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Thread: How to check landing gear alignment?

  1. #31

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    Default Re: How to check landing gear alignment?

    My own invention to do this..... pretty easy to make. Go buy a dollar store laser pointer.
    Get a piece of 1 inch angle iron about 10 inches long. Take a piece of tubing that the laser will just slide into. Cut the tubing to make a socket for the laser.
    Weld the tubing on the corner vertex of the angle iron as square as you cab get it. Use some teflon tape to wrap the laser so you get a snug wiggle free fit into the tube

    Use a close pin to push the button down on the laser. once the laser is firmly imbedded in the tube socket--- take off your wheels and clamp the angle iron to the
    axle with hose clamps. Swing the laser forward and allow it to project forward about 50 feet to a paper target. mark the spot. NOW--- flip the angle iron over 180 degrees
    on the same axle. repeat and mark 2-nd spot. The wheel is pointing to a spot exactly half way between the to marked spots. Then do the other side. That will tell you
    very accurately what your toe angles are. I used it on a non-tapered spindle--- (maybe easier than a stepped spindle-- )
    Tim

  2. #32

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    Default Re: How to check landing gear alignment?

    BTW---- how much toe in angle are we supposed to have on each side for optimal ground loop protection ? I prob. need to measure mine -- in case it needs attn.

  3. #33
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to check landing gear alignment?

    Zero or a tad in, can't remember the numbers but remember finding it in the drawings. I set them up at zero.

  4. #34
    Gilbert Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to check landing gear alignment?

    Pictures would help.

  5. #35
    Stephen's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to check landing gear alignment?

    Quote Originally Posted by violinmaker View Post
    My own invention to do this..... pretty easy to make. Go buy a dollar store laser pointer.
    Get a piece of 1 inch angle iron about 10 inches long. Take a piece of tubing that the laser will just slide into. Cut the tubing to make a socket for the laser.
    Weld the tubing on the corner vertex of the angle iron as square as you cab get it. Use some teflon tape to wrap the laser so you get a snug wiggle free fit into the tube

    Use a close pin to push the button down on the laser. once the laser is firmly imbedded in the tube socket--- take off your wheels and clamp the angle iron to the
    axle with hose clamps. Swing the laser forward and allow it to project forward about 50 feet to a paper target. mark the spot. NOW--- flip the angle iron over 180 degrees
    on the same axle. repeat and mark 2-nd spot. The wheel is pointing to a spot exactly half way between the to marked spots. Then do the other side. That will tell you
    very accurately what your toe angles are. I used it on a non-tapered spindle--- (maybe easier than a stepped spindle-- )
    Tim
    Good idea! But, a picture would help. Could you use a 10" piece of tubbing that slides on to the axel with the laser holder fastened at right angle at mid point? I'm not sure how the 1" angle iron works.
    "You can only tie the record for flying low."

  6. #36
    Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to check landing gear alignment?

    Hi,

    ...... I'm not sure how the 1" angle iron works.

    I think his plan uses the open side of the angle strattling the axel length, while the laser aims forward. The laser shoots once from above the axel, then again from the bottom of the axel. Half way between those two laser hits is perpendicular/square off the axel.

  7. #37

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    Default Re: How to check landing gear alignment?

    Yes Jim---- exactly. One couldnt ever get the laser exactly square on the angle iron --- so you just take 2 shots and the real center point is in between those.
    You compare the projected laser dots with a chaulk line on the floor which is the aircraft centerline. Then calculate the angle from the displacement.
    My cousin has the tool where we used it in his fairchild. I will retrieve it and take a pic. Its a very simple thing----

    Tim

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