The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Hello All

It seems that I am bound and determined to go through life doing things the hard way. I recently decided that I would like to put wheel fairings on my '54 B. I have seen others with the 172 fiberglass fairings and I liked the look, so I bought them with the 172 backing plates. It wasn't until after I had all the repairs made and the pants painted and ready to install that I found out the 172 backing plates would not fit my axle bolt pattern. So here I sit with newly painted fairings and no way to mount them. I know there is a contingency of club members who have made this conversion. I hope one (or more) of you will share with me just how you made it work. I have rear mounted single puck brakes and cleveland wheels. I'm also wondering about the proper axle nut for the instalation. Someone throw me a life line, what's the skinny on making these fit? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Dave
N1946C

What do you mean by "axle bolt pattern"? Do you mean the lower bolt holes are not the same as the uppers? (Later axles used AN 5 (5/16") bolts for the uppers and AN 6 (3/8") bolts for the lowers. If your 4 bolt holes are all AN 5, then the lower holes may be drilled out to AN 6 and the edges radiused, when later axles are installed.)

The end nut of axles are not catellated when wheel fairings are installed. Instead, special nuts are utilized (Cessna PN 0441130)

Here's what the wheel fairing axle nuts look like:

The axle bolt pattern has a different spread between the holes on the backing plates (wider) than the pattern on my "lady Leg" gear. I believe the pants and backing plates came from a 172 with the tubular gear. This may account for the different bolt pattern. The backing plates are also designed for a brake caliper forward position. I understand that the brakes are easily moved from the rear to the front, so that part should not be a problem. I think I'll have to manufacture the backing plates with the "lady leg" bolt pattern, forward brake relief cutouts, and fiberglass fairing bolt patterns. Does anyone have a pattern or template that I can use? Also, what should the material be made of? I'm also curious if the axle nut has a standard length or if it varies with different styles of wheel fairings. Again, any help would be appreciated.

Dave

Dont move your brakes to the front. You'll have to re-route the brake lines from along the rear of the gear legs. Thats ugly and draggy, the opposite of what you want.

Spruce sells mount plate blanks. The nuts may come in different lengths. Measure yours.