Ubolt ACA or AC Spruce?

T

Tonto256

New member
I'm having the landing gear ubolts and through bolts replaced on my 79' 8KCAB. ACA is quoting $800 for entire kit while Aircraft Spruce and Univair quote under $300 for same setup. I want the best parts available for the airplane, but am wondering if anyone knows what, is any, difference there is between the three kits. Are the ACA parts different, and/or better?
Able Air also makes the ubolts only kit for $495.
Any experiences or information on any of them is appreciated. Trying to make the safest most sensible purchase,
Thanks
 
The ACA u-bolt replacement is not an actual u-bolt but a flat bar with holes and two NAS bolts. It is a better design than the original u-bolt. Not sure what Spruce offers in their kit.
 
Also, as far as I know, the through bolt is a special design, not a standard (like AN, MS, etc.). Because of the critical nature of this piece of hardware, I would not cheap out.
 
Good information on the through-bolt, thanks; I'll order those though ACA.
Anyone have any experience with newly designed u-bolt set up from Ac Spruce or Univair? Both are FAA/PMA approved replacements for the old u-bolt design.
Im waiting on a call back from the owner of Able Air about their STC'd u-bolt replacement kit.
 
I believe the bolts are MS20007 bolts which are very hi strength bolts. Due to the fact that it's a 7 on the end (stands for 7/16" diameter), and the due to the length needed I don't think this is a bolt you could find at any aircraft hardware supplier. So it would likely be a special order to who ever makes MS bolts.
So I think Robert is correct that it is a special bolt.
 
Spruce does stock the MS 2007 bolts and their corresponding nuts and washers. However no one there can tell you the correct torque spec for that bolt. It is very important that the inner bolts be torqued to the correct value. ACA can provide the hardware and technical info.

ACA makes an adapter that allows you to jack up and support the aircraft at the lift strut attachment point. Very handy when doing work like this.

Bill
 
I had the "U" bolts and the inner through bolts replaced several years ago and used ACA. Don't remember the total cost but do remember that the inner through bolts were in the $50 each range.

There is a AD that requires the replacement of the inner through bolts every 500 hours.

The outer "U" bolts were replaced with the ACA "strap and bolts" set up. Much sturdier than the original U arrangement.
 
No AD for either of the bolt replacements, just recommended in the service manual to replace ubolts and through bolts every 500 hours.
I ordered all the parts through ACA.
 
The ACA advantage is the change in part number...which then excludes it from the specifics of Service Letter C-135.
Also, the ACA part has the top side with a machined radius. Be sure the Brand X pieces have the same or demand a return.
 
Put C-135 on the website!?!
Sheesh you sound like the FAA! :p

Hmm, okay, I was going to just scan it, but when we had that page built...its really hard to add items.
So...I think I might just rebuild the whole page so that I can do things like...add a service letter to our service letter page.

TLDR: Working on it :D
 
Ok, I had to rebuild a bunch of the page. (what's the saying? done right if you do it yourself?)

Hit the tech page and it should be the first letter there (its the oldest).
I had some issues with it only being one page, and my original is a little, umm, old.

But I think its usable now. Let me know if you have issues with C-135
 
Jerry,
Thanks for putting SL C-135 on your web site.
However it has brought up more questions:
1. The SL is talking about the old U bolts, not the current steel bar and MS bolts, correct?
If so then the U bolt torque is not applicable to the new hardware, correct?
2. I have installed the new hardware from ACA, is it still recommended to replace it or NDT it at 500 hours?
3. So if I'm thinking correctly this SL does not apply to the newer ACA gear attach hardware, is this correct?
Thanks for the help,
Bill B
 
The part number changed in order to exempt the new U-bolt.
So, far they are proving to be indestructible. I would make a point of looking at them closely, but you should not need to take them off and NDT them.

The MS20007 Thru-bolt is still the same and should be replaced every 500 hours. This is the part that really takes the loads
 
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