Tow bar dimension

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astaib
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Tow bar dimension

Post by astaib »

Hello,

The tow bar of the da40 that I just bought was already repaired and welded.
But the reparation was not done properly and the problem is that I only have one position on the locker that only allows me to use the tow bar when the fairing is mounted on the front gear.

First can you please confirm that a « normal » tow bar has 2 positions.

Then can you please give the the dimensions between the 2 polyamid blocks (in cm) when it is in position for fairing and without the fairing.

I’m very interested by a picture of a “normal “ tow bar with zoom on this area.

I will re-repair it properly.

Thank you very much.

Arnaud.
Arnaud
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Steve
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by Steve »

Arnaud:

The tow bar has 2 positions:

- Closed on the nosegear (with fairing)
- Open

If you intend to use it on an aircraft without the fairing, you will have to somehow make it lock a few mm narrower than it normally does, or get a different tow bar that is more adjustable.

Steve
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Rich
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by Rich »

I don't recall what the original tow bar was like, but I do recall it was hard to use. When the Extended baggage mod was installed, it came with a different tow bar designed to fit into some clamps in the door of the forward luggage compartment. This was amazingly even worse. So we got a bogi-bar.

https://bogertaviation.com/collections/ ... 1212734521

Still not quite perfect, but the best of the lot. I've got a couple of mods in mind to make it easier to use. I'll get to that someday :roll:
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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astaib
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by astaib »

OK thanks, so there is no position for a use without the fairings.

Arnaud.
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by Rick »

The position of the tow bar holes does not change with the fairings removed or installed, so it should make no difference to the tow bar either way. The tow holes are in the nose gear frame, not the fairing. The fairing just attaches to the nose gear frame too, just like the tow bar does.
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astaib
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by astaib »

This looks easy but my workshop told me that the tow bar is not usable without the fairings.

I will inquire!
Arnaud
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by Rick »

astaib wrote:This looks easy but my workshop told me that the tow bar is not usable without the fairings.

I will inquire!
Absolutely not true! All of the DA40's at the flight school here are fairing-less and tow quite nicely. The fairings are not structural in any way.
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by Rich »

Those fittings at the end are built to fit snugly into recesses machined in the nose wheel swingarm itself. The depth to which they go is limited by stops inside those recesses.
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astaib
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Re: Tow bar dimension

Post by astaib »

Thanks guys
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
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