Will a Cessna style spring gear jack pad work?

[beeryboats]

Will a Cessna style jack pad work with the spring gear on my KF IV?

[SkyPirate]

you might have to shim the sides , I think the Cessna steel spring gear is wider

[beeryboats]

I wondered about that. I also see that there is an adjustable pad as well. I may try and build one out of hardwood.

[SkyPirate]

I use one of these, its a step/ jack point/ wheel chock all in one, hope it comes thru

[SkyPirate]

Think i got it this time

[beeryboats]

Thanks, I saw that on an other posting. It looks great, I just don't have the metal tools or skills to weld something like that.

[Dave F]

easiest thing to use if you have a good floor jack is a 2 x 6 or 4 x 4 .

between the gear and up against the axles -- if you just want one side jacked move the jack off centre a bit.

If you have cherry picker or overhead crane lift at engine mount next to firewall.


Cheers

[mr bill]

If these were available, I would buy one.

[beeryboats]

I sent that photo to a friend of mine to see if he could come up with something for me. If he can build them, who else would be interested in owning one of their own? No idea on cost yet.
Jay

[SkyPirate]

I have a parts list if you need one :)

[SkyPirate]

made from 4130 round tubing .050 wall or thicker .75 OD ,..the gap between the tongs,..thickness of landing gear leg plus .375,..use .125 wall hose slide on prongs or take square 1,125" HDPE,..drill .75 hole thru length ways..after drilling cut .25 off lengthways to expose hole drilled,..this will allow for rotation but keep flat sides of HDPE against gear leg

[SkyPirate]

originally I designed the handle to hold tire repair items,,but that's an option at your discretion

[beeryboats]

I have a parts list if you need one :)

That would be great. My buddy just bailed out on helping me, so I guess I'm on my own. I was going to use 1" cold rolled steel round bar. I wish I had a way to grind the ends concave so they fit better.

[SkyPirate]

option solid stock .75 round and heat and bend to suit..then bring the whole piece to red hot ,,quench in light oil..repeat 3 times..this will surface harden +/- .030,.. it to make it less likely to bend

[SkyPirate]

he probably thinks he would get in trouble for reproducing an existing item,..I give you permission to make a copy

[SkyPirate]

usually I wouldn't use cold rolled,.cold rolled hasn't got enough carbon in it,.it will twist or bend,,but at 1" OD ..it might be stout enough to hold

[SkyPirate]

its a handy tool,,if you built it to spec,..

say your flying off somewhere and have a flat tire,.if you've got the tire repair items in handle this tool is all you need,..and a stump or block of firewood or a rock etc,,you slide the step/jack point onto gear leg and put something under the handle , a stick of firewood,,rock etc,,lift the wing,,the tool slides down the leg..let pressure off ,,it holds the tire up.. when tire is repaired take a tie down strap and tie it to the item you used to hold jack/step..lift wing pull the supporting item out

[SkyPirate]

I know a man that comes on this forum that more then has the capability to make these,,and understands totally the mechanics involved,..you might ask him if he is willing to do it,.. he might tune in..Lowell? you out there?

[beeryboats]

Awesome idea. I'm still leery of lifting by the wing struts. I'm onto someone else who may build one for me. How much "bend" does yours have. In other words, how high off the floor is the one side while laying in the photo you posted?
Thanks,
Jay

[SkyPirate]

I have video's of my 8 year old using it as a step and then she jacks up the plane with it but the format is wrong to embed on here if you send me a private message with you email or cell phone number I will send you the video's

[Jblanton]

I use two 2x4's and a big C-Clamp. Clamp the boards to the leg, and jack on the bottom one.

Jeff

[HighWing]

Personal note to Chase.

I have always used a transmission Jack at the lift strut similar to Grizzley industrial T72002. I made an extension needed to reach the lift strut out of a piece of aluminum tubing that would fit over the ram. I through drilled it for a quarter inch bolt about six inches from one end and made a pad out of a PVC pipe fitting shaped to fit over the tie down ring. A bit pricey compared to the item suggested, but I had the jack. I used the jack to install the engine and have used it many times since the engine installation in 1997 for all maintenance on the landing gear. When jacking, I will need to keep an eye on the vertical and kick the jack under the lift strut bracket from time to time, but with the casters, not a problem.

[SkyPirate]

cool on that Lowell :)

[Av8r3400]

I made a tripod, using a piece of all-thread as a lead screw to lift at the strut attach point on the wing.

Photo of the tripod during the construction of a friend's plane...

[SkyPirate]

that looks good too Larry

[beeryboats]

Wow! What a nice clean well lit work shop. I'm in a cold dark drafty barn.

[Av8r3400]

Not my hangar - I wish. It belongs to my good friend and Avid [sic] airplane builder. He upgraded from the Barn about 5 years ago. :D

This is his Avid-Kitfox hybrid build from a couple years ago. I'm currently building my Mangy Fox project there. He has a J5 project on deck as soon as I'm done. Yeah, he has a bit of a problem… :rolleyes:

[beeryboats]

Ok guys, here is my version fresh from the paint booth (basement). The two dots on the step are from the special high tech hanger system (coat hanger) that I use to hang my parts for painting. Tomorrow I'll slip on the poly tubing and give it a try.

[SkyPirate]

Cool, the more rigid the tubing hose you slide on the better

I really think HDPE would be best, it is dense enough to withstand the compression where standard radiator type hose will eventually get crushed

[beeryboats]

I bought the only thing I could find at Lowe's. It's a 1" ID clear poly hose. This stuff is stiff as a board. It was the last foot on a reel and they gave it to me for $1, but it had a heck of a curl and was half crushed flat. So I soaked it in hot, hot water then slid it onto an old piece of electrical conduit. A couple weeks later I pulled it off and it went right back into its old shape!!! If I can get it hot enough tomorrow to get it on the forks, it should work fine. Thanks for all your help!

[beeryboats]

The wait was worth it, this gizmo works great! It's a little heavy being made out of solid stock, but I don't plan on it every leaving the barn.

[SkyPirate]

<-- takes a bow..but,,you've got it upside down in the photo lol I guess it really doesn't matter :)

[beeryboats]

It makes more sense to use it that way. Less chance of the end sliding out of the jack.

[SkyPirate]

I used a bottle jack but it doesn't matter which jack is used :) if it works that's what counts :) glad it does what you hoped it would :) it is also a chock and a step for short guys :)

[Paul Z]

OK, I need to build one