Those pesky gear compression ( suck up) cables.

blimpy

blimpy

New member
I need to order new "suck up" or gear compression cables. the little cables that make the gear legs compress when the wheels tuck up under the wing.

Manual says to put the plane up on jacks and measure with the gear fully extended.
OK.

But, heres the problem - or what seems to be a problem. The lower half of the cable passes through
a tubular guide welded to the bottom gear leg, and that has a micronta ( bakelite) insert to reduce friction.

But hey ! The fork at the end of this assembled cable has to pass through that metal tube !

Even if I remove the bakelite sleve ( only with trepidation) it doesn't look like the fork will pass through the metal tube.

Do my eyes decieve me ???? The darn thing is assembled with MACHINE SWAGED ball fittings... which means the whole thing has to be fabricated in a shop ( no hand swaggers for those balls) and then installed on the airplane.

on a related subject.. I am replacing these things because they are getting creamed by the gear legs perhaps compressing too much on some landings. I repositioned the tangs which helped some..
but I'm thinking maybe springs are sagging a bit ? Never bottomed out even on horrible bounces.
always plenty of damping... ( great gear actually ! )
no... not landing that badly anymore thanks !

Capt L.
 
Howdy Capt, You will have to remove bakelite anti friction plug (2 halves) and then measure the ID of the welded fitting vs. swedged end but,it should pass thru. I bought completed cables from Alex Acft. If they don't have the bakelite bushings (now plastic) you can turn them down easily from teflon rod. The springs inside the oleo compress over the years an can also be had from AAC (on my -3 they were compressed about a 1/2 in. ..Cheers Ken
 
Thanks Ken.

I still have the bakelite guides.

Did you have to measure for your little cables ( per the owners manual) or did Alexandria send them made up to a set length ( be surprised if that were the case).

I was going to use aircraft spruce... but less translation factor ordering from Bellanca.

I'm going to be pretty deep into the piggy bank on this annual... with the new brakes,
and a new to me A&I. Pondering....
 
Hmm.. the -3 has the cruismaster ( and later) style gearlegs... -2 and earlier are a bit different.
However I guess they all have to compress to the same length... so if the wing attach point is the same,
then the prefabs should work.
 
Make sure that you tell AAC that the cables are for a -2...Also give them the hole to hole distances from the fittings at the ends of the cables so there can't be any dissapointment when you open your package :D ken
 
ok.. per the manual the only way to get the correct length is to get the
bird up on jacks and let the gear leg extend fully.

which will happen next week... and then we'll wait.

the micarta guide must be in two parts or at least slotted, how else can you
get the cable through the guide ?
larry
 
Dissapointments indeed!
$372 bill for a pair of partial cables that seem to have little to do with my -2.

Didn't have time to measure and draw out what I needed.

But boy.. I sure do now !

( several old saws apply... take your pick)

yeah you warned me !

Next time.. I will have aircraft spruce make what I ask for.

Meanwhile the cable I made myself is working nicely. ( dunt esk). :mrgreen: :shock:
 
When I first bought my Cruisemaster those cables were getting damaged because they were improperly routed. Found pictures and properly re-routed rebuilt cables and the cables have been perfect the last 20+ years.
 
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