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Hello,
I am inquiring to see if any of you has made the custom spanner wrench tool that the manual calls for for adjusting the castle nuts on the landing gear conduits? I would like to borrow or purchase one vice making my own. The ICS does not have one in their tool loan program. Some of the guys are saying that their technique was to use a pin punch and a hammer, but that isn't a route I'm looking to take.
Thanks,
Matt McDonald
N7660P
KIYK
Matt, I use the hammer and punch method. That part of the job isn't tough. The rigging is the precise part. All you do is loosen the nuts and they come right off.
When you remove the old conduits, count the number of turns you made when you removed the old nuts at both ends. I have found that by doing that, and writing the numbers down, when I install the new conduits and I spin the nuts on if I ensure that I use the same numbers that I counted when they came off and the rigging turns out to be spot on.
Pat
From Cliff Wilewski
We use an adjustable spanner wrench. Picture attached of mine which is "Bluepoint". I am not sure if Blue Point or Snap on even makes them anymore, but I found a duplicate for sale on the Grainger site that is made by Proto. I believe Grainger only sells to businesses, but you should be able to find it in other places. Here's the description.
Proto
Adjustable Face Spanner Wrench, Face, Alloy Steel, Black Oxide, Pin Diameter 3/16 in
- Item # 1APC1
- Mfr. Model # JC482
It has 3/16 inch pins that need to be filed a bit thinner to fit the conduit nut better. I would loan you mine, but we have a 1000 hour coming in today and may need to use it.
I had a smaller single arm spanner that also worked well, but unfortunately that "wandered off" with somebody. You could probably find one of those that would fit also.
Here is the link to the grainger site showing the spanner wrenches I am talking about. The double arm one ("Adjustable Face....") looks exactly like the one I have.
Hope that helps,
Cliff Wilewski
Heritage Aero, Inc.
815-395-0500
1255 E Airport Rd., Freeport, IL 61032
You can also get one from Matt Kurke from Comanchegear. You may have to use a soft punch (or fabricate something else) as depending on what is up there isn't much room in there. Be very gentle if you go the punch-and-hammer route as those nuts are easy to damage.
