McCauley wheel hub on 76 C172

[Larry Korona]

FYI - During my annual with the wheels apart I decided to get the wheel hubs inspected based on known issues with these 3-part wheels. I used Tail Wind Inspection Services at TUL. Sure enough the pilots side hub has a crack! No idea how old the crack is but it's a ticking time bomb! The bad news is that this part has been long discontinued due to cracks that have resulted in accidents! Doing some research online I've found out that the original hub was make from magnesium and the newer ones were made from aluminum. I've got one of each, I've noticed a weight difference between the two with the magnesium ones being lighter. The cracked hub is most likely magnesium and the good hub a newer one made from aluminum. In all the years that I've owned the plane I've never done anything with the hubs so it must've been a past owner I've going to go through the old logs to see if there's anything.

 

[Magman]

They were not the best idea.

I’ve HEARD several crunching .

Some flight schools have wheel/ tires built up to minimize down time

and they can get mixed.

I may have a 3 wheel set a available soon.

The Cleveland conversion kit works well.

Assure to order correct one though.

 

[Larry Korona]

They were not the best idea.

I’ve HEARD several crunching .

Some flight schools have wheel/ tires built up to minimize down time

and they can get mixed.

I may have a 3 wheel set a available soon.

The Cleveland conversion kit works well.

Assure to order correct one though.

If I'm unable to locate a hub, so far I've not have much luck calling all the usual salvage yards, I'll be interested in your set. Are they 6.00 X 6 wheels for a 1976 C172M? What's your anticipated timeframe? The plane is down right now and I'm anxious to get flying again to enjoy the upcoming Fall weather.

 

[Magman]

It would be all ( 5.00 x 5 nose , 6.00 x 6 main ).

They are off the 1975 172 now so it’s mostly a matter of

getting together with owner.

You are really better off with the conversion kit.

That’s why it was done here.

 

[Larry Korona]

It would be all ( 5.00 x 5 nose , 6.00 x 6 main ).

They are off the 1975 172 now so it’s mostly a matter of

getting together with owner.

You are really better off with the conversion kit.

That’s why it was done here.

I'm not able to lay out the $$ right now, however I'm certainly aware of the need to get the kit evidently

 

[martym]

Just here to call dibs on the cracked one if it's going in the trash.

 

[Magman]

It’s usually cheaper to buy one part to keep going.

However; that is a commitment to that system that will likely continue.

Keeping a spare hub in baggage would be a good idea.

A fleet owner may want spares of wheel parts, caliper , bearings and discs.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Mechanics (and owners!) typically overtorque those flange screws and crack the hub. The wall thickness between the screw hole and the hub's outer radius is tiny. McCauley helpfully stamped the torque specs on the flanges, and people unhelpfully ignored them and wound 'em up good 'n' tight so they'd stay put, and cracked the hubs. Those wheels were OK if they were treated properly.

Sell them to a homebuilder. He can drill those holes out, all the way through, and use long AN4 or AN5 bolts and nuts.

 

[Larry Korona]

Just here to call dibs on the cracked one if it's going in the trash.

The hub has a crack making it unairworthy what are planning to do with it?

 

[Mike Gagnon]

I have a pair that I removed three years ago, one of which has a crack. Drop me a message if interested in either/both.


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