Return To Main PageBungee Stop and Tow Bar
If the nose bungee should fail, the main gear and fairing would end up hitting and damaging the radiator. I decided to make a bungee stop for the nose gear strut. . I took a piece if ½” aluminum (purchased at a local shop), cut a 2” hole with a fly cutter. At my local airport, I was taught how to use the metal lathe and turned the piece into a ring. Drilled and tapped for ¼” x 20 screws (after cutting the ring in half) to provide the clamping force. Drilled two holes on either side of the ring with a letter “ I ” drill (.272”). I then tapped these holes to 5/16 X 24. Inserted AN5 bolts in these holes with locktite 242 and cut the bolt heads off. These two protruding bolt shafts were to accommodate a tow bar. I also cut a ring of UHMPW and split it so it can go around the nose strut and on top of this clamp. Should the bungee fail, the UHM will come in contact with the lower nose strut bearing bolts. I added the UHM to protect the bolts instead of having the aluminum clamp slam against the bolts.
The tow bar was an old Beach 1900 tow bar I found lying around the airport. I modified it by adding some rod material to the end that was drilled out to just over 5/16". This clamps over the 5/16" shafts sticking out of the bungee stop. I added a knob and threaded shaft to allow for installation and removal. Also has a bend added to the tow bar for ease of use (saves my back).
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