Does anyone have a good trick for stretching the forward springs/ bungees from the ski tip up to the cowl attach point? It always seems to be an epic struggle with my 170B on Aero 3000's. I have jacked the gear to be able to raise the ski tip toward the cowl, and I have tried getting friends to raise the tail to bring the nose down nearer to the ski tip. Neither way is easy. I think cold bungees are probbably harder to stretch, but since I don't have a heated hangar I don't have good options for stretching them when warm. Today I thought of attaching the bungee first and then mounting the ski on to the axle second, but that seems like a sure way to mangle something (ski, axle, ...fingers )

Thanks. -DP

By the way, (insert shameless product placement here) if you haven't obtained obtained a copy of Clouddancer's Alaskan Chronicles Vol 1 yet- it's great stuff!

Here's the good trick: Find a buddy with a hangar. Hang the airplane from the overhead, install the skis, and attach the forward cables first, then lower the plane onto the skis and attach the aft cables. Simple .

Otherwise, I've attached a carabiner through the upper end of the spring, tie that to a good "handle", get a good grip, and stretch er out. It isn't easy, but this will at least keep you from losing a bunch of skin if you have to let off on the spring. Get a friend to attach the tab while you're stretching.

MTV

Yesterday was one pathetic scene in my hanger. Bungees sitting on the dash in my Subaru with the defrost on high. #20 monofiliment line holding the crust cutter cable errect towards the landing gear attach point, and me sitting on my arse at the toe of the ski pulling hard as I can on the hog ring while trying to negotiate a vise grips to open the ring enough to clear the thimble. This would be just enough to keep some guys from ski flying But I'm not one of them

denalipilot wrote:
By the way, (insert shameless product placement) if you haven't obtained obtained a copy of Clouddancer's Alaskan Chronicles Vol 1 yet- it's great stuff!

+1 The I gotta pee story in a C207 is a hoot

As long as other folks are having experiences like Scout, I can go on grunting and swearing, content in the knowledge that I am in good company. Just as long as I can remember to untie the wings before I start jacking the gear...

Hope ya get some good snow, Scout!

Two methods I use:

Unhook your rear check cable and jack up that side so the rear of the ski goes down, if you get it high enough it will releave all the preload on the spring. I think about 8 to 10 in. gives me enoght to strech it.

The other method take a few friends, set the prop horizonal to the ground, unhook rear check cable, pick the tail up above your head, hook up spring. Be careful not to go over center, if you doing the 170 find big friends.

Good luck, be safe.

Paul

i prefer the atlee springs over bungees any day. especially one day a few years back when it was around zero, and it had been warm earlier in the week- on preflight i found the bungees loose. stuffed it in a heated hanger and they got tight as could be again.
give them a good tug on preflight- especially this time of year with the variations in temp that we seem to be having.

with the springs i have a large pry bar that i stick thru the loop in one end and then i can pull evenly with both arms while someone else sticks the clevis pin in.

If you use the springs in lieu of the bungees, have your mechanic cite that in the paperwork in the installation. My mechanic got cited by the FAA for installing STC'd skis, but substituting springs for bungees. In that case, the manufacturer of the skis provided springs instead of bungees, but the drawings called for bungees.....Duh.

We settled that one with a letter from the FAA to the mechanic suggesting that he should complete a Field Approval for the substitution of springs for bungees.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but it really happened, and in Alaska.

I agree that the springs are better than bungees.

MTV

For better or worse, I've got bungees as spec'd by the manufacturer. I've always followed that debate with interest. In my two-and-a-half years with this setup, I've never had limp bungees in the temps I normally operate in (down to -10F or so). I asked about springs when I got these skis, but there was the approval issue that MTV ran into. Also, my mechanic felt that springs exerted more tension when tied down in a three-point attitude, causing needless strain on the airframe. I'm sure I'm gonna bring down a firestorm of opinions on this, but my point is just that I've always had bungees and have never yet had a problem with them.

BTW, MTV- I like your friend-with-a-hangar solution the best so far. I think that's the solution I've been seeking for at least a dozen different maintenance needs- why didn't I see the obvious sooner??

most skis were certified with bungees so an upgrade to springs does take a field approval. although its kind of just a formality.
some newer models were approved with springs. Schneiders and the retractable aero skis come to mind.

when my bungees went snafu i was back in michigan, and it had been going from 40 degrees during the day to 0 degrees at night. i have to think it had a lot to do with the moisture in the air. because they always worked fine when it would get cold and stay cold.

keep that in mind tho, as our weather in the upper susitna valley has been very similar lately.....

A bungee's worst enemies:

1) VERY cold temperatures, as in -30 and colder.
2) Age.

Bungees generally work just fine up to a point. That point typically occurs when the bungees are very old, and exposed to cold.

Otherwise, they work just fine.

MTV

Boom truck works great and is cheaper

denalipilot wrote:BTW, MTV- I like your friend-with-a-hangar solution the best so far. I think that's the solution I've been seeking for at least a dozen different maintenance needs- why didn't I see the obvious sooner??

I got a better jack pad this year that made all the difference. More secure connection to jack, so OK to reef on bungee while plane is jacked up. Allowing the tail to go down and the tip to come up makes it so much easier

Spent today dragging the strip with a length of chain link fence behind the snowmachine. All systems go

-DP

hello