Kelvin,
I did not see an answer to your question,
>From my standpoint as an owner and tech support for Europa, I find the O
ring solution is marvelous. My plastic disc stays quite clean, negating
the need for the sticky grease.
However, DO NOT USE THE GREASE DZERK FOR GREASING THE FORK SPINDLE.
Reason for this is a grease gun (even a hand one) applies the grease
under strong pressure. If you grease until the new grease comes out of
the top, rest assured it is blowing past the O ring also. Grease on the
plastic plate of course eliminates the friction plates effectiveness as
it is now lubricated with slippery grease. I use Aeroshell 22 for my
spindle and wheel bearings, but any HIGH VISCOSITY bearing grease is OK.
The spindle sets in the housing with a spacer between brass bearings so
only use a film of grease on the shaft and put a small amount in the
recess. Do not pack it full, as it isn't needed. Make sure the seal
and seat are clean and reinstall. This shaft doesn't turn that much,
and frankly I am more worried about corrosion in wet environments.
Personally, I place some weight on my rear tie down/stab tubes to hold
the nose off the ground and I remove my nose gear fork every annual
inspection and apply a bit of grease, it also allows a proper repack of
the wheel bearings, as well as inspection of the fork, and the shaft. I
clean my disk annually and at the 5 year point I install a new one.
Check the pin is still secure. Reassemble and set the steering force
for about 16-21 pounds of pull at the rear of the tire. We use a scale
and a bit of safety wire loop to go from the axel bolt back around the
tire rear surface. Then hook our scale up and pull. Note there are two
frictions. The first is the torque to break the friction, then there is
the rotational torque. 21 pounds for the breakout and no less than
going around is what I set the friction when new. Then I adjust after
initial taxi tests. On grass, 16 pounds breakout is about right for me,
but on asphalt on a warm day, you may encounter shimmy if you land and
lower the nose immediately. (You can hold the nose off until 35 Knots
quite easily, and solve the shimmy problem unless your dampener is quite
loose.)
If you choose to use the sticky grease for the shaft as well as the
shimmy dampener plate, that is OK as the manufacturer of the grease
insists it is a lubricant also. I ordered some grease from them a while
ago and they failed to ship to the US, so I am trying to acquire some
---From a retailer in a small quantity for those clients that use or wanted
such a grease.
Best Regards,
Bud Yerly
Tech Support
----- Original Message -----
From: Kelvin Weston<mailto:kelv@kdweston.biz>
To: europa-list@matronics.com<mailto:europa-list@matronics.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 3:11 PM
Subject: Europa-List: Re: Damping Grease
<kelv@kdweston.biz<mailto:kelv@kdweston.biz>>
All
I am about to assemble my nose gear and shimmy damper and intend
purchasing some of the damping grease from Newgateonline as recommended.
I can find no mention of this damping grease in any Europa
documentation or indeed on the Europa Club website so I'm assuming it
has come about from experience during operations. I did find some old
threads on this forum which provided some background to it's use.
However, before I rush out and purchase, I have a few questions:
Mod 59 installed an O ring to prevent grease getting onto the friction
plate but am I right in thinking that this damping grease is used
between the shimmy damper friction plate and the nose leg bearing
housing?
Also, have owners used it to fill the fork spindle bearing housing via
the grease nipple?
The build manual has no mention of the grease to use in the spindle
housing, so I guess some general purpose Aeroshell No 5 would be OK?
Many thanks.
--------
Regards
Kelv Weston
Kit 497
kelv@kdweston.biz<mailto:kelv@kdweston.biz>
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