click on any photo for larger version...
 

  REMOVING THE WHEEL PANT

      tools required: 8mm Allen wrench (hand wrench or 8mm Allen socket and ratchet as shown in our photos) and 8mm wrench (or Phillips screwdriver)

      loosen and then remove the large Allen head bolt (with its spacer and two washers)

          loosen the two small inside bolts (or sometimes Phillips head screws) and then remove both

    Slide the wheel pant up and off. Now you can check the tire pressure or do other maintenance as needed.

      Allen head bolt, two washers and spacer

      photo showing how the washers go on either side of the fiberglass (no washer goes between the end of the long spacer and the threaded axle)



  REINSTALLING THE WHEEL SPAT

      slide the wheel spat down into position

      reinstall the two small bolts (or Phillips head screws) on the inside of the wheel pant and tighen both fully -- this will hold the wheel pant in position so that it will be easy to install the Allen head bolt

      insert Allen head bolt (with washer under head) a short way into the hole

      then, reach up under the wheel pant and put the other small washer on the bolt...

      ... as can be seen in this photo   also note: you can see the threaded hole in the center of the axle in this photo

      then, reach up under the wheel pant and put the spacer on the bolt (and then push the bolt further in)

      start screwing the Allen head bolt into the threaded hole on the axle -- by hand, to be sure to not cross-thread the bolt

      once the Allen head bolt has been started by hand, you can tighten with an 8mm Allen wrench (a socket/ratchet is shown in this photo but a small Allen wrench hand tool can be used but more effort is required)

       
 

The bolts need to be appropriately snug -- especially the large Allen head bolt because this bolt can loosen if insufficiently snug and/or if operating on bumpy or rough strips.

For our tricycle-gear planes (and taildraggers with the standard-size tires and with wheel pants) the tires tires should normally have 29 psi

Our tires have inner tubes and inner tubes almost always slowly leak some air, so the tire pressures on the main tires and on the nose tire should be checked frequently. Landing with tires with low pressure can easily cause the nose wheel tire to come off the wheel (with obvious stability problems) and if the main wheel tires have low pressure then landing and applying the brake can easily cause a blow-out (with obvious stability problems).
 

photos below show our the gauge/nozzle (slightly modified) that we use, shown checking and adding air to the nose wheel tire...

           
 

Aerotrek® Aircraft, Inc.    Bloomfield, Indiana   phone: 812-384-4972   email: aerotrek.aero@gmail.com additional sales/service centers:    California sales/service center:  San Francisco, California   Texas service center:  Denton, Texas   Alaska sales center:  Palmer, Alaska please also visit us at... www.airplanegear.com