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prkaye

Well Known Member
For those with finished planes, how do you do tire changes? Do you put a regular jack somewhere under the axle and jack up one side at a time?
 
All the RV tool sellers (maybe Van's too) sell a jack fitting that slides inside the hollow axle. Get one. Using this jack fitting requires a modification to the wheel axle nut.

When it is time to pull the wheels, you remove the wheel pants, jack one side using a floor jack or bottle jack and the special fitting. Then you pull the nut and wheel and lower the axle onto wooden blocks. Next, remove the jack and fitting and repeat the process on the other side.

Reverse the sequence to replace the wheels.

The process is a bit slow, but has the benefit of being simple and hard to screw up.
 
scrounge a little

I made my own wing jacks out of found items. One hydrolic jack and one screw jack. Both were built up to the right highth with wooden a-frames made from scrap lumber and drywall screws. They lift at the tie down like the real thing only I dont have to remove the tie down 'cause I made a slot to hold the rings. By the way, I've found that airport dumpsters are the most fruitfull providers for the avid diver.
 
Engine hoist

I simply wrap a strap around the engine mount, hook up to the engine hoist and lift.
 
Similar approach

Mel said:
I simply wrap a strap around the engine mount, hook up to the engine hoist and lift.
Click to expand...

The Schweiss hangar door on my hangar (bifold type) is rated to lift over 3000lbs. I simply use it as a hoist. Top cowl off, straps around the engine mount and the door frame and lift the nose 1" off the ground.

I saw a guy pull a V8 racing engine from a boat with the door.

FYI, the gear lift type isn't going help you get the wheels and tires off. It has to be lifted with the axle clear.
 
That was you!!!

billnaz said:
I made my own wing jacks out of found items. One hydrolic jack and one screw jack. Both were built up to the right highth with wooden a-frames made from scrap lumber and drywall screws. They lift at the tie down like the real thing only I dont have to remove the tie down 'cause I made a slot to hold the rings. By the way, I've found that airport dumpsters are the most fruitfull providers for the avid diver.
Click to expand...

That was you!!! I saw a set of feet hanging of a dumpster at CHD a couple of weeks ago.:D
 
Mel said:
I simply wrap a strap around the engine mount, hook up to the engine hoist and lift.
Click to expand...

Don't think this method would work as well for the "A" models, though I suppose you could put a sawhorse under the tail or something.
 
Didn't the Model "A" come right after the Model "T"?

Jim Percy said:
Don't think this method would work as well for the "A" models.
Click to expand...

"A" Model? Why in the world would any one build a "Model A"? Sorry, Couldn't resist.
 
An idea I got from a local builder was the following. Get a short (1 foot) section of steel rod about 3/4 to 7/8 inches in diameter. Take the axle nut off, and slide this steel rod into the axle, with enough sticking out that you can get a jack under it. Then jack up by this steel rod, and then put wooden blocks under the axle on the other (back) side of the wheel. With these wooden blocks supporting the axle, you can remove the jack and slide the wheel off.
Anybody else tried this approach?
 
prkaye said:
An idea I got from a local builder was the following. Get a short (1 foot) section of steel rod about 3/4 to 7/8 inches in diameter. Take the axle nut off, and slide this steel rod into the axle, with enough sticking out that you can get a jack under it. Then jack up by this steel rod, and then put wooden blocks under the axle on the other (back) side of the wheel. With these wooden blocks supporting the axle, you can remove the jack and slide the wheel off.
Anybody else tried this approach?
Click to expand...

Sorta like this?

http://www.averytools.com/p-181-rv-jack-stand.aspx

181.jpg


I've used the Avery RV jack many times and it works fine even without the modified axle nuts. No reason why the steel rod idea shouldn't work as well if you use a floor jack.
 
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Modified axle nut

If you modify the axle nut as suggested how do you attach the outer bracket for the wheel pants? On My 7A there is a bolt into the center of the axle nut holding on the bracket. What am I missing?
 
Mel said:
I simply wrap a strap around the engine mount, hook up to the engine hoist and lift.
Click to expand...

This method works very well for the RV-8. I recently used it on my condition inspection.

When you take the weight off the wheels on an RV-8, the wheels move inboard -- quite a bit. Because of this movement, I'm not sure how well the various methods of jacking near the wheels would work on a -8. Although I've never tried it, I would think the gear legs would start to move as soon as the friction between the tire and the ground was reduced. A steel rod through the axle might allow the gear to move inboard and potentially topple the jack.
 
Geoff said:
This method works very well for the RV-8. I recently used it on my condition inspection.

When you take the weight off the wheels on an RV-8, the wheels move inboard -- quite a bit. Because of this movement, I'm not sure how well the various methods of jacking near the wheels would work on a -8. Although I've never tried it, I would think the gear legs would start to move as soon as the friction between the tire and the ground was reduced. A steel rod through the axle might allow the gear to move inboard and potentially topple the jack.
Click to expand...

The gear legs of an RV-6 move inboard as well, though not more than an inch or so. But I always use a floor jack with rollers under the Avery RV jack to keep everything safely aligned. A bottle jack as shown in the photo would be a little too sporty for me. :)
 
Wheel will not tuck in.

Sam Buchanan said:
The gear legs of an RV-6 move inboard as well, though not more than an inch or so. But I always use a floor jack with rollers under the Avery RV jack to keep everything safely aligned. A bottle jack as shown in the photo would be a little too sporty for me. :)
Click to expand...

When jacking the aircraft by the axle with a rod in the axle, you never remove the weight of the aircraft from the axle, therefore the wheel / axle does not move in as it would if you lifted the weight of the aircraft by the motor mount or the wings.

I find this way to be a safe way to service the wheels. Remove the nut, slide in the rod, jack it up, slide the wheel onto the rod, place a wooden block under the axle right where the wheel was, let down the jack to set the axle on the block. Remove the jack and slide out the wheel.

You just lifted the axle only two inches to do this and never during that time you would have been able to drop the aircraft on the ground or punch through a wing...:eek:

If you are using the stock axle nut, mark the top before removing. When you go to install the wheel just slide in the rod, slide the wheel onto the rod and jack it up, remove the block, slide the wheel in place. And then lower the jack nice and slow. Remove the rod and install the nut to the same location as you marked it.
 
Exactly

Jim Percy said:
Don't think this method would work as well for the "A" models, though I suppose you could put a sawhorse under the tail or something.
Click to expand...

Hi Jim,

Exactly. Just put a saw horse back there with padding and use the same method. The nose will be slightly higher. Very quick and easy.

I also used this method to calibrate the fuel tanks since they needed to calibrated (each side) in two gallon increments in flying and ground position. For this a padded strap was fitted around the fuselage at the bulkhead forward of the HS. I raised the plane to level flight attitude with the hangar door and made an alignment mark on the door and hangar wall, confirmed with the level taped to the longeron. This made this process very easy.

BTW, I discussed this with Mr. Schwiess before embarking and got his approval.

"Work smarter, not harder."
 
Geoff said:
.....When you take the weight off the wheels on an RV-8, the wheels move inboard -- quite a bit. Because of this movement, I'm not sure how well the various methods of jacking near the wheels would work on a -8.........
Click to expand...
Sure, the -8, especially fitted with Grove Gear is a slightly different animal. I find the "Handy Jack" works especially well. Inboard movement of the wheel as weight is removed is minor and within seconds, the tire is clear of the ground and can then be removed from the axle without any wheel nut modification. The Handy Jack is said to work well on tubular gear and the link provided is illustrated with photos demonstrating the lifting process on an RV-6.

http://aviationtechproducts.com/html/products_pics.html#RVJACK
 
why modify axle nut?

I don't understand why modifying the axle nut would be required. Why not just remove the axle nut prior to jacking it up??

I find this way to be a safe way to service the wheels. Remove the nut, slide in the rod, jack it up, slide the wheel onto the rod, place a wooden block under the axle right where the wheel was, let down the jack to set the axle on the block. Remove the jack and slide out the wheel.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what a local builder recommended to me. I picked up a 1 foot piece of cold-rolled steel rod for less than 10 bucks.
 
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gasman said:
When jacking the aircraft by the axle with a rod in the axle, you never remove the weight of the aircraft from the axle, therefore the wheel / axle does not move in as it would if you lifted the weight of the aircraft by the motor mount or the wings.
Click to expand...

You are correct, guess I was thinking about the slight movement down the axle when the nut is removed and the wheel is still loaded. I don't use the modified axle nut with the RV Jack so see some movement of the wheel when the nut is removed.

Last couple of times tires were flipped I used my homemade version of this apparatus:

http://www.averytools.com/p-913-the-handy-jack-eldorado-aviation.aspx

It worked quite nicely and allows the tire to be spun with the nut in place.
 
gasman said:
When jacking the aircraft by the axle with a rod in the axle, you never remove the weight of the aircraft from the axle, therefore the wheel / axle does not move in as it would if you lifted the weight of the aircraft by the motor mount or the wings.
Click to expand...

Good to know. Without doing any technical analysis, it seemed to me like a large tire surface against concrete might produce a lot more friction than a metal rod inside the axle. I wasn't sure if the axle would slide on the rod.
 
prkaye said:
I don't understand why modifying the axle nut would be required. Why not just remove the axle nut prior to jacking it up??



This is exactly what a local builder recommended to me. I picked up a 1 foot piece of cold-rolled steel rod for less than 10 bucks.
Click to expand...

The nut is what keeps the wheel on the axle. When the nut is removed the wheel could slip out.
 
Danger Will Robinson!

If there is anything I could volunteer, (allbeit slightly off the real question) it would be to remove the valve stem before you remove the wheel from the aircraft. And when you re-inflate the wheel... make sure it's installed before you service it. Also do Not stand next to (in the direction where the wheel half would fly off) the wheel half when you service it. I know it's relatively low pressure, however IMHO, it may save the day.
Best
Brian Wallis

(not to insult anyone's intelligence but I've seen wheels come apart and it's real ugly)
 
I just changed out a stock Van's gear to a Grove gear on an -8. I used a hoist and lifted from the engine mount and this worked very well. One word of caution, be sure you know the lifting capacity of the item between the mount and the hoist. I used a nylon strap so as not to mar the engine mount, but checked the capacity first. Plus I had a safety chain just in case :)

Jim Shannon
RV-8 N184TJ
Charlottesville, VA
 
The nut is what keeps the wheel on the axle. When the nut is removed the wheel could slip out
Click to expand...

Slipping the wheel out is exactly what you are trying to do when changing a tire. I think you're suggesting it could happen before you want it to, but I'm trying to imagine how that could possibly happen. First the weight of the plane is resting on the wheel, so popping that nut off there's no way the wheel is just going come off. Then you put the rod in the axle and the jack under it, outside the wheel. The wheel still can't come off... the jack itself is in the way and the weight of the airplane on the jack will be more than enough to keep the wheel from sliding down and knocking the jack out. Then you put wooden blocks on under the axle on the inside of the wheel, remove the jack, and then you deliberately take the wheel off. I can't see a scenario where the wheel could "slip out" at an undesireable time.
 
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Mel said:
I simply wrap a strap around the engine mount, hook up to the engine hoist and lift.
Click to expand...

There are a lot of mechanics (I used to work for an A&P/IA) that would hook up to the lifting point on the lycoming. They would lift the front of the plane that way. :eek: Made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

The crankcase is aluminum. I would never try to lift that much weight that way.

Karl
 
Karl is right. Never lift the airplane by the engine lifting eye.
I know it's done regularly but it really shouldn't be.
 
prkaye said:
I don't understand why modifying the axle nut would be required. Why not just remove the axle nut prior to jacking it up??
Click to expand...

To remove the wheel, probably OK. To install it though, you remove your jacking bar, then insert the nut.

How are you going to tighten the nut to the right torque when the wheel is on the ground, and cannot be moved sideways or rotated? There lies the problem.

With a jacking bar through the nut, you can tighten/torque the wheel off the ground, then lower it and replace the wheel pant nutplate section in the center of the nut.
 
Constant source of amusement

The question of how to jack up an RV comes up regularly and it's a constant source of amusement to hear about the outrageous Rube Goldberg contraptions people come up with to avoid spending $100 for a wing jack to lift their $80K airplane. (Or even less, since you can buy a tall bottle jack from Harbor Freight for about $40 and make your own out of 2x4's and electrical conduit.)

Even Van's gets into the act and I fell for it myself. Early on, I bought that "jackpoint kit" that the factory (still!) sells and tried to use it on my shiny new RV6A. It was a real nuisance to have the jack in the way while I was messing with the wheel, but the worst part was when the u-bolt on the contraption slipped, the plane came crashing down, and the jack ripped a big hole in the brake line. But hey, after the three attempts it took me to make that perfect curly-cue around the axle in the first place, I was an expert at making brake lines -- it only took me half a day's work to repair the damage. I ordered a wing jack from Spruce the next day.

The "jackpoint kit" wasn't a total waste, though. They apparently know it's going to fail and you're going to wind up buying a real wing jack. That must be why they conveniently include a pair of nice plastic jackpoints to screw into your wing tie-down holes.
 
jonbakerok said:
The question of how to jack up an RV comes up regularly and it's a constant source of amusement to hear about the outrageous Rube Goldberg contraptions people come up with to avoid spending $100 for a wing jack to lift their $80K airplane. (Or even less, since you can buy a tall bottle jack from Harbor Freight for about $40 and make your own out of 2x4's and electrical conduit.)
Click to expand...


RV-Jack1.JPG
 
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Lifting

In ther field all you need is a line boy...$5 ought to do it.

remove wheel nut, get line boy to crouch under the outboard end of the the wing and stand up a little..the wheel comes up off the floor quite easily.,,Slide wheel off, put a blocok of wood under the axle.

Done it myself several times

For the shop I bought an $80 HF lifting table...The SJ cowl is a little unweildy so I made a frame to lift the lower cowl in place.

Well if you put the table under the jacking point (with the tie down ring screwed in) it lifts the wheel and is very stable.

Frank
 
RV Jacking

I made a plate with 2in bushings and bolts to match the brake pins. I use a
low profile jack and insert the plate into the brake adaptor and jack the gear.
Works great and allows me to carry it onboard while not taking up any space.
Walt - RV-6A
 
buck said:
I made a plate with 2in bushings and bolts to match the brake pins. I use a
low profile jack and insert the plate into the brake adaptor and jack the gear.
Works great and allows me to carry it onboard while not taking up any space.
Walt - RV-6A
Click to expand...


Do you have a picture or two? We're puzzling this out at the moment...can't jack the plane at the wing tiedowns, since there are no wings ON the plane yet (they're safely tucked away upstairs). But we need to get the wheels off for various things (brake installations, etc.) and brute force (couple of neighbors and friends holding the thing up while I unbolt it) just isn't going to cut it! :)
 
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