Wheel Fairings

[sea1dww]

Hello All

It seems that I am bound and determined to go through life doing things the hard way. I recently decided that I would like to put wheel fairings on my '54 B. I have seen others with the 172 fiberglass fairings and I liked the look, so I bought them with the 172 backing plates. It wasn't until after I had all the repairs made and the pants painted and ready to install that I found out the 172 backing plates would not fit my axle bolt pattern. So here I sit with newly painted fairings and no way to mount them. I know there is a contingency of club members who have made this conversion. I hope one (or more) of you will share with me just how you made it work. I have rear mounted single puck brakes and cleveland wheels. I'm also wondering about the proper axle nut for the instalation. Someone throw me a life line, what's the skinny on making these fit? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Dave
N1946C

[GAHorn]

What do you mean by "axle bolt pattern"? Do you mean the lower bolt holes are not the same as the uppers? (Later axles used AN 5 (5/16") bolts for the uppers and AN 6 (3/8") bolts for the lowers. If your 4 bolt holes are all AN 5, then the lower holes may be drilled out to AN 6 and the edges radiused, when later axles are installed.)

The end nut of axles are not catellated when wheel fairings are installed. Instead, special nuts are utilized (Cessna PN 0441130)

[GAHorn]

Here's what the wheel fairing axle nuts look like:

[sea1dww]

The axle bolt pattern has a different spread between the holes on the backing plates (wider) than the pattern on my "lady Leg" gear. I believe the pants and backing plates came from a 172 with the tubular gear. This may account for the different bolt pattern. The backing plates are also designed for a brake caliper forward position. I understand that the brakes are easily moved from the rear to the front, so that part should not be a problem. I think I'll have to manufacture the backing plates with the "lady leg" bolt pattern, forward brake relief cutouts, and fiberglass fairing bolt patterns. Does anyone have a pattern or template that I can use? Also, what should the material be made of? I'm also curious if the axle nut has a standard length or if it varies with different styles of wheel fairings. Again, any help would be appreciated.

Dave

[trake]

Dont move your brakes to the front. You'll have to re-route the brake lines from along the rear of the gear legs. Thats ugly and draggy, the opposite of what you want.

[GAHorn]

Spruce sells mount plate blanks. The nuts may come in different lengths. Measure yours.