Nose gear lube

[colospace]

I'm curious about what kind of lubricant others have used for the bronze bushings on the nose gear strut pivot and the nose gear swivel. I thought I might use a polyurea grease I have (supposed to be slippery, resist water and inhibit corrosion). I don't see anything mentioned in the build manual. Any better ideas out there besides deleting the nose gear and going tail dragger?:p

[Dave S]

Hi Gary,

I have been using "Boat Trailer Wheel Bearing Grease" for the nose gear bushings....under the supposition the stuff is supposed to be somewhat resistant to absorbing water (as I know what kind of stuff I drag my nose wheel through)....works fine.....honestly I don't think it matters so much what kind of grease a person uses so much as it is important to take the thing apart at regular intervals, clean it and the washers up and lubricate all with clean grease.:)

Sincerely,

Dave S
Kitfox 7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

St Paul, MN

[colospace]

Further investigation of the polyurea grease indicates that it is really intended for low load, high speed applications; not really what is needed for the nose gear bushings. Will probably go for a moly-based lube. I like the idea of using something marine oriented or even intended for farm implements. Seems more suitable. Mobil makes some stuff that is really supposed to "stay put" too.

[SkySteve]

Be careful not to get the nose wheel assembly too lubricated and "slick". You do want a fair amount of tension on it when you turn the nose wheel side to side so it will not shimmy during take off and landing.

[Paul Z]

Steve.

Sounds like experience is speaking. That could make for a scary T/O & Landing.

[RobS]

It sure can. When the shimmy damper went on my 172 I thought I was going to shake the O-300 right off its motor mounts.

[SkySteve]

Be careful not to get the nose wheel assembly too lubricated and "slick". You do want a fair amount of tension on it when you turn the nose wheel side to side so it will not shimmy during take off and landing.

Yes, I've experienced it. I called John McBean and he gave me the correct pounds of pull the nose wheel should have. I set the pull using a fish scale and it fixed the problem. Sorry, but I don't remember what the tension should be. It did teach me to get the nose wheel off the ground as soon as I powered up for take off, though, and to hold the nose wheel off the ground on landing. :eek:

[Dave S]

FYI - since I recently serviced the front fork, somehow I seem to I have not yet forgotten the details.......FYI - The correct setting is 10 - 12 pounds pull with the fish scale hooked on the axle end.

What I have found with the care and feeding of the front fork is it can either tighten or loosen with time....if it tightens it seems to correlate with the amount of mud, grunt and general crud accumulating on the belville washers and working its way into the washers and bushings. I did notice that following the build with the initial setting, the fork loosened up a bit and had to be re-adjusted - speculating the washers give a little at first plus some initial wear.

If it is adjusted right I have never experienced any shimmy - the factory setting works. :)

Sincerely,

Dave S
KF 7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

[jiott]

If it was my nosewheel, and nothing is specified in the manual, I would use the same grease that is specified for the alaska bushwheel tailwheel because the wet dirty environment is the same. They recommend that red Mobil SHC (synthetic) grease. I can't remember the number; its something like SHC 500. Supposed to be about the best grease there is.

[colospace]

Thanks Jim,
I was going to check out one of the Mobil 220 series greases. Grainger carries at least one. The SHC apparently comes in seven different concoctions; you happen to know which on Alaska Bushwheel is recommending?

[jiott]

I believe it is SHC 100.

[jrevens]

If it was my nosewheel, and nothing is specified in the manual, I would use the same grease that is specified for the alaska bushwheel tailwheel because the wet dirty environment is the same. They recommend that red Mobil SHC (synthetic) grease. I can't remember the number; its something like SHC 500. Supposed to be about the best grease there is.
Even better than Lucas Red "N" Tacky #2 ? :)

[jiott]

I'm not familiar with Lucas Red "N" Tacky #2; it may be just fine. I go with what I am comfortable with; in this case the Mobil SHC 100 is recommended for heavy duty bush type tailwheels so I don't think you would go wrong.

[colospace]

Thanks Jim, looks like Grainger"s carries the SHC 100 too.

[colospace]

For what it's worth....
I bought some Mobil Mobilith SHC 100 and found that it states "not recommended for aviation use" on its label.
Turns out there is an Aviation Grease SHC 100 also.
According to Mobil tech help, "It meets more stringent tests and the applicable requirements of aviation."
That not withstanding, I'm thinking the Mobilith will be just fine for the nose gear surfaces on a Kitfox.