Paul Austin

Paul Austin

Active Member
Hi all
Today i was installing the taper pin in my nose gear were the bolt normally goes. To start with i couldnt get the taper reamer to cut and when i did i some how stupidy let the reamer cut to deep:mad:so now the head of the taper pin actually goes below the surface of the mount when tightend. Does any one have ay ideas how to fix this or can i get an oversize taper pin or did i just stuff my engine frame and nose gear:mad::mad::mad:
 
Have one made!

Paul, I don't know about an oversize taper pin, but if all else fails you could have a slightly larger one made by a machine shop. It will not be cheap, but sure cheaper than a new engine mount and gear leg (especially because it needs to be shipped down under).

Regards, Tonny.
 
Taper Pins

Hi Paul,

Taper pins come in various grip lengths just like bolts. The answer to your problem may be as simple as purchasing a longer taper pin. Here is a specification for AN386 Pins (Thanks to Aircraft Spruce). You can always purchase a pin with a grip length longer than you need and shorten it by cutting off the excess large end of the taper.

If the shoulder on the small threaded end of the taper pin extends more than 1/16 inch beyond the tubing you may need to go to the next larger pin size (AN386-5).

Hope this helps.
 
taper pin??

Hmmmmmm...taper pin. I seem to remember an AN bolt in my 9A nosegear leg.
Is this a design change??

Thanks,
Chris
 
Nose Gear Taper Pin Mod

Hi Chris,

Several years ago I wrote a brief article on replacing the nose gear bolt with a taper pin. You can find the article on the Matronics Wiki here.

A number of people that have tried this have had great difficulty reaming the tapered hole. The strut is very hard metal and does not ream easily. Unless you are really motivated I think you might be better off to use a close tolerance bolt rather than a taper pin. Do a search for nose gear bolts on this Forum and you will find sizes and sources for the bolt you need.
 
Jim Ellis said:
Hi Chris,

Several years ago I wrote a brief article on replacing the nose gear bolt with a taper pin. You can find the article on the Matronics Wiki here.

A number of people that have tried this have had great difficulty reaming the tapered hole. The strut is very hard metal and does not ream easily. Unless you are really motivated I think you might be better off to use a close tolerance bolt rather than a taper pin. Do a search for nose gear bolts on this Forum and you will find sizes and sources for the bolt you need.
Click to expand...

Is the nosegear material different from the 6150 steel used for RV-3/4/6/7 gear legs? I used a taper pin on my RV-3 gear legs and drilling the hole took a lot more effort than reaming the taper. With a new reamer and adequate pressure, it cuts very easily and quickly. You would need a larger diameter pin, since a longer one would still fall through the hole. Sounds like a taper pin is a deviation from the plans, so in theory you could use whatever size pin you'd like...it's experimental :) I've heard of RV-4 drivers having to enlarge the gear retainer bolt to 3/8" because the original wallowed out after several hundred hrs. The only negative to the Wittman gear, it seems to me.
 
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Shipment from Vans

Hi Paul
We are having a shipment of FWF and Finish Kit from Vans to Hobart sometime early next month for a 9A. You are welcome to piggy-back anything you need to ship from Vans.. It may help if you wish..
Thanks
-Neil
 
Nose Gear Bolt hole wear issue

Hi All,

I've seen this issue with a lot of Van's nose gear planes. The motor mount front gear bolt hole wears oblong when the bolt loosens. Taper pins and larger bolts are only a short term solution to a re-occuring problem. Once a taper pin hole or larger bolt hole wears again, fixing the problem will require a new mount and new gear leg.
What I have found is that by using permanent lock tight on the upper gear leg fitting eliminates the re-occuring problem.




sandifer said:
Is the nosegear material different from the 6150 steel used for RV-3/4/6/7 gear legs? I used a taper pin on my RV-3 gear legs and drilling the hole took a lot more effort than reaming the taper. With a new reamer and adequate pressure, it cuts very easily and quickly. You would need a larger diameter pin, since a longer one would still fall through the hole. Sounds like a taper pin is a deviation from the plans, so in theory you could use whatever size pin you'd like...it's experimental :) I've heard of RV-4 drivers having to enlarge the gear retainer bolt to 3/8" because the original wallowed out after several hundered hrs. The only negative to the Wittman gear, it seems to me.
Click to expand...
 
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