All Products

How do I determine my sales tax exemption status?

State regulations require sales tax to be collected unless certain exemption forms or information is received. Sales tax is calculated based on the state and jurisdiction shipped to. Some states have specific general aviation tax exemptions and require shipping charges to be included in sales tax calculation. Sales Tax Exemption Wizard

Is there a modification required to install the heavy duty titanium landing gear legs?

Yes, the heavy duty titanium legs will require a slight modification to the gearbox. Information is included in the installation instructions. The light duty option is a straight replacement and will not require modification for Cessna 180-180K. The only thing that needs changed is the upper support wedges.

How do I know my torque link is bent?

Use a straight edge as seen in Figure 1-3 to see if it's bent. 

Do I need anything else besides the torque link repair kit?

You might need a few of the NAS1149F0316P ultra-thin washers to fine tune the center “knee” joint fit on most of the Cessna airplanes. They are not included in the kit.

How do you remove torque link bushings to install new ones?

Removing the flanged bushings from the torque link forging can be difficult as there is not a good surface to press against or grab onto. An easy way to remove them is to thread them with a tap, screw a bolt in the thread you made, and then drive or press against the bolt. The thread does not have to be a full depth thread for the bolt to hold securely in the bushing. The bushing material is somewhat hard, but not so hard that a standard hardware store tap will not do the job. Use cutting oil on the tap to prevent tap damage. Normally the bushing will then come out easily.

For stubborn bushings, soak the link assembly in boiling water before pressing the bushing. The heat will expand the aluminum forging more than the steel bushing. This helps loosen the press fit while limiting the temperature to prevent from overheating and harming the heat treat of the aluminum forging. A controlled oven can be substituted for boiling water as a heat source, but do not exceed 350° F. Do not use flame or other non-controlled heat sources.

An alternate method is to put dry ice in the bushing before driving or pressing on the bolt you threaded into the bushing. Do not over-press or hammer as the aluminum can gall to the bushing and leave a damaged bushing bore. If the bushing does not come out with light to moderate force take the time to use some heat or cold to help.

I installed a torque link kit and serviced my shimmy dampener; why do I still have a shimmy problem?

There are many components all connected to keep the nose gear in line. If one component is worn or out of tolerance it can cause shimmy problem. Reference Dave McFarlane’s article: Can You Stop Nose Gear Shimmy instructions and suggestions.

Overlooked items also include the rod ends, shimmy dampener mounting and attachment, shimmy dampener, and steering collar. The steering collar is where the steering rod tubes connect and the upper torque link is attached to, along with the shimmy dampener on most aircraft. If the steering collar has play vertically and laterally and is allowed to tilt; that will cause excessive wear and force on the torque links, steering, and strut components. There are three different thicknesses of shims to help get the collar in place.

Ensure that the shimmy dampener is working properly with no dead spots in dampening action. The cylinder could be worn on the inside or on a piston that warrants replacement of components. All of the nose strut components are tied to each other and any movement is transmitted through to the tire and back through the dampening system, which if remedied will continue to be more pronounced.

Is the proper nut and bolt torque important?

It is very important to maintain proper torque for the bolts that clamp the chrome bushing/spacer at the upper attachments to the steering collar and the lower attachment to the nose gear strut. It is commonly thought that the chrome bushing/spacer is kept in position by the bolt filling the center bore of the bushing/spacer. This is not correct as the inner bore of the chrome bushing/spacer and the bolt are a loose non-precision fit. The bushing/spacer is secured by the bolt end, clamping the spacer so that it is tight between the arms of the aluminum forgings. Any looseness of this end clamp will allow movement of the chrome bushing/spacer. This movement will erode the aluminum forgings and create more free motion of the torque link.

All shimming of the torque links must be done with proper torque on the bolts. Periodically and during nose gear inspections, check the torque on the upper and lower torque link bolts. If the chrome bushing/spacer is allowed to move, the resultant wear can require replacement of the expensive aluminum forgings. McFarlane is working on a repair for the worn aluminum forgings. Unlike our competitors, extra care is given to the machining of the McFarlane chrome bushing/spacers to give the largest possible bearing surface to the ends that bear against the aluminum forgings. Chamfers or bevels are kept very small.

What does the Torque Link Stop Lug do?

The torque link stop lugs are more important than you would think. Overextension of the nose strut due to a worn out stop lug can lead to a cascade of problems. McFarlane A&P mechanics have seen struts over extend to the point where the metering pin comes out of the orifice. This results in loss of damping action and the pin hammering the orifice every landing and distorting and enlarging it. Over time, the excess nose strut travel and lack of damping can result in fatigue cracks in the torque link arms. McFarlane recommends thoroughly inspecting all nose strut components when replacing a severely worn stop lug.

The stop lug also acts as a centering device aligning the nose wheel and wheel pant straight with the airplane and slip stream after it has left the runway. Worn stop lugs can allow the nose wheel to lock in a turned position in flight that will require holding rudder for coordinated flight. Retractable gear aircraft depend on the stop lug to properly center the nose gear steering before it retracts into the wheel well.

Can I adjust my new controller?

Yes, in most cases controllers will have a small amount of adjustment Available to “fine tune” the turbocharger system. Adjustment should be accomplished IAW the engine and/or aircraft maintenance manual. Be aware that over adjusting may render the component beyond field recovery which may require the unit be returned to a certified component shop for re-certification.

Can I change the position of the housings on a new turbocharger?

Yes, the compressor and exhaust housings are factory set at a pre-determined position, many times for shipping purposes. The housings can be re-aligned at installation to fit the engine installation. The alignment procedure can be found under the turbocharger Installation Instructions on the Aeroforce.aero website.

How can I determine if the wastegate butterfly valve is going through full travel within the housing?

Disconnect and cap the oil lines to and from the wastegate assembly. With slow, steady air pressure applied, the butterfly valve should move smoothly from its full open to full closed position. When the airflow is released the butterfly valve should return to the full open position smoothly. Look for sticking or jumpy movement of the butterfly valve.

What are the requirements when installing a turbocharger?

First, all work should be accomplished IAW the applicable engine and/or aircraft maintenance manual.

What is the recommended lubricant for a wastegate butterfly valve assembly?

The age-old lubricant is a product called Mouse Milk which can be purchased through most aviation product distributors.

Why is my new turbocharger leaking oil?

400 series turbochargers do not incorporate seals in the center housing where the oil is located. They do incorporate small piston rings on the shaft that, along with the gas pressures pushing in, help prevent the oil from coming out. Until there is a varnish built up on the shaft and housing, a new turbocharger will leak oil. This oil seepage may last up to 10 hours but typically is gone within a couple hours of run time. Once the turbo is installed and pre-lubed, run the engine at normal operation to help “seat” the piston rings and build up the protective coat of varnish.

Why should I pre-oil my turbocharger after a new installation?

Pre-oiling should be accomplished at installation or any time the turbocharger oil system is disassembled for any reason. Pre-oiling insures there will be adequate oil flow at the turbocharger bearings to support the shaft load at initial start-up. Just like a crank or camshaft bearing, we do not want to “start” the turbocharger with dry bearings. Once a turbocharger bearing is compromised due to lack of lubrication, turbocharger life will be diminished. Pre-oiling instructions can be found under the turbocharger Installation Instructions on the Aeroforce.aero website.

What hardware is used for installation?

Our Vertical Fin Fitting kits include all the hardware needed for installation. You may receive NAS1149 hardware with the kit, which supersedes AN960 hardware (referenced in our ICA).