Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 13:52:21 -0500
Message-ID: <redirect-1995060@logan.com>
From: RWolf99@aol.com
Subject: Re: LNC2 Nose Gear
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Angier - I don't understand. I think you're suggesting a sleeve between the 
nose strut tabs that goes where the bolt normally goes.  You enlarge the 
holes in the tabs slightly so that it will fit.  You then slide this sleeve 
into the drag link (which has had it's own hole enlarged) and the drag link 
then rotates around the sleeve.  The claim is that the bolt no longer 
rotates.  Please let me know if I understand this correctly.  Personally I'd 
be a little concerned about keeping the new rotation surface 
(sleeve-to-drag-link) clean and lubricated.  I suppose you are correct that 
the holes in the tabs wouldn't elongate due to friction/rubbing/wear, but I 
think a rod end bearing is a better solution.  (Though admittedly more 
costly.)

Greg Nelson -  There are two threads going on now with similar titles.  One 
is Ric Argente's problem with the inner gear door separating from the rod end 
bearing at the end of that little toy hydraulic cylinder.  The other is Scott 
Krueger's problem with the welded steel tabs on the nose strut deforming due 
to the lack of a rod end bearing being there in the first place.  Your 
observation (which was a good one, BTW) referred to applying the nose-strut 
solution to the gear door cylinder problem.   Thanks for keeping us on our 
toes!

Tim Ong -  The 320/360 nose gear has a pair of steel tabs welded to it.  The 
drag link drops in between the tabs and is pinned with a bolt which acts as a 
hinge pin.  Over time, the holes in the tabs elongate.  The assumption here 
is that it is due to rubbing and friction of the bolt in the holes (which 
would suggest that a rod end bearing should have been used), and not due to 
excessive bearing stress (which would suggest that the tabs are too thin).  
In order to install a rod end bearing, one would have to cut off the forward 
end of the forward half of the drag link, thread a hole in the newly exposed 
face, and screw in a rod end bearing.  Making sure, of course, that the 
assembly doesn't snap off in service where the rod end threads enter the 
forward half of the drag link.  Care to look into it?

- Rob Wolf
LNC2 51%