SkyTec starters on the 310, kept an old stock one in the plane for "just in case." I carry a spare alternator on the other engine, so I don't bother with that anymore, but I do carry a spare mag. After a mag died (with 25 dogs in the plane) I just opted not to return the core to Aviall and had my shop rebuild it.
Click to expand...

So I priced out the alternator, starter, and mags. Just over $3K.

You would really throw those $1K mags out every 500?
 
Last edited:
Well, if you want to get specific, I've found that my t-handle ratchet screwdriver gets more use than about anying else in hangar. You can use a variety of sizes of philips and standard bits, can use it to drive 1/4 sockets, and makes pulling inspection panels very quick and easy on the hands.
 
Alexb2000 said:
So I priced out the alternator, starter, and mags. Just over $3K.

You would really throw those $1K mags out every 500?
Click to expand...

Those are prices for new, though. If you end up doing either pre-emptive replacements/overhauls and keep the working cores or buy used, I'd bet it would be cheaper. Keep in mind that you only need a left mag for spare. It will work just fine on the right side, but the left mag has the specifics bits to aid in starting.

As to the mags, I wouldn't throw them out, I'd sell them to someone else and replace. :) My experience with Slicks has been very poor. I spoke with a guy who works for Unison (now owns Slick) and told him my opinion. He just laughed and said "Yeah, they're pretty bad." If I bought a plane with them, the first thing I'd do would be replace them with Bendix mags.

I understand not everyone agrees with me and some have had good service from them. But the spark also gets weak in them, etc.

Looking at it from another perspective, the first time you're stranded for something as silly as a bad starter or mag, you'll be really happy to have them. It's probably good for making sure nothing ever breaks. :)
 
Alexb2000 said:
The airplane is in annual right now. I am having them go through and IRAN the mags, just to try to minimize any problems.
Click to expand...

Just a thought, but we decided to space our mag OH work (Bendix), sending in only one at a time, at least a few months apart, just in case someone was having a bad day or got a bad batch of parts. It doesn't help to have a redundant system if both parts of the systems are potentially subject to the same problem.

Excessive paranoia, probably, but sometimes the 'noids are out to get you.

Jeff
 
Last edited:
Jeff Oslick said:
Just a thought, but we decided to space our mag OH work (Bendix), sending in only one at a time, at least a few months apart, just in case someone was having a bad day or got a bad batch of parts. It doesn't help to have a redundant system if both parts of the systems are potentially subject to the same problem.

Excessive paranoia, probably, but sometimes the 'noids are out to get you.

Jeff
Click to expand...

I struggled with that decision as well. My mags have just over 500 hours on them. The mechanics said he will inspect them and replace the obvious wear parts. If something doesn't look good then I'll probably have them just send in or replace one at a time.

According to Ted I'm flying with crap mags anyway, so there isn't much upside.:)
 
Alexb2000 said:
You would really throw those $1K mags out every 500?
Click to expand...


God NO!
Just send them to me every 500 hrs for $100 labor + parts (~$50) each.
Despite everyone's complaints, with the proper tooling Slicks aren't that bad. Yes many of the slick mag parts are 2x the cost of PMA replacement Bendix parts.
 
bnt83 said:
God NO!
Just send them to me every 500 hrs for $100 labor + parts (~$50) each.
Despite everyone's complaints, with the proper tooling Slicks aren't that bad. Yes many of the slick mag parts are 2x the cost of PMA replacement Bendix parts.
Click to expand...

Brian-

I may do that, I appreciate the offer. They are still working on the inspection right now. Let me see what they say and we'll go from there.
 
Alexb2000 said:
Brian-

I may do that, I appreciate the offer. They are still working on the inspection right now. Let me see what they say and we'll go from there.
Click to expand...


I've got a set apart right now @ around 550 hours since last inspection. One of them had a soft cabon brush you always hear about. It needs a new coil and a distributor rotor. I have a few tested good coils laying around and Aero Acessories made PMA'ed ones for around $175 last I knew. The distributor rotor is about $80, brush $5.

I may start a thread with pics for giggles & grins. If you look at the back of the distributor block and see back fine dust powder stuff, you can pretty much assume the brush in the mag is bad.
 
Complete set of hand tools would be harder than finding the end of the internet.
 
bnt83 said:
The automotive type suck.
Click to expand...


No, auto compression testers BLOW. VACUUM testers suck.:D

I honestly prefer true compression testers. The differential are OK if the compression testers show a problem ... it is easier to pinpoint the offending area. Compression testers show just exactly what the book calls for in an internal combustion engine ... compression.
 
Alexb2000 said:
I find it makes my Snap-on dealer smile the biggest.:D
Click to expand...
I am reminded of a guy I used to work with.

Had a tower of Snap-On boxes taller than he was.

Lived for the day that the Snap-On truck stopped by the shop so he could see if they had anything that he didn't already own.

Every morning, he would come in, unlock the boxes, pull out 2 10" crescent wrenches, stick them in his back pocket, and those were about the only tools he would use over the course of the day.

(No reference to Mr. Alexb2000 implied)
 
Well how hard is it to get an A&P? I might need a lot more tools, but that would be OK.

I just got he estimate for my annual, the plane has just over 500 hours, the price is $10k:yikes:

Deep breath time....
 
tmyers said:
Nice airplane but $10K ouch
Click to expand...

Well that is a pre-negoication number, so I expect I can get it done a little cheaper. Main issues are the 500 hour items: Mags, plugs, air filter, O2 hydro, etc. I need a battery since my avionics shop left my master on for me. Some small leaks, chaffing, etc. It just adds up to 5 pages worth.
 
Good luck with it, I just got out of annual and the final price made me smile. But then I don't have near as much airplane as you.
 
Alexb2000 said:
Well how hard is it to get an A&P? I might need a lot more tools, but that would be OK.

I just got he estimate for my annual, the plane has just over 500 hours, the price is $10k:yikes:

Deep breath time....
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity what is the big ticket item here? Seems like a lot.
 
flyingmoose said:
Just out of curiosity what is the big ticket item here? Seems like a lot.
Click to expand...

Biggest item was the mags, $1100. Just a lot of little stuff, for example they listed the battery at full retail $775, but anyone can buy one for half that, etc. I just have to get my head right and talk to them on Monday. They are the dealer in an expensive market (Addison) so no matter what I'll be paying more than country prices.
 
My guess is like Brian.... I bet your mags don't need replaced, but with that said.. that still leaves an aweful lot of maintenance for 10K. Heck you could fly all the way up here and do the inspection, get to see the AF museum (once we are off shutdown) lol. And fly back with money left over I'm sure. Point is that it just seems like a lot with no real big part items on a 500hr a/c.
 
Alexb2000 said:
What am I missing?...
Click to expand...

High speed knuckle exfoliator

full20_31228671x386_Pry7163.jpg
 
Alexb2000 said:
Well that is a pre-negoication number, so I expect I can get it done a little cheaper. Main issues are the 500 hour items: Mags, plugs, air filter, O2 hydro, etc. I need a battery since my avionics shop left my master on for me. Some small leaks, chaffing, etc. It just adds up to 5 pages worth.
Click to expand...

I hate to say this, but somebody saw you coming. You can (as another poster said) do the mags for a hundred bucks each plus parts; plugs can be reconditioned by ASPS in Van Nuys for ten bucks a plug. Air filter for carb? is about $25 from Chief. O2 hydro why? Battery because the sparky left the master on? What is wrong with filling and charging?

There are half a dozen of us on here who would take an airplane ticket and $300 a day for at MOST five days if you pull all the stuff, send it out, get all the known parts, and have it ready to look over.

For ten grand I could send you and yours to Hawaii for a week, do your airplane for ten grand, and have a couple of grand left over.

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
I hate to say this, but somebody saw you coming. You can (as another poster said) do the mags for a hundred bucks each plus parts; plugs can be reconditioned by ASPS in Van Nuys for ten bucks a plug. Air filter for carb? is about $25 from Chief. O2 hydro why? Battery because the sparky left the master on? What is wrong with filling and charging?

There are half a dozen of us on here who would take an airplane ticket and $300 a day for at MOST five days if you pull all the stuff, send it out, get all the known parts, and have it ready to look over.

For ten grand I could send you and yours to Hawaii for a week, do your airplane for ten grand, and have a couple of grand left over.
Click to expand...

True, but you also aren't a Cessna dealer in Addison. So as Alex already stated, he knows that the prices are going to be higher there than country prices. Plus, since you haven't seen the bill it's hard for you to actually state with any certainty how much money you'd be able to save him.

The prospect of flying somewhere else for MX when it's far away usually is a money losing proposition, unless the plane doesn't fly very much and needs to get flown anyway, or you want to go there for other reasons. My A&P back in PA kept on trying to get me to use the shop in Peoria he was trying to build up, stating that scheduling was easier, and said he'd even pay for the gas one way since he had to go out there anyway. Of course, that means that I'm still paying for the gas the other way (so an automatic $350-400 add-on to the MX bill every trip), plus the roughly $900 worth of aircraft time added on to the trip. That time comes out of my oil changes, 100-hours if I do them, TBO, etc. For a plane that flies 250 hours a year and doesn't need any time put on it, it just costs me more money.

Similarly, transporting the A&P to the plane becomes a similarly expensive proposition. There's the cost of getting to Dallas and back (even if you drive, there's fuel), then hotel and meals (at least assuming you want to make it a fair arrangement). It all adds up as any businessman knows. So truthfully, even though your labor rate might have been lower and you probably wouldn't have had the parts markup, it's hard to say how much money you'd have really saved him.
 
Alexb2000 said:
Well how hard is it to get an A&P? I might need a lot more tools, but that would be OK.

I just got he estimate for my annual, the plane has just over 500 hours, the price is $10k:yikes:

Deep breath time....
Click to expand...

Yikes, but to really kill the bill you will need an IA too. Granted before I had mine I just shopped for the cheapest pencil whip signature AFTER I had done all the work to make sure it was truly good to go. I got lucky in that the cheap guy also really did have a look, but oddly he didn't find anything:wink2:
 
I'll post the estimate for a few hours so you guys can look at it. I don't want to leave it up forever, but it will give some specificity to the conversation and perhaps help someone else out.

Here it is:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top