---------------------------------------------------------- Lightning-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 05/31/10: 9 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:35 AM - Re: Lightning-List Digest: 1 Msgs - 05/30/10 (EAFerguson@AOL.COM) 2. 05:42 AM - Re: Nose Wheel (EAFerguson@AOL.COM) 3. 06:03 AM - Re: Re: Lightning-List Digest: 1 Msgs - 05/30/10 (IFLYSMODEL@aol.com) 4. 01:39 PM - Re: Nose Wheel (FamilyGage@aol.com) 5. 02:00 PM - Re: Nose Wheel (Bill Strahan) 6. 03:09 PM - Re: Nose Wheel (Bernard Melendez, Jr.) 7. 08:42 PM - Nose wheel shimmy (N1BZRich@AOL.COM) 8. 08:49 PM - Re: Nose wheel shimmy (N1BZRich@aol.com) 9. 10:05 PM - Re: Nose wheel shimmy (Lowell ridge) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:35:48 AM PST US From: EAFerguson@AOL.COM Subject: Lightning-List: Re: Lightning-List Digest: 1 Msgs - 05/30/10 In a message dated 5/31/2010 2:57:45 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, lightning-list@matronics.com writes: Time: 01:11:51 AM PST US Subject: Lightning-List: LSA type Round the World Progress From: "James, Clive R" http://www.azimut270.ch/en/position.html California to Hawaii?? A 2000+ NM leg unless they had two or three carriers with 100LL waiting. ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 05:42:16 AM PST US From: EAFerguson@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Nose Wheel In a message dated 5/29/2010 9:52:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, FamilyGage@AOL.COM writes: I know that this has been discussed many times on our site. Would like to present the nose wheel shimmy, just in case someone has had additional experience. I fly a 2005 Esquil, that is Lightning cowl forward and all three gear legs. There is no nose wheel shimmy at take off, but often becomes rather severe on landing after I allow the weight off of the main gear onto the nose wheel. By this time she is going rather slow, about 35-40 mph. The shaking will stop at about 15-20 mph. And does not recur during taxi operations. What is interesting is that even when the plane is not moving, should I take the prop and put lateral forces i.e., right and left, there is a clanking noise as if the tire is rubbing against the wheel pant. I have checked out the nose wheel installation, changed tire pressures, balanced all tires, changed tire brands; however, the symptom remains unchanged. I am out of ideas. Have learned to live with the shimmy, but this seems to be a mechanical mystery. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Ray Gage 83TW Spruce Creek Florida Ray, This is a common problem with aircraft that have free swiveling nose wheels and may have nothing to do with tire balance. Check the nylon block for tightness. If the joint is too loose the wheel shimmies. We don't have an adjustment, so the only solution would be to replace parts, i.e. the nylon blocks. On Grumman singles, which do have adjustable swivels, a force of 10 lbs to turn the wheel is standard. Less than that will produce shimmy. Since our Lightings and Esquals weight about half a Grumman, I'd look for less than 10 lbs. Good luck fixing it. Earl Ferguson Atlanta ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 06:03:40 AM PST US From: IFLYSMODEL@aol.com Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Re: Lightning-List Digest: 1 Msgs - 05/30/10 Hey Earl: How much extra fuel would you need to make it? If I put an extra 50 gal of fuel in my Lighting, at 4 gphr that gives me 32 hrs of flight time before flame out. Lynn In a message dated 5/31/2010 8:36:07 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, EAFerguson@aol.com writes: In a message dated 5/31/2010 2:57:45 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, lightning-list@matronics.com writes: Time: 01:11:51 AM PST US Subject: Lightning-List: LSA type Round the World Progress From: "James, Clive R" http://www.azimut270.ch/en/position.html California to Hawaii?? A 2000+ NM leg unless they had two or three carriers with 100LL waiting. (http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List) (http://www.matronics.com/contribution) ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 01:39:38 PM PST US From: FamilyGage@aol.com Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Nose Wheel Earl, Thank you. Will check out the tension on the block, and see if it needs replacement. Ray Gage In a message dated 5/31/2010 8:42:35 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, EAFerguson@AOL.COM writes: In a message dated 5/29/2010 9:52:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, FamilyGage@AOL.COM writes: I know that this has been discussed many times on our site. Would like to present the nose wheel shimmy, just in case someone has had additional experience. I fly a 2005 Esquil, that is Lightning cowl forward and all three gear legs. There is no nose wheel shimmy at take off, but often becomes rather severe on landing after I allow the weight off of the main gear onto the nose wheel. By this time she is going rather slow, about 35-40 mph. The shaking will stop at about 15-20 mph. And does not recur during taxi operations. What is interesting is that even when the plane is not moving, should I take the prop and put lateral forces i.e., right and left, there is a clanking noise as if the tire is rubbing against the wheel pant. I have checked out the nose wheel installation, changed tire pressures, balanced all tires, changed tire brands; however, the symptom remains unchanged. I am out of ideas. Have learned to live with the shimmy, but this seems to be a mechanical mystery. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Ray Gage 83TW Spruce Creek Florida Ray, This is a common problem with aircraft that have free swiveling nose wheels and may have nothing to do with tire balance. Check the nylon block for tightness. If the joint is too loose the wheel shimmies. We don't have an adjustment, so the only solution would be to replace parts, i.e. the nylon blocks. On Grumman singles, which do have adjustable swivels, a force of 10 lbs to turn the wheel is standard. Less than that will produce shimmy. Since our Lightings and Esquals weight about half a Grumman, I'd look for less than 10 lbs. Good luck fixing it. Earl Ferguson Atlanta (http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List) (http://www.matronics.com/contribution) ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 02:00:29 PM PST US Subject: Lightning-List: Re: Nose Wheel From: "Bill Strahan" Now this has me wondering if my shimmy is from the mains or the nose. I have a Grumman Traveller and I've experienced the nosewheel shimmy when I didn't have the tension high enough, as described previously. Any way to tell which it is, other than have someone observe the plane on landing and try to see where it's coming from? Bill Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=299484#299484 ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 03:09:12 PM PST US From: "Bernard Melendez, Jr." Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Nose Wheel Ray, New guy here, have yet to receive my kits, but hope to contribute to this g roup. I remember seeing something on one of the newsletters about just that problem. Seems that one solution is to drill out the nylon bearing pieces to a larger diameter and insert brass oil lite type bushings sized for the nose wheel fork that the nose gear pivots on. Can't remember which issue I saw that on, but I did see it. My guess, if it's the nose wheel shimmying i s that there may be some play in those nylon blocks. My two cents; worth. Bernardo Melendez --- On Mon, 5/31/10, FamilyGage@aol.com wrote: From: FamilyGage@aol.com Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Nose Wheel =0A=0A =0A=0AEarl,=0AThank you.- Will check out the tension on the block, and see if it =0Aneeds replacement.=0ARay Gage=0A-=0A=0AIn a message dat ed 5/31/2010 8:42:35 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, =0AEAFerguson@AOL.COM writ es:=0A=0A =0A In a message dated 5/29/2010 9:52:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, =0A FamilyGage@AOL.COM writes:=0A =0A -=0A I know that this has been discussed many times on our site.- Would =0A like to present the nose wheel shimmy, just in case someone has had =0A additional expe rience.=0A I fly a 2005 Esquil, that is Lightning cowl forward and all t hree gear =0A legs.=0A There is no nose wheel shimmy at take off, but often becomes rather =0A severe on landing after I allow the weight off of the main gear onto the =0A nose wheel.-By this time she is going r ather slow, about 35-40 =0A mph.- The shaking will stop at about 15-20 mph.- And does not =0A recur during taxi operations.- What is inter esting is that even when =0A the plane is not moving, should I take the prop and put lateral forces i.e., =0A right and left, there is a clankin g noise as if the tire is rubbing against =0A the wheel pant.=0A I ha ve checked out the nose wheel installation, changed tire pressures, =0A balanced all tires, changed tire brands; however, the symptom remains =0A unchanged.=0A I am out of ideas.- Have learned to live with the shim my, but this =0A seems to be a mechanical mystery.- Any suggestions wo uld be greatly =0A appreciated.=0A Ray Gage=0A 83TW- Spruce Cree k Florida=0A =0A Ray,=0A -=0A This is a common problem with aircraft that have free swiveling nose =0A wheels and may have nothing to do with t ire balance. Check the nylon block for =0A tightness. If the joint is too loose the wheel shimmies. We don't have an =0A adjustment, so the only sol ution would be to replace parts, i.e. the nylon =0A blocks.=0A -=0A On Grumman singles, which do have adjustable swivels, a force of 10 lbs =0A to turn the wheel is standard. Less than that will produce shimmy. Since ou r =0A Lightings and Esquals weight about half a Grumman, I'd look for-le ss than =0A 10-lbs.=0A -=0A Good luck fixing it.=0A -=0A Earl Fe rguson=0A Atlanta t href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List">http://www.mat ronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List ms.matronics.com/">http://forums.matronics.com tp://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution =0A=0A ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 08:42:14 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@AOL.COM Subject: Lightning-List: Nose wheel shimmy If you suspect a nose wheel shimmy, there might be an easy fix by just tightening the bolts that hold the nylon blocks together around the nose gear leg. Sometimes, that is all it takes. If that does not work, probably then next step is to disassemble the unit so that you can sand a very small amount off the nylon blocks where they fit together. By doing this they will then be able clamp a little harder on the nose gear leg. To check the nose wheel for proper movement, have someone raise the nose wheel by pushing down on the tail. You should be able to move the nose wheel assembly by hand, but it should resist - not be too easy to move from side to side. If you suspect a nose wheel shimmy (I can tell it by feeling it in the rudder pedals), raise the nose as mentioned above and see how easy it is to move by hand. Tighten it some, by the first method mentioned above, and then recheck to see if it is now harder to move. Then test fly to see if you have a fix. If not, then dissemble the nose wheel and sand some off the nylon blocks where they fit together as mentioned above. Hope this helps. Buz ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 08:49:14 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@aol.com Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Nose wheel shimmy Reference my previous email on nose wheel shimmy. Scroll on down below the message for a photo of the nose wheel assembly. Buz In a message dated 5/31/2010 11:42:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, N1BZRich@AOL.COM writes: If you suspect a nose wheel shimmy, there might be an easy fix by just tightening the bolts that hold the nylon blocks together around the nose gear leg. Sometimes, that is all it takes. If that does not work, probably then next step is to disassemble the unit so that you can sand a very small amount off the nylon blocks where they fit together. By doing this they will then be able clamp a little harder on the nose gear leg. To check the nose wheel for proper movement, have someone raise the nose wheel by pushing down on the tail. You should be able to move the nose wheel assembly by hand, but it should resist - not be too easy to move from side to side. If you suspect a nose wheel shimmy (I can tell it by feeling it in the rudder pedals), raise the nose as mentioned above and see how easy it is to move by hand. Tighten it some, by the first method mentioned above, and then recheck to see if it is now harder to move. Then test fly to see if you have a fix. If not, then dissemble the nose wheel and sand some off the nylon blocks where they fit together as mentioned above. Hope this helps. Buz ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 10:05:19 PM PST US From: "Lowell ridge" Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Nose wheel shimmy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message lightning-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Lightning-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/lightning-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/lightning-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.