I noticed that the rubber donuts differ in quality.
I bought a set 6 years ago that was already low at the time installed. Since the donuts were brand new , I looked for other reason like the taxi spring. A few years later these donuts were so weak that they would not even preload the strut when I took the assembly out of the plane. A pictured sequence here: http://www.ercoupe.info/?n=Main.MainGearServicing The time you get out of a donut stack depends also on the quality rubber you get. Hartmut To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:33:59 +0000 Subject: [ercoupe-tech] tail low Greetings all, Ever since I've owned my 415C I've tried to get the tail up to the recommended height. I started right after I bought the plane by having the A&P at the time do the sleeve or shim upgrade (I can't think of the correct description but I got the entire package and paperwork from Lee when he was running Skyport)...and I had them replace the existing Bellville springs with new rubber donuts. That got me close, maybe 1 inch or so low. Now, seven years later, is currently 3" below the recommended height from the top of the vert. stab to the ground. It has an old style, double fork nose gear (not sure what that means but it what the current A&P said). The A&P measured the entire donut stack and compared it to another Coupe he is working on an it is 1/4" shorter. My question is this. Do most of you have Bellville springs or donuts? I don't mind putting donuts in periodically but my concern is whether even new donuts will get me the correct tail-up attitude that I want. Can I find Bellville's out there? Are Bellville's the only real solution? I live in Colorado and fly out of an airport the Eastern Slope of the Rocky Mtns. and the wind ALWAYS blows here. I landed last night in a quartering x-wind 14knts peak gusts to 21knts. Those conditions may be old-hat to a long-time 'Coupe driver, but they had my complete and undivided attention. 08H did its thing, touching down in a crab at about 60 mph, and I did my thing by relaxing control on the yoke as it swung around and started tracking straight. I always add a little forward yoke to firmly plant the nose wheel and then I'm driving it, but I'm thinking to myself that I've got to get this fixed. Don 08H _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™: Discover 10 secrets about the new Windows Live. http://windowslive.com/connect/post/jamiethomson.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!550F681DAD532637!7540.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_ugc_post_022009
