Installing main gear legs in the engine mount

[N941WR]

Help!

I'm installing the main landing gear on my -9 today and after much work I was able to bolt the left gear leg on to the engine mount but the right gear leg still needs to move up about 1/8" before the holes line up.

I have tried everything I can think of but I'm not making any progress.

How have the other taildragger builders gotten their gear legs in place?

Thanks for the help.

 

[joeboisselle]

I had the exact same problem with my right gear leg. If you can get it back out without damage, inspect it for scratches and make sure it is very clean. Mine had two or three small dents in it, about the size of the tip of a ball point pen. As I pushed the gear up into the mount, those little dents each created a scratch and a build up of metal that eventually kept it from reaching the top. Some gentle filing smoothed out the damage, and a light duty lubricant made getting it all the way up quite a bit easier. Hope that helps.

 

[Capflyer]

I just put my gear legs on yesterday and had a similar experience. I figured that the small amount of paint inside the weldment might be an issue so I took 800 grit sandpaper and lightly sanded the inside then cleaned it up. The gear legs went right in. The tolorances are so tight that just a few specs of paint were enough to stop the leg from going all the way in. I also put some grease on the polished areas of the gear leg to both aid in sliding it in and to help prevent corrosion.

 

[N941WR]

Thanks guys!

I pulled both gear legs off today, used some fire sealant on the fire wall where the cut outs for the legs are, scotch brighted the surfaces and guess what, they went right in. Total time, less than an hour.

It went so well I hung the engine.

 

[joeboisselle]

They're pretty tight huh? It seems like there is zero clearance for anything in the way. I had a hard time to get my right gear back out... 1" wood dowl with small hammer took some work. But like you did, a little cleanup work with some lube and it went right in. Glad to help, wish I got my engine on the same day I got the gear on. Lucky!

 

[mike newall]

Scotchbrited all the mating surfaces, inside the receptor as well, good coating of grease - slid in a treat.