REFLECTOR: FG nose gear play

[Hiroo Umeno]

How did you "repair" the shock?

I am not sure about yours but mine was installed while the top half of the fuselage was still OFF.  The gear leg was installed from above with the fork off and to do that, I will probably need to remove the canard, instrument panel, radios, brake assembly, the control yoke systems, etc and cut off the top of fuselage forward of windshield to the canard dog-house.  Talk about major work!

Hiroo
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From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Velocity
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 2:00 PM
To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: FG nose gear play

Hiroo,

I have had issues with the nose gear rubber shock deforming (even from the plane sitting on the ground during building for 2 years). In the last 3 years I have either added spacers to take up the void created by the deformed rubber shock or totally replaced it to eliminate fore and aft movement of the nose gear leg.  I was getting shimmy of the nose gear when there was too much play.  Even after a few landings with a new rubber shock (not hard landings), I noticed some play return in the nose gear (fore and aft) and with each additional landing it will only get worse.

I also found this issue with some other FG owners (newly completed aircraft with just a few landings).

The rubber shock that Velocity has been supplying with the kit is no longer available (it was an automotive part available through NAPA, Carquest, etc). I spoke with Scott Swing about this issue a few months ago and recommended that it is a good time to re-design the entire nose gear shock situation as repeated repairs to this area is time consuming.

Waiting to hear back from Velocity on a re-design - putting in a new rubber shock, should you find one, will only be a temporary solution - in my opinion.

Regards,

Kevin
Scottsdale, AZ

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From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Hiroo Umeno
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 1:27 PM
To: reflector at tvbf.org
Subject: REFLECTOR: FG nose gear play
For a Std FG aircraft (SUV) how much play is normal for the nose gear strut?  My nose gear has a bit of play both fore-aft and left-right. It is not much.  Perhaps it moves about 1" fore - aft and ½" left - right at the nose wheel fork attach point with the nose lifted and pushed by hand at the bottom.  Given the way the whole assembly is mounted (at the pivot point up-top and captivator plate and rubber shock against the bulkhead) I am guessing that some amount of movement is normal. The lateral movement, however concerned me a bit and I checked the knurled bushing that is potted into the keel and that part is not moving at all.

Should I be concerned about this?

Hiroo

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