Install Standard/Light Install Heavy
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Installation of Nose Gear
Pre-inspection of existing landing gear is recommended.
Inspection areas from Challenger Notices include:
The trailing link nose gear is a replacement nose gear assembly that was designed to directly replace the factory gear on a single or two place Challenger or Excalibur ultralight aircraft without modification to the airframe. See your owner’s instruction manual for additional instructions. The ride height may change depending on the tire diameter used. The aluminum 1 inch steering shaft can be cut down to improve this condition but is not required. Most of our customers have kept steering shaft stock.
Weight and balance should always be verified after installation of any new equipment.
Nose Gear assembly installation the air frame:
1. After passing your pre-inspection verify that the tail rudder assembly is inline and secure from movement. This step is needed to align rudder pedals and steering control arm.
2. Verify the rudder pedals are square with each other and make adjusts as required.
3. The steering control arm and rudder pedals need to be parallel to each other and adjustments can be made by removing both ¼ AN bolts and turning the ¼ inch ready rod in or out to align. See your owner’s manual for further details.
4. Place the Trailing Link Suspension on the steering tube and align to track in a straight line with the aircraft.
5. Verify you have a minimum of 1 ½ inch clearance between the top of the spring shaft nut and the bottom of the aircraft nose.
6. If possible use the existing holes from the original nose gear. Transfer the hole orientation as required and install a new ¼ AN bolt assembly. Torque to approximately 100 inch pounds.
7. We recommend installing the nose gear brace listed on the products and options pages.
Wheel and tire installation:
Important Note: Installing your wheel assembly requires the correct spacers to be used to prevent binding of the pivot points on the Trailing Link Suspension. Axle spacers are supplied for some rim configurations but the outer spacer may need to be modified or replaced to center your wheel. The inner axle spacer is the correct length and must be used to allow proper movement of the suspension.
1. Install the wheel on the Trailing Link Suspension using the supplied inner axle spacer. Preferred location of the wheel/tire assembly is to keep it as compact as possible. Minimum clearance between the tire and the lower spring support is a ¼ inch. Additional modifications to the pivot arm are at the buyers risk and should not be closer than ½ inch and inline with the two existing holes.
Note: Some rims have offset bearings and the outer wheel spacer will not be the same length.
2. Center the wheel on the inner axle; verify the rubber tire will not rub on the nose gear.
3. Measure the distance from the bearing to the inner side of the pivot arm on both sides. Cut the outer spacer as required to achieve equal spacing of the wheel/tire. The outer wheel alignment spacer will need a minimum of .002 gap after axle torque (144 inch pounds) to prevent bearing binding.
4. Final assembly: After the spacers are made and checked for clearance assemble the parts and tighten the 5/16th-24 axle nut to 144 inch pounds of torque.
5. Check wheel alignment and verify axle and steering tube bolts are in torque.
6. Remove tail rudder holding fixture.
7. Verify the nose gear movement is smooth and has no binding. Push hard on the wheel with your foot and the pivot arm should move back to the stops in one step. If binding occurs check your axle spacer by losing or removing the wheel and retest. If this resolves the binding make small adjustments to the modified axle assembly by adding or removing spacers as required. Next torque axle assembly and retest.
Pre flight or hard landings
1. Check for lose bolts, cracks in welds/ bent parts and replace all damaged parts as required.
2. Remember that the Challenger stock nose wheel mounting assembly is susceptible to damage and with this nose gear a hard landing may not be noticed. A pre-fight of the internal support system is a good thing to do.
3. See: Inspection areas from Challenger Notices
Maintenance
1. Keep the nose gear dry, clean and free of dirt to reduce wear. No oiling is required.
2. The upper pivot arm bushing preload may become lose and need to be tightened after several landings. Adjust the 3/8" lock nut to the point that there is a small amount of drag during compression of the springs when moving the pivot arm. Do not over tighten this bushing. Check for binding and adjust as required to maintain a smooth movement. The pivot arm should move back to the stops in one step.
3. Check for wear on the spring guides and clean under spring plate.
IMPORTANT!
Release and Indemnification:
Due to its use, the buyer must determine the airworthiness and application at his/her own risk.
The buyer accepts Custom Flight Systems LLC products with the understanding that it (on behalf of itself and successors) thereby agrees to release seller and the manufacturer from any and all liability for loss, damage or harm arising out of the negligence or product liability. The buyer further waives, on behalf of its insurers and subrogees, any such claim made by any of them in subrogation.
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