My 2000 M7 235C B4B5 goes in Monday for the annual.

Any suggestions for stuff I should have checked that is not on the check list? Or stuff that commonly gets over looked?

The trim on my M7 is weird I think. It moves about a half turn before anything happens. Then it climbs or descends at 100-150 fpm. It is so hard to get it at 50 fpm I just give up.

Is this normal on the Maule or do you think the trim rigging is out of adjustment?

I know, check for the loose wing nut behind the yoke. LOL

Regards...Rob

hi Rob,
The trim on my M works instantly up or down. it is super easy to keep in trim and it flies level with no thought.
I hear its smart to check the little strainers (filters) on the fuel transfer pumps. (i pretty sure the dudes who did my last annual didn't do this)

Make sure they completly take off the floor boards in the front to check the gear bolts on other crap down there. my guys suggested just kinda pulling them up alittle and checking it with a mirror, i said no way i wanna see them. I do bounce sometimes and thought a good visual is smart.

maybe gettem to clean your greasy belly for no extra charge because i bet it is on there check list. Peter

Rob,
You really need to call David Wright, and Jeremy. Replace the main landing gear bolts. The only way to really inspect them is to remove them. Wait a minute, you have spring gear right?
Call David and Jeremy. They have forgotten more about Maules than I will ever know. For example, your sticky trim may have nothing at all to do with the trim, it could be elevator cables too tight, a stuck pulley or even binding of the yoke tube in the "ball" in the instrument panel etc. etc.
A Maule is sensitive in pitch trim, but what you describe doesn't sound right and should be looked at.

Peter, Jody, thank you. I will have the trim fixed. The landing gear bolts and straps were replaced last year. My AP is a great guy. He does a super annual.

Cheers...Rob

Take a microscope to the rear bulkheads of the mufflers and look for cracks.

Elevator and rudder bushings

I sometimes had the trim-snatch problem too. When it happened, instead of working the trim wheel like a vernier control, I pumped it like I was trying to get the gear down, overshooting the desired trim position in each direction a couple of times before stopping where I would have nudged it anyway. It is all too fast for the aircraft to react to and seems to wake up the trim. I tried to find ANYTHING that was dragging, sticking or tight during annual. I failed. I don't think you will find anything in the static condition. My trim tab moved smoothly over its entire range no matter where I placed the elevator. Let me know what you find though; my annual is coming up too!!

Yellowbelly, thank you. I had cracks in the exhaust last year that we welded. I'll bet it keeps happening.

What polish do you use on your spinner?

Regards...Rob

Good question Rob!
Like a dumb ass new airplane owner that purchased a new airplane i used Mothers crome polish on my beautiful new spinner and made it look like shit in 20 minutes because i thought it was crome and it is aluminim. so i would like to know what polish to use to bring back that original finish. it looks ok but it is kinda dull now.

As far as the muffler my guys used the old vacuum on blow trick and then put soapy water on the muffler to look for bubbles. peter

Rob/Motor
The ONLY way to go is Nuvite S. You can read all about it here: http://www.perfectpolish.com/Nuvite.htm This stuff is for fanatics. Brother Pi is heavily into restoring one of those liquid-metal looking Luscombes and has the full blown Cyclo maniac polisher. Cheap bastard that I am, I got one of the cordless random orbit polishers for $60. It will last me a lifetime. Be warned: once you start using this stuff, you will develop an uncontrollable urge to go out and buy yourself an Airstream trailer!!




Once you start, you will polish ANYTHING aluminum. See what I mean??



YB

I'll second Nuvite, it is truly amazing stuff. This is one of those "liquid-metal' Luscombes that is polished with Nuvite and the Cyclo.

YellowBelly: that spinnner looks awesome, I'm gonna buy some of that stuff. I saw you do the hub caps on the mains on the MauleBros web site(which i love) and they looked too good.

Whee: that Luscombe looks unreal!! Nice work!!!

I wish my Luscombe looked that...the one in the pic is one that is kept at the Nampa airport also. Me and this guy have it worked out, I get to wish my Luscombe looked that good and he gets to wish he could sling mud allover his and not worry about how to clean it up

This poor bird is mine...

Yellowbelly wrote: Be warned: once you start using this stuff, you will develop an uncontrollable urge to go out and buy yourself an Airstream trailer!!

Bwahahhahaha!

Yellowbelly & whee: You guys have made me sort of sad with those beautiful planes, sigh. As a result I have just ordered some Nuvite, at least I might be able to keep my spinner in good condition.

My poor plane has to spend half the year about 1/4 mile from the Sea of Cortez and the other half floating on the water, at least this is fresh water. I now view belly oil as anti corrosion covering. Keep up the waxing. Ford

Polishing is either a disease or an addiction, I'm not sure which. How come nobody gave it too yellow belly for polishing his spinner? I got a lot of wise cracks

whee wrote:I'll second Nuvite, it is truly amazing stuff.

Yellowbelly, you have one of the best looking Maules I have seen. You take exceptional care of it. I am going to get some Nuvite.

Rob

Calling skywagon, Chris, when you polished the front of your prop how did you strip the paint off? Is there any good reason not to do this? Legal or otherwise? Anyone?

Rob

Rob,

Remove spinner. Spray-on paint stripper, complete coverage, let it sit for 30 min, rub the rest off with coarse rags. Repeat if necessary to get it clean. Polishing compound on a polishing wheel on the bench grinder, and work that sucker until it shines. This is how I did mine.

Don't sand it!

There is a big stink going on about polished props. Not sure how it applies to ya'lls props but Mcauleys that came painted must remain painted because that is how they were certified. A lot of planes have not passed annuals because the feds have cracked down on the AI's on this topic.

whee wrote:There is a big stink going on about polished props. Not sure how it applies to ya'lls props but Mcauleys that came painted must remain painted because that is how they were certified. A lot of planes have not passed annuals because the feds have cracked down on the AI's on this topic.

I have heard this as well, but I still see polished props. I think it's all props and not just the Macs. Supposedly it changes the load path somehow polishing the surface Probably a load of crap, but who knows?

whee wrote:There is a big stink going on about polished props. Not sure how it applies to ya'lls props but Mcauleys that came painted must remain painted because that is how they were certified. A lot of planes have not passed annuals because the feds have cracked down on the AI's on this topic.

I've heard this too, Whee. My prop was polished when I got it, but I had it reconditioned and painted black with white tips just because I think it looks nicer.

Spinners are fair game though, I think.