The Once Dreaded Nose Gear Bungee Is Tamed

Ever since I installed my nose gear bungee before I mounted the engine back in 2007, I dreaded the day I would have to replace it.  Now that I am at yearly condition inspection #6, I decided it was time to put in a new nose gear bungee.  Visually, it looked OK, but I decided to be cautious and got a new one from Zenith last year at their open house. 

 

As it turns out, it is almost as easy to install whether the engine is in place or not. No special turning tools or jack screw devices are needed.  I did not even have to remove the carb for added room.  I remember a discussion a while back about someone using an a-frame set-up and a ratchet strap.  I had access to a borrowed engine hoist so I used that instead of an a-frame.  So again, just an engine hoist and a cargo ratchet strap as the only 'special' tooling.  The entire process took just under two hours.  The actual stretching of the bungee with the ratchet strap was the easiest part of the whole process.

 

Attached is a file showing pictures I took along the way.  I will never again fear the bungee!

 

Dave Gallagher

601XL

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Permalink Reply by Daniel C Hall on March 11, 2014 at 2:21pm

Great!  Thanks for that Dave.  

Dan

Permalink Reply by STEVEN and TARA SMITH on March 11, 2014 at 11:57pm
Very informative
Thank you.
Permalink Reply by Bob McDonald on March 13, 2014 at 5:53am

Simply tie the tail down to a weight heavy enough to lift the nose or tie down in hangar floor.. Place a padded saw horse under the tail for safety and one under the front belly fuselage. Take the front tire off with axle. Undo the bolts that hold the front gear tube to remove bungee and install a new bungee using a 1/2 inch drive ratchet handle.

Bungee install 30 - 45 minutes.

Permalink Reply by Bob McDonald on March 13, 2014 at 5:57am

Picture of high tech specialized bungee install tool. As you lift the ratchet handle upward the bungee slides down the handle onto the front gear. Insert 1/2" drive into the hollow tube on the front gear tube as a pivot point for the ratchet.  "KISS" 

Permalink Reply by David Gallagher on March 13, 2014 at 6:30am

Bob,

 

I tried that and it didn't work for me.  I wonder if your bungee is longer.  The bungee I got from Zenith did not come up high enough to allow the ratchet drive to insert into the support tube.  I tried to put an extension socket on but the carb is too close to allow that method so I just stuck with the ratchet strap.

 

Dave

Permalink Reply by John Austin on March 13, 2014 at 8:14am

David,

I'm not sure if you've got the "ratchet method" concept - from looking at your picture, it should work just fine! You put the 1/2" drive into the support tube with the bungee looping around the handle (this can be well below the level of the support tube, so the bungee length is not a factor). You're not trying to vertically pry the bungee up and over the tube, rather, you rotate the handle (same motion as rotating a socket) and as you rotate the handle upwards, the bungee will slide up the handle towards the support tube and then when the drive handle is rotated further upwards, the loop of bungee will slip off the handle and onto the support tube.

About the only thing preventing the ratchet method from working would be if you've got something installed on the firewall blocking the ratchet handle's rotation. In that case, sometimes you could get by with using a "flex head" socket handle so you could pull the handle a little forward and clear the obstruction as you rotate upwards.

John

N750A

Permalink Reply by David Gallagher on March 14, 2014 at 2:38am

You are right, I didn't get it.  Do I feel like a dunce now.  Either way, the ratchet strap, or ratchet wrench, it is easier than I thought it would be to replace the bungee.

 

Dave

Permalink Reply by Perry Delano on June 9, 2019 at 3:49pm

Love it. Just pried my bungee on again yesterday, no engine, but was thinking this is going to be a bear,

with the engine is on, having not seen this method. The 1/2" drive ratchet method is beautiful, Just change the plane of rotation. Now that is thinking out of the box.

Permalink Reply by Herb Hornig on June 9, 2019 at 4:26pm
Thanks, I like it

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