Jacking your plane for tire or shock changes?

[hawgdrvr]

At some point a tire change will be needed, maybe some other reason to get weight off wheels. I don't have a lift option in my hanger nor does one of the two FBO's at my field, I have to check with the other, but preferably I'd like to handle this in my hangar. What are other people here doing to lift their plane to service wheels or shocks, etc.?

[Scouter]

At some point a tire change will be needed, maybe some other reason to get weight off wheels. I don't have a lift option in my hanger nor does one of the two FBO's at my field, I have to check with the other, but preferably I'd like to handle this in my hangar. What are other people here doing to lift their plane to service wheels or shocks, etc.?

https://www.shortfinalfab.com/servic...ant-to-call-th

These work well, although you need uncovered gear


Jim

[Andy]

What are other people here doing to lift their plane to service wheels or shocks, etc.?

For pulling the wheels I use a small hydraulic "bottle" jack to which I have added a 2 layer plywood pad. The lower pad is drilled to be a tight fit on the jack stem and the top pad is not drilled. The two pads are screwed together so they are tightly located on the jack stem. It fits under the axle reinforcement plates so it works with covered or uncovered gear.

Not needed to service or change shocks yet. When I do I'll probably jack the strut attach point as shown in the maintenance manual. I'll probably use one of my low wing aircraft jacks and extend it with a suitable tube and end fitting.

[Daveembry]

Ron Kuzina came up with this. 4x4 post under both gears and just jack up 1 side at a time. Ratchet strap to hold them together. Safe.

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At some point a tire change will be needed, maybe some other reason to get weight off wheels. I don't have a lift option in my hanger nor does one of the two FBO's at my field, I have to check with the other, but preferably I'd like to handle this in my hangar. What are other people here doing to lift their plane to service wheels or shocks, etc.?

[Andy]

Ron Kuzina came up with this.

I don't know what model CC that is but it's not an FX-3 and the ratchet strap attach points don't exist on my gear. Looks way too complicated for a wheel change but skis restrict the options for jack placement.

[Daveembry]

wrong. It works fine. The lumber (or even jack) just goes under the shock/bungee attach point. I put a bottle Jack there all the time. How hard is it to put a piece of lumber under it? (Complicated.???) 🤦

EDITED FOR MORE DETAIL. You can use a bottle jack and place it under the shock attach point but if you have fat tires with low air pressure, the bulge (sidewall) of the tire will hit the bottle jack when on the ground and the weight on the tire. I inflate the tire and put the jack on several 2x6s to raise it up and usually have to actuall “lean” it in a little to get around the tire sidewall until you raise it up enough to get the bulge out. Skies obviously would interfere (like the sidewall of a fat tire) with using a bottle jack directly under the shock attach, this is the reason for the 4x4.

The 4x4 is used across the 2 points to eliminate this problem as you can put the jack anywhere along it without interference from the tire.

The ratchet strap would actually need to be used to keep the gear legs from splaying wider and causing the 4x4 to come off the attach point.

ne sure and chock both sides of the opposite tire.

I don't know what model CC that is but it's not an FX-3 and the ratchet strap attach points don't exist on my gear. Looks way to complicated for a wheel change but skis restrict the options for jack placement.

[40m]

A low profile bottle jack works well for me on the inside of Summit ski brackets. However you choose be sure the tailwheel is secure from any movement.