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I'm considering modifying the nose gear drag link assembly where it attaches
to the GM14 nose gear weldment by replacing the AN4-11/castle nut & cotter pin
with a male 1/4 by 1/4 rod end bearing. My concern is probable wear of the 1/4
holes in the GM14 weldment over time. This modification would require
shortening the drag link which attaches to the weldment and threading it to
accept the bearing.

Will this modification take me into the twilight zone or is it a
reasonable/conservative mod??

Angier Ames


[Considering the concern for stiffness of the nosegear assembly re:
the potential for inducing shimmy (which has been discussed here recently
quite thoroughly) it seems to me that retaining as much 'beef' as
possible in the o/c link assembly should be a primary concern.
Reducing one end of it to a 1/4" diameter rod could change the dynamics
of that assembly under load.  I think the 1/2" thick AL components have
much more stiffness in their present configuration and don't really require
that mod.  Myron Oakley has talked about manufacturing 4140 components
that would incorporate that modification, though, and making them available
at a reasonable cost to anyone who wants to do this... perhaps he
has some input in this regard.       <Marv>   ]

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