Wheel Pant Alignment and Cutout

[6896]

My C140 Project came with a pair of fiberglass wheel pants that resemble the vintage aluminum ones for our our aircraft, but they need to be measured and cutout for the mounting pltes to fit around the landing gear spring steel and Cleveland brakes. A few years ago, I bought the Lahti Aerospace carbon fiber mounting plates and longer axle nuts from Matt Lahti, so I am set for parts, but I am working through in my mind the process of how to center the wheel in the pants. I figure if I can get an axle center on each side of the pant, then I can locate the center of the mounting plates using the center of the axle bolt pattern before I cut the relief for the mounting plate. I have examined many photos of pants on C140s, so I know approximately where the axle center is with respect to base of the wheel pant.

Has anyone ever done this from scratch, and if so, I would be interested to know about what kind of fixturing you used? I was planning on blocking the wheel and tire on three sides (front, back, and top) with the axle and long axle nuts installed and extending center lines from each side by making some threaded pins with points that I can adjust outward to touch on the inside of the pant. Once I have these center points, I can drill pilot holes from the inside of each pant.

I have seen some setups on the Internet for the RV builders, but their pants are different.

Even if someone in this forum could provide me a couple of dimensions for where their axles centers on their pants would be helpful.

I am using standard 6:00 x 6 tires on Cleveland rims.

Thanks.

Tony

[6896]

Some photos of my left gear. AN axle bolts are surrogates for now to do the mock-up to fit the wheel pant. I have the high-strength NAS type bolts specified in the IPC for axles drilled for 1/4 bolts.

[6896]

A couple of more photos

[2066]

That installation looks great! ...sure is clean (compared to my old grungy!!) There's not much clearance required around the brake cylinder and it appears that you've got it just right. Fitting the pants should now be easy...realtively speaking, of course. Great pics! Mac

[6277]

Dumb question, but is the brake cylinder to the rear of the gear leg? I see that the bleed valve is at the top of the cylinder. Most bleed valves that I have seen are at the bottom to allow easy servicing. Seems like the flex brake line, when installed, might be close enough to the ground to sustain damage due to rocks, etc. I just came across a pair of pretty nice aluminum pants but I don't have the plates or axle nuts.

[2066]

Ray wrote: "... bleed valve is at the top of the cylinder".

Good eye, Ray! I missed it.

[6643]

You can put the bleeder (or the hose) in either hole; they are the same thread.

[6896]

Yes, my Cleveland brake cylinders are on the rear (trailing edge) side of the main gear spring, and yes I plan to reverse the bleeder screw and place it at the bottom like the many installations I have seen in the field. My Cleveland kit came with the bleeder screw on the top side for the left side, and I haven't reversed it yet.

[2066]

Two words immediately come to mind when viewing your photos: Incredible Quality! There's often talk of some of our 120s/140s being "better than Cessna made'em" -- yours is headed for being the "poster child"! Thanks for sharing the details of your work and progress with us. Mac

[6277]

Very nice work! Thanks for clarification on the bleed screw being on the top.