---------------------------------------------------------- Pulsar-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 01/31/13: 3 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 07:44 AM - Re: Front Landing Gear Issues/Question (Tricycle Gear) Pulsar XP (Sonja Englert) 2. 08:52 AM - Re: Front Landing Gear Issues/Question (Tricycle Gear) Pulsar XP (Larry Wheat) 3. 01:04 PM - Re: Front Landing Gear Issues/Question (Tricycle Gear) Pulsar XP (HUGH COULTER) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 07:44:21 AM PST US Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Front Landing Gear Issues/Question (Tricycle Gear) Pulsar XP From: Sonja Englert I converted my Pulsar XP from nose gear to tailwheel a long time ago. Ground handling is much improved. I designed my own installation, and it was quite involved because you have to cut the belly open to remove the main gear and build new supports and cut the belly again further forward to install the main gear. I love the taildragger. Sonja On 1/30/13, triumphrider wrote: > > > I love the Pulsar XP. But, the tricycle landing gear is the weak link for my > aircraft. I want to solve some safety concerns. > > I have replaced a cracked castering nose wheel fork in the first 10 hrs of > ownership. Now, while checking the front wheel tension, it appears that the > fork hardware is loose at the engine mount where the shock/spring is mounted > inside the cowling. When I wiggle front and back, it has a couple of inches > of play. That explains the shaking on the last scary landing. The wheel > tension is at 10 lbs, so it's not wheel shimmy. > > A month ago, I actually lost one of the two Allan bolts on the wheel fork > onto the runway (found by the FBO car) and I the wheel locked up and I > couldn't clear the runway with an aircraft tight behind me on short final! I > had to roll the aircraft off the runway pushing down on the tail to lift the > front wheel off the ground and get FBO assistance in towing it to the ramp. > My mistake for not rechecking the tightness of the front wheel bolts during > preflight. The mechanic used no lock-tite on the install of the new wheel > fork and I think didn't tighten fully for fear of cracking the wheel pant. > > Why was this wheel pant design used? > > Questions for the Pulsar XP Owners: > > How does one access this to address this repair-Does it require an engine > removal? > > Can someone give me an idea for a replacement shock spring? I was told a > 500-lb mountain bike shock (unloaded) could be modified to work. Any > suggestions? > > Is there a better set up for the front wheel than two Allan screws that > screw into the wheel rim? Surely, there is a solid axle option-perhaps, on > the larger front wheel option? > > Can a modification from Tricycle Gear to Tailwheel Gear transformation be > done on a completed aircraft? If so, how difficult is it? Has anyone done > it? Sure seems like it would solve my problems and concerns of an off runway > excursion someday. > > I'm mostly on smooth, long paved runways. But, a recent mechanic find has > the shop on a grass runway (Indiantown, FL). > > Should I just buy the KitFox updated front landing gear (Same unit used in > the KitFox Super Sport with larger diameter nose gear, HD fork and rubber > shock set up)? It's pretty rich at $1500 before installation. > > The A/C, built in 1997 has 860 TT, a 912 UL 80 hp and I've put about 30 Hrs > on in the past three months since purchase. I had an 2005 Cessna Skylane > before this, so huge change. > > Bring ideas, criticisms, etc. > > Thanks! > > D.Phillips > > > Read this topic online here: > > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=393339#393339 > > ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:52:50 AM PST US Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Front Landing Gear Issues/Question (Tricycle Gear) Pulsar XP From: Larry Wheat The wheel tension should be at 27lbs. I had the shimmy problem until I readjusted my bellville washers on the nose wheel. Cheers, Larry N852LW On Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 7:37 PM, triumphrider < investmentsalesconsultant@gmail.com> wrote: > investmentsalesconsultant@gmail.com> > > I love the Pulsar XP. But, the tricycle landing gear is the weak link for > my aircraft. I want to solve some safety concerns. > > I have replaced a cracked castering nose wheel fork in the first 10 hrs of > ownership. Now, while checking the front wheel tension, it appears that the > fork hardware is loose at the engine mount where the shock/spring is > mounted inside the cowling. When I wiggle front and back, it has a couple > of inches of play. That explains the shaking on the last scary landing. The > wheel tension is at 10 lbs, so it's not wheel shimmy. > > A month ago, I actually lost one of the two Allan bolts on the wheel fork > onto the runway (found by the FBO car) and I the wheel locked up and I > couldn't clear the runway with an aircraft tight behind me on short final! > I had to roll the aircraft off the runway pushing down on the tail to lift > the front wheel off the ground and get FBO assistance in towing it to the > ramp. My mistake for not rechecking the tightness of the front wheel bolts > during preflight. The mechanic used no lock-tite on the install of the new > wheel fork and I think didn't tighten fully for fear of cracking the wheel > pant. > > Why was this wheel pant design used? > > Questions for the Pulsar XP Owners: > > How does one access this to address this repair-Does it require an engine > removal? > > Can someone give me an idea for a replacement shock spring? I was told a > 500-lb mountain bike shock (unloaded) could be modified to work. Any > suggestions? > > Is there a better set up for the front wheel than two Allan screws that > screw into the wheel rim? Surely, there is a solid axle option-perhaps, on > the larger front wheel option? > > Can a modification from Tricycle Gear to Tailwheel Gear transformation be > done on a completed aircraft? If so, how difficult is it? Has anyone done > it? Sure seems like it would solve my problems and concerns of an off > runway excursion someday. > > I'm mostly on smooth, long paved runways. But, a recent mechanic find has > the shop on a grass runway (Indiantown, FL). > > Should I just buy the KitFox updated front landing gear (Same unit used in > the KitFox Super Sport with larger diameter nose gear, HD fork and rubber > shock set up)? It's pretty rich at $1500 before installation. > > The A/C, built in 1997 has 860 TT, a 912 UL 80 hp and I've put about 30 > Hrs on in the past three months since purchase. I had an 2005 Cessna > Skylane before this, so huge change. > > Bring ideas, criticisms, etc. > > Thanks! > > D.Phillips > > > Read this topic online here: > > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=393339#393339 > > -- Larry Wheat ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 01:04:50 PM PST US From: "HUGH COULTER" Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Front Landing Gear Issues/Question (Tricycle Gear) Pulsar XP The XP has a vne of 160 MPH. With the 912 it will be close to vne. The 012S is too much HP for the XP. It should only be installed in a Series II or III which has a higher VNE. As Brian said most Pulsars have a heavy right wing. Clarke On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:37:28 -0800 "triumphrider" wrote: > > > I love the Pulsar XP. But, the tricycle landing gear is >the weak link for my aircraft. I want to solve some >safety concerns. > > I have replaced a cracked castering nose wheel fork in >the first 10 hrs of ownership. Now, while checking the >front wheel tension, it appears that the fork hardware is >loose at the engine mount where the shock/spring is >mounted inside the cowling. When I wiggle front and back, >it has a couple of inches of play. That explains the >shaking on the last scary landing. The wheel tension is >at 10 lbs, so it's not wheel shimmy. > > A month ago, I actually lost one of the two Allan bolts >on the wheel fork onto the runway (found by the FBO car) >and I the wheel locked up and I couldn't clear the runway >with an aircraft tight behind me on short final! I had to >roll the aircraft off the runway pushing down on the tail >to lift the front wheel off the ground and get FBO >assistance in towing it to the ramp. My mistake for not >rechecking the tightness of the front wheel bolts during >preflight. The mechanic used no lock-tite on the install >of the new wheel fork and I think didn't tighten fully >for fear of cracking the wheel pant. > > Why was this wheel pant design used? > > Questions for the Pulsar XP Owners: > > How does one access this to address this repair-Does it >require an engine removal? > > Can someone give me an idea for a replacement shock >spring? I was told a 500-lb mountain bike shock >(unloaded) could be modified to work. Any suggestions? > > Is there a better set up for the front wheel than two >Allan screws that screw into the wheel rim? Surely, there >is a solid axle option-perhaps, on the larger front wheel >option? > > Can a modification from Tricycle Gear to Tailwheel Gear >transformation be done on a completed aircraft? If so, >how difficult is it? Has anyone done it? Sure seems like >it would solve my problems and concerns of an off runway >excursion someday. > > I'm mostly on smooth, long paved runways. But, a recent >mechanic find has the shop on a grass runway (Indiantown, >FL). > > Should I just buy the KitFox updated front landing gear >(Same unit used in the KitFox Super Sport with larger >diameter nose gear, HD fork and rubber shock set up)? >It's pretty rich at $1500 before installation. > > The A/C, built in 1997 has 860 TT, a 912 UL 80 hp and >I've put about 30 Hrs on in the past three months since >purchase. I had an 2005 Cessna Skylane before this, so >huge change. > > Bring ideas, criticisms, etc. > > Thanks! > > D.Phillips > > > > > Read this topic online here: > > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=393339#393339 > > > > > > > >Un/Subscription, >Forums! >Admin. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message pulsar-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Pulsar-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/pulsar-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/pulsar-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.