3300 Nose Gear Actuator - Collapse

06-01-2008, 03:35 AM

Geoff | 3300 Nose Gear Actuator - Collapse

I had a nose gear colaps< and i am told that this is coman and proventable if you just ad a nother beed of weld to the inside> can anyown think of anything elce that i should check for? Geoff

06-03-2008, 03:36 AM

Fred Lohr | 3301

Geoff, i think i am the current record holder for different ways to break the nose gear. this may be in part due to the fact that i used to tow it up a hill with a tractor during the testing phase, then beat it up with some landings on my bumpy turf field. The preventative steps are to 1:bond and bolt some stainless steel plates where the rod passes thru the bulkheads and where the actuator attaches on the left one to spread the load. 2:Make sure the you have the newer style fork with the three tabs (instead of two) welded where the actuator and gas shock attach. 3) the welds between the tube and the the 1/4 in aluminum tabs to which the lower end of the oleo is attached need to be beefed up. Make them longer and try to weld inside as far as you can reach. 4) where the fork is attached to the spindle, install larger bolts in rear, and drill all way through on the front and put nuts on. The front takes a load in tension and threads will pull out of the aluminum block. 5)Make sure you have very strong angles to block gear doors from caving in under water landings or mishaps, add a piece of 1" angle aluminum between the two bulkeads to block the tire from coming up and blowing the nose lid off on a water mishap. 6) It is possible to shear off the triangular, block end of the spindle from the tubular part, keep an eye on this for cracks and consider inserting a machined piece of about inch diameter aluminum rod 2 inches long up inside if you will be on rough fields. 7)if you are on turf or gravel, find a way to keep grit from collecting around the oleo upper and lower halves, the scratches that result will make it leak I now use the "hold the yoke back" technique that Jack Ardoyno taught me on all takeoffs which is more gentle on rough fields.

06-03-2008, 03:40 AM

Geoff | 3302

Fred, Thank you for the reply. I need two parts that I am having truble finding. 1,Nose gear actuator, I tried Control line Eq. 2,The rod end that screws in the end of the oleo. If anyone has parts or knows how to get them please let me know. Geoff

06-03-2008, 03:44 AM

Planemakers | 3303

Hi Guys, I'm trying to help Geoff find these parts and having the same trouble he is.

The rod end that is in the upper end of the old style Oleo is a 7/16-20 thread with a 5/8 bore. I have looked and called around and can't find them. I don't have one here to look at becuse all my customers have the new style Oleo. Is this rod end the type that has the swivel ball or is it a fixed type end that has no swivel? As for the actuator... SNA must have really burned some bridges with their suppliers because the old style actuator can't be had. I can't find any indication on the new style ones where they came from.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

06-03-2008, 03:45 AM

Geoff | 3304

The rod end is the that is fixed and has no swivel. It has a bronz bushing in it. Geoff

06-03-2008, 03:48 AM

Fred Lohr | 3305

the old style actuator that i broke before ordering a new style one from sna is marked Control Line CXC-910063. the contol line people sent me a new one when i contacted them directly with this number a few years ago. I did not mention SNA. The newer style one is superior because the tabs with the brass bushings are much thicker and not as prone to breaking. The tabs are only about 1/8 thick on the old contol line one. by the time they were drilled for the brass bushing, there was not much metal left. The old style has an end about 2 inches in diameter vs the new style where the fixed end is 1 3/8. I have an old one as a temporary spare in case i ever break the new one but would be willing to part with it get Geoff flying again, just send me an email. It is likely a competent machine shop could make up a new end for the actuator while you are flying with my spare. On the moving end with the rod both old and new have the swivle style rod end that should be findable. while on the topic of actuators, my flap actuator has devolped an internal leak that makes the pump cycle unless the flap switch is in the off position. Probably a rebuild with new o rings will help. but a source for these actuators would still be a good thing to know.

06-03-2008, 03:50 AM

Mike | 3306

Control line will sell parts....at least they did a year ago. I have a new flap actuator if you need one or you could rebuild it for $50.00. Mine failed when Jack and I were checking out the plane a year ago. I found a local shop that rebuilt it for $50.00 in North Fort Myers, Fla. I will Look for the address and phone number. Its been a year and no leaks.