REFLECTOR: slow nose gear down indicator

Laurence Coen lwcoen at hotmail.com
Wed Feb 20 19:44:20 CST 2013


Scott,

Yes you can!  Just loosen the lock nut and screw the shaft out a turn or two 
(counter-clockwise).

Larry Coen
N136LC

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Scott Derrick" <scott at tnstaafl.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 2:55 PM
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: slow nose gear down indicator

> Larry,
>
> thanks a lot!  makes perfect sense. So I can re-adjust in-situ?
>
> Scott
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: slow nose gear down indicator
> From: Laurence Coen <lwcoen at hotmail.com>
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
> Date: 02/20/2013 12:29 PM
>
>> Scott,
>>
>> What you are describing happened to me and this was the cause.  The
>> hydraulic cylinder stopped pushing the link over center.  The reason was
>> the lock nut on the end of the hydraulic cylinder shaft wasn't tight
>> enough to prevent the shaft from turning  in the end fitting thus
>> screwing it in gradually.  When I readjusted it I added Lock-tight and
>> made sure the lock nut was nice and tight.  Since the gas spring is now
>> pushing the link over center it is working against the wind force
>> pushing on the gear which tries to hold the link ON center and explains
>> why it doesn't happen in the hangar. The gas spring has less poop when
>> it gets cold on top of that.
>>
>> Larry Coen
>> N136LC
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Scott Derrick" <scott at tnstaafl.net>
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 10:33 AM
>> To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: slow nose gear down indicator
>>
>>> I don't see how, the wind pushes it fully open?
>>>
>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: slow nose gear down indicator
>>> From: John Dibble <aminetech at bluefrog.com>
>>> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
>>> Date: 02/20/2013 09:25 AM
>>>
>>>> Yes.  As the gear goes over center, the gear leg moves forward (retract
>>>> direction).  The wind pushes the leg back toward the "neutral" point.
>>>> The Hydraulics will hold the gear in the over center position.  However
>>>> a strong spring will move it a tiny bit further.  Adjusting the
>>>> microswitch may do the trick.
>>>>
>>>> John
>>>>
>>>> On 2/20/2013 8:53 AM, Scott Derrick wrote:
>>>>> Whats odd is it always go quickly green doing a gear test on jacks, by
>>>>> releasing the the valve or using the hydraulic pump.
>>>>>
>>>>> So maybe the wind pushing on the gear is doing something?
>>>>>
>>>>> Scott
>>>>>
>>>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>>>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: slow nose gear down indicator
>>>>> From: Richard J. Gentil <richard at naples-air-center.com>
>>>>> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
>>>>> Date: 02/20/2013 07:23 AM
>>>>>
>>>>>> Scott,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The gas strut is supposed to help the nose gear go over center during
>>>>>> free fall.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Richard
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone 5
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Feb 20, 2013, at 9:11 AM, Scott Derrick <scott at tnstaafl.net> 
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>     I checked the micro switch a while back and it is mounted solid
>>>>>>> and looks like it works as designed.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>     I will do a thorough inspection of the mechanism, I do every
>>>>>>> annual and its coming up very soon.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>     So maybe I don't understand what the gas strut is for?  I
>>>>>>> thought the hydraulic ram pushed the gear strut to full extension
>>>>>>> but then the gas strut pushed the locking mechanism over center so
>>>>>>> so you are not relying on hydraulic pressure to keep the nose gear
>>>>>>> in the down position when the electric pump is not powered up and
>>>>>>> the pressure eventually leaks down internally.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>     What does the gas strut do?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Scott
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -------- Original Message --------
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: slow nose gear down indicator
>>>>>>> From: Scott Baker <scottb33333 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
>>>>>>> Date: 02/20/2013 05:43 AM
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 2/19/2013 7:38 PM, Scott Derrick wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Lately my nose gear down(green) light has take longer and longer 
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> light up.   The main green lights up, the gear motor stops, 10-15
>>>>>>>>> seconds later I finally get a nose gear green. Actually today it
>>>>>>>>> took
>>>>>>>>> maybe 25 seconds before the nose green lit up.  I was starting to
>>>>>>>>> wonder.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I think my gas strut is getting old,  97 model strut. Maybe it 
>>>>>>>>> just
>>>>>>>>> doesn't have the umphh to push it over center?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Anybody see this type of behavior?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Scott
>>>>>>>> Hi Scott,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> First check the nose gear down micro switch and its mount to
>>>>>>>> confirm the
>>>>>>>> switch is functioning as it should and the micro switch mount is
>>>>>>>> solid.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Something other than the gas spring is the culprit.  If the nose
>>>>>>>> gear
>>>>>>>> linkage is rigged as it should, the hydraulic ram (by virtue of
>>>>>>>> extending itself to its most outward travel) should push the
>>>>>>>> linkage to
>>>>>>>> its over-center position.  As you know, when the ram reaches its
>>>>>>>> furthermost travel, hydraulic pressure builds and ultimately
>>>>>>>> turns the
>>>>>>>> pump off when the 'gear down' hydraulic pressure switch reaches its
>>>>>>>> set
>>>>>>>> pressure (about 550psi).  When this happens, the ram should not be
>>>>>>>> capable of any further travel.  This is a long winded way of saying
>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>> the strength of gas strut has no bearing on the travel of the nose
>>>>>>>> gear
>>>>>>>> linkage.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Check the travel limits of the nose gear ram to make sure that it 
>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>> providing full travel and the gear linkage is over-center when
>>>>>>>> the ram
>>>>>>>> reaches its furthermost travel.  Possible problem areas include
>>>>>>>> loose
>>>>>>>> mounting screws at the base of the nose gear cylinder; ram rod end
>>>>>>>> bearing turning (though not likely); some sort of blockage inside
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> ram that is limiting its full travel; or major slop in the nose 
>>>>>>>> gear
>>>>>>>> linkage pivot bolt bearing/bent bolt.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>>> Scott B.
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the
>>>>>>> understanding which bringeth peace.
>>>>>>> Helen Keller
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> He who knows others is wise;
>>> He who know himself is enlightened.
>>> Lao-tzu
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>
> -- 
> Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds 
> discuss people.
> Eleanor Roosevelt
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