Will a Cessna style spring gear jack pad work?

[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.

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…

[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!