[Finley Atherton]

I am ready to install the nose wheel fairing on my 9A using the new mounting brackets (U-713C-R and U-713C-L) and the new style fork which gives an extra 1? clearance between the fairing and the damper nut. I would like to take advantage of this extra clearance and try mounting the fairing higher than normal to increase the ground clearance, even ?? would be worthwhile. Has anyone done this? I suspect that raising the fairing may cause interference problems where the gear leg enters the top of the fairing. Alternatively, maybe the fairing should be mounted in the standard location and the bottom of the fairing cut away and then re-glassed to give extra ground clearance. I realise any changes to the standard design are likely to cause a speed penalty and I can accept this within reason.
Any comments would be appreciated.

Fin 9A
Australia

 

[pierre smith]

Why?

Hi Finley,
I'm a little curious as to why you need more clearance.......mud maybe?

One good tip: When you attach the brackets that the axle bolt holds on, mark their location on the fork with a black ink/magic marker line and install nutplates on them. This way you never need to remove the nosewheel when removing the fairings, since the axle bolt will keep the brackets. The lines are so that they can be precisely aligned the next time you change the nosewheel tire (tyre?)
G'day,

 

[Finley Atherton]

Hi Finley,
I'm a little curious as to why you need more clearance.......mud maybe?

Pierre,
Drought in a large part of Australia. Not much of a mud problem. My 9A will be based on my farm and will also visit other farm airstrips and airstrips in remote parts of Australia. IMHO I would just feel more comfortable knowing I have a little more clearance than the standard installation gives. If the nose wheel fairing catches it can cause the leg to bend backwards. I know, I know, maybe I should have a 9 instead of a 9A or a perhaps a different type of aircraft, but I am sticking with the 9A. Thanks for the tip about not having to remove the wheel. I don?t know for sure but I think the new style brackets allow removal of the fairing without removing the axle bolt.

Fin 9A
Australia

 

[rvbuilder2002]

I don?t know for sure but I think the new style brackets allow removal of the fairing without removing the axle bolt.

Fin 9A
Australia

You are correct. Your brackets are quite different than what Pierre has on his 6A and they will allow removal of the fairing without removing the axle bolt.
I believe you are also correct in thinking that you will have problems with the gear leg if you raise the level of the fairing. When installed per plans the bend in the nose gear leg is just above the exit point of the fairing. If you raise the fairing you will require a very large hole in the top for the gear leg to swing through when the fork pivots.