Cessna nose gear - tow lugs

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Ima get an A&P to do this, for legality sake and I dunno what I dunno, but for learning, I just wanna know how involved this would be to move the lug and bolt on the upper collar to the one on the fork:



I assume the nose wheel has to be elevated and supported before I swap out the lower and upper bolts and lugs? The one with the lugs looks like it’s a collar to attach the shaft to the link, the other looks like it attaches the fork to the shaft. The maintenance manual calls for relieving pressure on the strut, but I can’t see that making a difference with no load.

 

[Dan Thomas]

The maintenance manual calls for relieving pressure on the strut, but I can’t see that making a difference with no load.

You'll find out the hard way, then. That fork bolt is also retaining a plug in the bottom of the strut that seals in the oil and gas pressure, and also carries the metering rod for the shock-absorbing function. Pull that bolt out even with the strut unloaded and there is still at least 40 PSI in there to blow that plug out violently. And lots of big oil mess with it.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

You'll find out the hard way, then. That fork bolt is also retaining a plug in the bottom of the strut that seals in the oil and gas pressure, and also carries the metering rod for the shock-absorbing function. Pull that bolt out even with the strut unloaded and there is still at least 40 PSI in there to blow that plug out violently. And lots of big oil mess with it.

Lol! That’s why I’m not touching it, I’m clueless. That would’ve been funny to witness though, no?

 

[Dan Thomas]

Lol! That’s why I’m not touching it, I’m clueless. That would’ve been funny to witness though, no?

Yup, as long as I didn't have to clean it up. The air would really spray it everywhere.

 

[frtrkap]

Yeah, pretty sure you can't just "do what you please". It's there for a reason. I wouldn't want my tow bolt being the same as the one that hold the fork and plug in.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Yeah, pretty sure you can't just "do what you please". It's there for a reason. I wouldn't want my tow bolt being the same as the one that hold the fork and plug in.

My neighbor’s 1977 182Q has them in the opposite position as mine, a 1976 182P. I believe my lugs were placed on the upper bolt because of the style of the wheel pants, which I had removed a few annuals ago. His wheel pants are different.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

 

[frtrkap]

My neighbor’s 1977 182Q has them in the opposite position as mine, a 1976 182P. I believe my lugs were placed on the upper bolt because of the style of the wheel pants, which I had removed a few annuals ago. His wheel pants are different.
View attachment 96262

Not saying it can't be done, just might not be as trivial as swapping it. What year is your 182?

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Correct, not trivial as I had thought, as with many things mechanically on a plane (non-A&Ps don’t know what they don’t know).

1976 182P

 

[Dan Thomas]

Let's have a look at the parts catalog, shall we? It usually has the answers.



Here we see that neither bolt has the towbar lugs on it. No wheelpant provision.

Next:



With wheelpants you get the lugs, and they're on that lower bolt, in the fork. The upper bolt will be retaining the steering collar and the strut plug we discussed earlier.

http://www.ameacademy.com/pdf/cessna/Cessna_182_1974-76_PartsManual.pdf Figures 34 and 36. The associated pages will give the part numbers for those bolts. The bolt lengths between the upper and lower are different, so you'd have to replace both bolts.

 

[NordicDave]

Building on Dan’s excellent post, my 182P is in the midst of a firewall forward overhaul. Below is a pic of the overhauled nose gear in process of reinstallation. Oleo tube re-chromed by certified shop, new Koyo/Torrington bearings, etc.

The tow bar lugs are on the bottom bolt hole as per the parts manual.

 

[Larry Korona]

Building on Dan’s excellent post, my 182P is in the midst of a firewall forward overhaul. Below is a pic of the overhauled nose gear in process of reinstallation. Oleo tube re-chromed by certified shop, new Koyo/Torrington bearings, etc.

The tow bar lugs are on the bottom bolt hole as per the parts manual.

View attachment 96278

Very nice. What shop did you use? I'm also interested in getting my nose gear overhauled.

 

[NordicDave]

Very nice. What shop did you use? I'm also interested in getting my nose gear overhauled.

The oleo tube was re-chromed through RobAir in Washington, a local machine shop press fitted the new bearings, and T&P Aero Refinishers in Salinas painted the gear. By painting I mean stripped all paint, alodine, zinc chromate primer, and apply Matterhorn white jet glo paint.

Also procured a new placard for the servicing instructions and installed a new McFarlane bungee boot.

Seems like too many planes have gone years without the nose gear needle bearings seeing any grease.

There are only two suppliers that I’m aware of who have the technical capability and knowledge to re-chrome an Oleo tube. If handled through RobAir, he will remove the fork & torque link collar and reattach after for a small fee. He charges $50 or $60 for this process. The step of reattaching the fork & collar also takes experience as the part needs to be heated to slip on the tube, and aligning the bolt through holes can be a challenge.

 

[ktup-flyer]

Mine are also on the bottom. A buddy of mine has a 76 P and his are the same iirc

 

[Dan Thomas]

Seems like too many planes have gone years without the nose gear needle bearings seeing any grease.

So common. Walkaround annuals. Many older models had grease Zerks on them, reminding the mechanic to lube them. Those later disappeared.

 

[Larry Korona]

The oleo tube was re-chromed through RobAir in Washington, a local machine shop press fitted the new bearings, and T&P Aero Refinishers in Salinas painted the gear. By painting I mean stripped all paint, alodine, zinc chromate primer, and apply Matterhorn white jet glo paint.

Also procured a new placard for the servicing instructions and installed a new McFarlane bungee boot.

Seems like too many planes have gone years without the nose gear needle bearings seeing any grease.

There are only two suppliers that I’m aware of who have the technical capability and knowledge to re-chrome an Oleo tube. If handled through RobAir, he will remove the fork & torque link collar and reattach after for a small fee. He charges $50 or $60 for this process. The step of reattaching the fork & collar also takes experience as the part needs to be heated to slip on the tube, and aligning the bolt through holes can be a challenge.

Thanks for the reply!