Problem with my 2002 MXT-180A's flaps

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:57 pm

Good afternoon and thank you for this forurm to ask my question. I have an '02 Comet with 500 hours on it.

After trip to Idaho I was postflighting The Maule and it looked like the flaps were drooping about 2-3 degrees. I then pushed up on them and noticed that there was a little play in them that I do not recall being there before, about 2-3 degrees above and below zero. They move together. I inspected the cable tension and it seems good. I inspected the pulleys and they are all good, no play or binding or wiggling or abnormal residue.

It seems like the play is coming from the notches (cam?) in the flap handle mechanism. I can put the flaps in a notch and wiggle the lever up and down and the flaps move by the same amount as I described above. I think the pawl or the cam is the problem.

Where do I go from here? Is this significant? I don't think it affects the trim or rigging at all.

TIA for your input.

Bill The Mauler.

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 9:29 pm

Choices are to change the ratchet and dog/pawl, or set the flap with pushrods so the bottom of flap is flush with wing bottom when eased to up position. If you want to improve shortfield landing you could purchase the taildragger ratchet which has 48deg also and change it. Another neat trick is to add a tailspring longest leaf, bolt it to the tail tiedown point as in the MX7 and recurve it to protect the rudder. Now you can threepoint the trigear by utilizing -7deg at touchdown. Spring absorbs and protects rudder.

mikemike · Post by **mikemike** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 4:25 am

Jeremy,

Could you explain "re-curving" the spring? Would that be reforming the spring or just assembling it "upside down"? Thanks. - Mike

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:10 am

Bolt the leaf on as it is meant to be on a taildragger, then half way along the down slope portion bend it upward to form a skid as old airplanes had. Angle it to protect the rudder.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:27 am

Thank you Jeremy.

BTW, this is Bill Kalichman, you sold me the plane in 2002 and I have been quite happy with it and your service. The plane and I have been all over the country and seen and learned a lot together.

I'll look into the ratchet tomorrow. If it's worn is that something I can tell by looking at it or do I need measurements?

Would you happen to have a part number on the taildragger ratchet? Any idea of it's price?

Thanks again.

Bill

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:30 am

I found this on the Maule website. Is this the ticket?

MOD KIT 11 48 degree flap ratchet. Do I need anything else?

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:20 am

Hello Bill, best to get the dog along with the ratchet. Takes a half hour to swop it and a bit more to adjust the settings. Will you be trying the skid too? Stop by sometime.

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:22 am

I just noticed, you moved to WA, so not so easy to stop by, ah well.

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:12 pm

Thanks Jeremy.

I only live about 20 minutes out of Minam, OR where I think there are Maule Fly-ins. Maye I'll catch you there sometime.

Hottshot · Post by **Hottshot** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:31 am

Bill if you get board swing into Joseph we have 4 maules on the field and one more close by so you have plenty to compaire and take notes about. Also have you hooked up with the rest of the Maule crew in Tri-cites? I was in Pendleton a bit ago was that your picture ad there in the lounge?

Mountain Doctor · Post by **Mountain Doctor** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:56 am

How you doing, Hotshot!

That was me. I fly around and post flyers about my AME practice from time to time. Pilots trust AME's who are also pilots. We look out for one another.

I've been to Joseph a few times and I love it there. I noticed a few Maules but I was not able to hang out and look into them more. Also Enterprise has at least two Maules that I can think of. Both strips are great destinations.

I'm new to the Maule Community, even though I have flown the Maule for years, I don't know any other Maule drivers in our area....yet.

I did meet an IA in Richland who works on Maules, but my last annual was done at Vista in Kennewick. I flew back to Kalifornia to my usual mechanic the year before that.

Maybe someday soon I can fly on over and meet you and the other Maule drivers at your field.

mikemike · Post by **mikemike** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:27 pm

Jeremy, would the recurved single tailspring look something like this: http://store.wagaero.com/product_info.p ... cts_id=888
Thanks. - Mike

Flyin'Dutch' · Post by **Flyin'Dutch'** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:15 am

MD,

I don't live near you folks and not enough Maules out here to regularly meet up, but we did have our first Maule Meet last September and another planned for this year.

Here's hello from one AME to another.

IF any of you Maulers ever come to the UK be sure to pass by and say 'Hello'

Problem with my 2002 MXT-180A's flaps

Problem with my 2002 MXT-180A's flaps

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