The International Cessna^® 170 Association

I am considering the purchase of a Cessna 170 that has the Ponk mod but does not have solid axles. I assume that the Ponk mod does not alleviate the need for the solid axles - correct? Can anybody give me a ROUGH estimate as to the time and cost to replace the original axles with solid ones?

Thanks,
Marshall Friedman
Whitefish, Montana

The solid aluminum (so-called "ski" axles) originally supplied by Cessna for this airplane is still a necessity over the original hollow aluminum axles. Another solution is to use hollow steel axles, either from another Cessna model, or from an aftermarket supplier. Aircraft Spruce sells the steel axles that are approved for the 170. Labor to replace them is about one-hour each.


Spruce P/N 05-00481 $528.00 each, (you might find them slightly less expensive from other sources if old stock)

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/l ... iaaxle.php

It's a good idea to carefully inspect the lower gear leg attach holes for cracking, and to use new AN or NAS hardware/bolts when making the installation. See the IPC.

CAUTION: Be VERY CAREFUL when removing your old axles to keep any axle shims together and properly oriented as removed, or you'll be having to re-align the wheels.

Airframes inc in Alaska used to sell/manufacture hollow steel axles that were PMA'd for the 170. That's where I got mine, and it seemed they were less expensive than the Cessna part from Univair as well as the part from Spruce.

Anyone know what became of Airframes, Inc? Looks like they were bought out.

Upon further research, the FAA database lists their PMA number on the hollow steel axles as P/N: AF1441003-1, replacement for Cessna P/Ns 0541124, 0541124-1

McFarlane Aviation currently sells this part. Others may as well? The Spruce part looks to be cheaper.

1SeventyZ wrote:Airframes inc in Alaska used to sell/manufacture hollow steel axles that were PMA'd for the 170. That's where I got mine, and it seemed they were less expensive than the Cessna part from Univair as well as the part from Spruce.

Anyone know what became of Airframes, Inc? Looks like they were bought out.

Upon further research, the FAA database lists their PMA number on the hollow steel axles as P/N: AF1441003-1, replacement for Cessna P/Ns 0541124, 0541124-1

McFarlane Aviation currently sells this part. Others may as well? The Spruce part looks to be cheaper.

The Aircraft Spruce product... >IS< ...the part mfr'd/PMA' by Airframes, Inc. (who has been absorbed/morphed into a new company that doesn't even list the product for sale anymore.)

To be clear..... The Cessna PN 0541124 is the DISreputable hollow aluminum axle and is not a recommended replacement. The PN 0541124-1 mentioned is the solid, aluminum, ski-axle, which is a good replacement and is sold by Hill Aircraft (a Cessna distributor, 800-998-7832) for $287 each, about half the steel axle price.

Has anyone ever seen a hollow aluminum axle broken on a Cessna 170 other than one that has been on flown on skis?

blueldr wrote:Has anyone ever seen a hollow aluminum axle broken on a Cessna 170 other than one that has been on flown on skis?

http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... f=5&t=5732

In regards to the above noted URL, was the airplane ever on skis?

blueldr wrote:Has anyone ever seen a hollow aluminum axle broken on a Cessna 170 other than one that has been on flown on skis?

I was kind of wondering the same thing. With all the near hysteria about hollow axles, you would think they were snapping like toothpicks. I have not heard of very many of these breaking and it does not seem to be much concern on other Cessnas with the same axles.