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Nose Wheel Pant Fit

T

tx_jayhawk

Well Known Member
Guys,

Hoping to get some feedback on others who have completed their nose wheel fairings on the 7A or 9A. The plans say 16" from the rear edge of the pant to the nose wheel axle, yet I am at 16.5 and have had to remove a fair amount from the front of the rear half to even get it that close. In looking at others websites, it appears that most have not had to remove any from the rear half? I am wondering if the plans are possibly in error?

What have others experienced? Is 16.5 close enought? This is the new fork and brackets if that matters. The spacer on top of my tire is 7/8" per the plans.

20st2wx.jpg



Thanks,
Scott
 
Hi Scott,
Is it possible that your brackets are mounted too low inside the aft-half of the fairing? That would essentially move the pant upwards, closer to the gear leg. I'm guessing that's your problem.
 
Sonny,

Are you referring to the wheel pant bracket? I have the new one piece brackets, and I think it is about impossible to mount them wrong (I am pretty sure they are right).

Most other pictures i have seen just don't have them as far forward as they are, and I am wondering whether others have really followed the 16" dimension.

Thanks,
Scott
 
That fairing looks too high to me. Looks like it won't turn easily around the nose leg without a huge cutout. My cutout is just about the width of the overlap edge.

I don't know anything about the new bracket but is it possible you munted it upside down?

greg
 
I think the pant is too high. I never had to cut into the rear half on my 7A to clear the leg. Check the clearance at the top of the tire. There needs to be only about an inch between the top of the tire and the pant interior. I mounted my wheel pant with both the old and new brackets and the fit was the same for both.

Roberta
 
Last edited:
Questions Answered

To answer some of the comments:

Here is a shot of the brackets...I beleive they are mounted correct.

15wdpwi.jpg


Here is a better side pic of the wheel pant.

2j4atua.jpg


Here is a closeup. You can see the dimple in the glass. Not sure if that is supposed to be the axle centerline, but it is not 16" from the rear edge as the plans say is the axle centerline (blue glass mark is 16" from rear).

2dke1ib.jpg


Here is a pic of the spacer I am using...the picture is deceiving, but it is 7/8" per the plans.

2lvhi10.jpg


Should the spacer be less than 7/8"? Any other thoughts?

Thanks,
Scott
 
Looks off to me

I recently completed my nose wheel pant installation and I too didn't need to cut a relief into the aft pant like you have. I did have to cut a small radius into the 1" lap extension on the aft pant to clear the nose gear leg.

When I installed the wheel pant I bought some all tread to use in place of the bolt. I cut it to approximately the length of the inside of the wheel pant (wall to wall minus a small amount). I then drilled a #40 holes in the ends (aligned with the axis of the all thread) of the all thread on the drill press. If I had a lathe it would have been a little easier. I found the axel mark on the wheel pant and marked it with a sharpie. Then I slipped the wheel pant on and checked to see if everything looked OK. I drilled the pant with a #40s hole through the axel marks, reinstalled the pant and inserted two #40 drill bits to hole the pant and into the temporary axel.

After that I drilled the attachment brackets. It all came out fine.
 
Thanks Paul. was your axle centerline 16" from the aft edge of the rear half?

I am starting to wonder if I got a wrong part, although i can't imagine what it is.
 
Tune of: Paradise by the Dashboard Light

Ain't no doubt about it: That wheel pant is too high.

Hans
 
Attached is a shot of my wheel pant showing how much tire is exposed. Your's may be too high exposing too much tire. Does your spacer just support the pant in the middle or apex of the pant? Try using a narrower spacer in just the center of the tire.

Roberta

pant2.jpg
 
Thanks.

I made a smaller spacer (only .5" wide and 7/8" high (per the plans)) and ensured it was centered. It appears that the 6 -13/16" height of the rear fairing centerline dimension that I am maintaining is what causes the front of the rear half to ride half. I can push down the front of the rear half and slide it farther forward, but then the rear trailing edge pushes up to 8 or more inches.

Airplane is level with no weight on the wheels, and the nose wheel axle is 5.5" off the floor (per the plans).

I have the spacer centered over the axle centerline...should it be pushed further forward?

Sorrry for all the questions and posts...this is really frustrating at the moment.

Thanks,
Scott
 
Scott,

Brackets look correct, but they look too low on the pant (i.e., the pant is still clearly too high. I'm not sure why the spacer would put your pant so high. I don't remember seeing a dimple on the pant for the axle. The positioning fore-aft looks about the same as on my 9A (which is not quite the same as Roberta's - her leg comes in forward of where mine does).

Wish I could help more but it's not clear to me what is causing the problem.....

greg
 
If I remember correctly, there should be a measurement taken from the vertical center of the tail of the pant to the floor. This would set the position of the pant. Seems I taped a paint stick to the back of the pant to set this height.

Hope this helps.

Roberta
 
Positioned per print

tx_jayhawk said:
Thanks Paul. was your axle centerline 16" from the aft edge of the rear half?

I am starting to wonder if I got a wrong part, although i can't imagine what it is.
Click to expand...

I positioned the pant per the plan dimensions. I verified the position before drilling the brackets on. I don't recall the spacer thickness and I relied on the dimple in the pant (checked it to the print). I can't check the axle position with respect to the trailing edge because the pant is primered and the axle isn't visible through the pant and the pant is not installed on the aircraft at this time.

As I recall the tire rough cut cutout wasn't enough and I had to open in up to get the pant into position. That was the only adjustment I had to make.

You will have to build up the area where the bracket contact the inner surface of the wheel pant with fiberglass. Add many layers (8-10) and grind away as required. Once you are happy with the buildup thickness (IE when the clecos are installed they don't pull the bracket to the pant or the pant to bracket) drill the holes for the forward pant attach. This way you will avoid any shifting alignment of the forward #6 screw holes due to any flexing of the aft pant (IE don't drill the two together on the bench, do it on the airplane, at least a few holes).

Your mileage may vary,

Paul
 
Thanks all again for the feedback. I have been positining the vertical height of the tail of the pant per the plans, which is giving me the result I have.

The dimple in the glass is definiitely not the 16" (per the plans). If I follow the dimple I would likely not have the forward fit problem, but I would also not have it as far forward as the plans state.

At this point, I may need to review in detail with Vans on Monday. I am really wondering whether I have a defective part that was not made per the proper dimensions. Hard to believe that is the case (otherwise looks OK to me), but there does not seem to be an explanation otherwise.

Scott
 
Photos my my wheel pant for reference.

Pmerems said:
I positioned the pant per the plan dimensions. I verified the position before drilling the brackets on. I don't recall the spacer thickness and I relied on the dimple in the pant (checked it to the print). I can't check the axle position with respect to the trailing edge because the pant is primered and the axle isn't visible through the pant and the pant is not installed on the aircraft at this time.

As I recall the tire rough cut cutout wasn't enough and I had to open in up to get the pant into position. That was the only adjustment I had to make.

You will have to build up the area where the bracket contact the inner surface of the wheel pant with fiberglass. Add many layers (8-10) and grind away as required. Once you are happy with the buildup thickness (IE when the clecos are installed they don't pull the bracket to the pant or the pant to bracket) drill the holes for the forward pant attach. This way you will avoid any shifting alignment of the forward #6 screw holes due to any flexing of the aft pant (IE don't drill the two together on the bench, do it on the airplane, at least a few holes).

Your mileage may vary,

Paul
Click to expand...

I have posted a few photos of my wheel pant for reference.

http://www.experimentalaero.com/photos/nose pant1.jpg
http://www.experimentalaero.com/photos/nose pant2.jpg
http://www.experimentalaero.com/photos/nose pant3.jpg
 
I was working on mine today!

For mine (RV-9A), the spacer distance was 5/8", and I did not use a side spacer.

I also found I had to bend the bracket tabs inward to make the side to side distance between the two brackets narrower, which allows the pant to sit lower. As with the others, I only had to make a small cutout for the gear leg.
 
Nose wheel pant fit after SB

Tx Jayhawk, please let us know what your eventual solution is. I seem to have the same problem after doing the nose gear SB on my 10yr old 6A. I'm just going to fly without the wheel pant until I can figure this out.
GZ
 
GZ,

I've talked to numerous folks (and Vans) and found this to be a common problem. There is a thread here that appears to be almost identical as well:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=42352&highlight=gear+fairing+alignment


The general guidance is to just "make it fit". I have not completed the work yet, but I will plan to scoot it back a bit, make a smaller spacer ~5/8", and try bending the mounting brackets a bit to get it lower. Will report back with the results when done.

Thanks,
Scott
 
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