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So I ordered some TOB axles and I'm going to have to rework how I mount my wheel pants. The Axles on my plane are per the plans and are tapped for the mounting brackets. The O'Brien axles won't allow for that. I have some ideas but figured I'd come to the experts here rather than reinvent the wheel. Pictures and links would be awesome! Thanks in advance.

On the outboard end, I took a clevis pin and drilled and tapped a hole down its length. The pin slides inside the axle and is held in place with the cotter pin going through the castle nut holding the wheel on. The pant is attached to the threaded hole in the pin.

Glen
I recently made some new wheelpants and had the same dilema. These are longer and a bit more complicated than you would need for Tracey O Brien axles, but something similar to this would work. I used about 2mm stainless with nutplates.
The best thing with the TOB's is you will have a neat jacking point


Steve
Sonex 892

Edit
Whoops! Just realised you were maybe talking about the outboard attachment.

I probably should've specified the outboard side. Inboard will be pretty easy.

fastj22 wrote:On the outboard end, I took a clevis pin and drilled and tapped a hole down its length. The pin slides inside the axle and is held in place with the cotter pin going through the castle nut holding the wheel on. The pant is attached to the threaded hole in the pin.

I thought of something very similar. Just to confirm, all you have holding that clevis pin in place is the cotter pin? Seems simple enough. I knida like it but have reservations about sheering that cotter pin.

I thought of something similar but running it down the length of the axle and using the existing bolt on the inboard side to hold it in place. Or maybe a threaded rod and just using a nut on the outboard side.

vwglenn wrote:I probably should've specified the outboard side. Inboard will be pretty easy.

fastj22 wrote:On the outboard end, I took a clevis pin and drilled and tapped a hole down its length. The pin slides inside the axle and is held in place with the cotter pin going through the castle nut holding the wheel on. The pant is attached to the threaded hole in the pin.

I thought of something very similar. Just to confirm, all you have holding that clevis pin in place is the cotter pin? Seems simple enough. I knida like it but have reservations about sheering that cotter pin.

I thought of something similar but running it down the length of the axle and using the existing bolt on the inboard side to hold it in place. Or maybe a threaded rod and just using a nut on the outboard side.

I also thought about the integrity of the cotter pin, but there isn't a lot of shear force in holding the pant there. Got almost 240 hours and maybe 400 landings and it works great. Its also adjustable by just choosing the pin hole that best matches your pant.
Found this too, if you don't mind spending some money.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/h ... xelnut.php

fastj22 wrote:Found this too, if you don't mind spending some money.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/h ... xelnut.php

Wow! :shock: They're proud of those things. Sixty bucks is a little further than I'd want to go for nuts when I could fab something up for five or ten.

Thanks for the ideas. I'll certainly think about it.

Hi Glenn,

I turned up a simple aluminum fitting that plugs into the hollow axle end, and is retained by the cotter pin. ( the fitting is greased to prevent siezing in the axle)
The end screw is a 10/32 x 1 inch.
The inside of the wheel pant has a .032 plate JB welded to take care of any reaming of the wheelpant.

With 185 hours and 260plus landings on grass strips.. I have no problems with the screw backing out, loosening of the fitting or trouble with the cotter pin.
At each annual I re-grease the bearings and check brakes so its a good opportunity to check its condition.

I have more trouble on the inboard side, with 2 screws tapped into the standard drum backing plate - they work loose every couple of flights.




Cheers
Tony

Here's another idea. I used a piece of 1"x1/8" mild steel welded to a nut. Two nut plates riveted to that. Uses the excess thread on the axle similar to Tony's idea.
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 9508&row=1

Very nice guys. Thanks!