Sportsman Nose Gear Bushing Inspection

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Cracked Sportsman nosegear bushing
Cracked Sportsman nosegear bushing

When performing an annual inspection on the Sportsman nose gear, be sure to take a close look at the condition of the shock bushings.

The ones shown in the photo above were cracked and appeared to be charred due to close proximity to the exhaust collector. We have used both white and black shock bushings. The black ones are slightly stiffer and may hold up better under heat. Most Sportsman exhaust collectors are not as close as this particular one, but be sure to have a good look at yours. Before installing the new bushings, we fabricated and installed an .032″ thick aluminum heat shield to go between the exhaust and the bushings. This will extend the life of the bushings considerably.

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Added .032” aluminum heat shield between the exhaust and the bushings
Added .032” aluminum heat shield between the exhaust and the bushings

The rubber shock bushings will take a set after the weight of the nose gear is pressed against them. Be sure to check the tightness of the bolts every 5-10 hours within the first 40 hours of flying. Add this to your Phase-One flight test inspection checklist.

  • The part number for the bushings is 371-2424-002.
  • Quantity (4) used on the nose gear.
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Ted Setzer
Born Wichita Kansas Oct 02, 1953. (have a fascination with tornadoes) Private pilot SEL & Sea approx 3,000 hrs Co-founder of Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft in 1979. Contributed developmentally toward all models of the Glasair, GlaStar and Sportsman in from 79' thru Oct. 2016 when I retired. Whew...38 years! Started construction of my own custom, lightweight Sportsman in 1999 from the basic kit. First flight of N11YM was Jan 2013. I love this plane and have tested three variations of taildragger main landing gear. Recently purchased a set of Clamar amphibious floats and can't wait to install them hopefully in 2018.

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