‘TABLE OF CONTENTS MAINTENANCE SECTION Fuel Requirements Olt Requirements Tire Inflation Lifting and Jacking Main Wheels Main Wheel Alignment Brakes Brake Master Cylinders Brake Bleeding Parking Brake Tail Wheel Tall Wheel Fork Tail Wheel Fork Housing Tail Wheel Lock Pin and Housing Main and Tail Gear Attach Bolts Tail Gear Spring Main Gear Spring Wings Wing Attachment to Fuselage Wing Center Splice Connection Wing Walk Fuel Tanks Fuel Tank Senders Fuel Tank Receiver Fuel System Drains Fuel System Screens and Filters Fuel Wobble Pump Ailerons Flaps Aileron and Flap Rigging Page No. ONNeOeHHeBoONHBB Ee 10 12 12 13 14 15 16 7 7 18 18 18 19 19Aileron and Flap Bellcranks & Supports Flap Actuator Flap Actuator Relays Flap Actuator Trouble Shooting Flap Motor Trouble Shooting Horizontal Stabilizers Stabilizer Struts Stabilizer Rigging Vertical Fin Rudder Rudder Controls Elevators Elevator Controls Cockpit Controls Elevator Trim Tabs Trim Tab Controls Trim Lever Fuselage Removable Skins Fuselage Fixed Skins Fuselage Cockpit Skins Fuselage Frame Windshield Canopy Doors Seat Hopper Hopper Gate Box Hopper Lid Gate Box Controls Spray Lever Controls Spray Pump Spray Plumbing Bottom Load Plumbing ‘Spray Nozzles Stripping and Re-painting Parts x 22 22 24 2SBRSBNRBRRR BSBSBREBELEREREBBEBREPainting Summary Painting Steel Parts Priming Aluminum Parts With Zinc Chromate Torque Values For Shop Use Electrical System Trouble s8esesAir Tractor, Inc. Maintenance Page 1 FUEL REQUIREMENTS Fuel type for the AT-301 is aviation grade 80/87 minimum octane gasoline. If this fuel is not available, use the next highest grade aviation gasoline, up to and including 100 octane. Under no circumstances should aeromatic fuel be used. OIL REQUIREMENTS For summer flying SAE 60 grade oll should be used. For winter flying SAE 50 grade olt.is recommended. Select a well known aviation oil that is non-detergent and do not mix brands. It is recommended that the oil level on the dipstick be maintained above 4 gallons at all times. For extreme conditions the engine can be safely operated down to 2 gallons on the dipstick. Never commence operations at this minimum level. Oil changes are recommended at 100 hour intervals, or more often if condi ions require it. TIRE INFLATION The main tires are inflated to a pressure of 41 psi (unloaded) or 43 psi (loaded). The tail wheel tire is inflated to a pressure of 35 psi (loaded or unloaded). LIFTING AND JACKING AA jack pad is provided with each aircraft for the main gear. To install the jack pad, lay a soft rag on the inside so that it will not chip the paint from the main gear leg and slide the jack pad up the lower end of the main gear leg until it is snug. It will be necessary to remove and replace the lower Ty-rap that holds the brake line in place. The Ty-rap is a TY-528M and should be stocked as a standard spares item. After the jack pad is in place, install the bolt and nut through the pad flanges with the bolt on the top side of the gear leg. This is to keep the pad from spreading apart and slipping. Use a small hydraulic jack to lift the wheel off the ground. Be sure the tail wheel is locked, and chooks are in place on the other main wheel. The hopper should be empty before jacking. To jack the tail wheel, place a small board (a short 2x 4) under the tail spring about mid-way between the forward spring attach bolt and the main clamp block that attaches the spring to the fuselage. Place the jack on the board and lift the wheel. Be sure the parking brake is set before jacking. If the tail spring is to be removed or checked for looseness, or have bolts changed, place the ‘small hydraulic jack under the point of the L/H stabilizer strut attach fitting that welds to the lower fuselage longeron. Again, be sure the parking brake is set before jacking. If the main gear springs are to be checked for looseness, or bolts changed (other than the forward clamp bolt), the aircraft must be lifted with a hoist, as there are no Jack points on the wing due to the large deflections of the main gear springs. A sling should be constructed with each side of the sling equipped with a strong hook that will be installed in the lifting eyes on the engine crankcase. Be sure to have a spreader bar installed in the sling that will keep the cables from chafing the cylinders, and to assure that the cables are pulling in the line of the lifting eyes on the crankcase. It will be necessary to remove the prop cable support from the L/H lifting eye before hoisting theMaintenance Page 2 Air Tractor, Inc. aircraft. There are surplus slings available that can be modified slightly to fit the R1340 by shortening the spreader bar. These slings can be supplied by the factory if desired. Be sure to have the hopper empty before hoisting. A two-ton hoist should be used, and as the wheels clear the ground, place an empty 55 gallon drum with sufficient boards under each wing at the tie-down locations to steady the aircraft and provide safety in case the hoist should fail. Do not attempt to jack the wings at the tie-down rings. MAIN WHEELS To remove a main wheel, jack the wheel clear of the ground per previous instructions. With 47/16" wrench, remove the six AN4 bolts attaching the two halves of the brake assembly. Leave the brake line connected and slide the brake assembly out of the way. Next remove the snap ring on the inboard side of the wheel that holds the felt grease retainer in place. This facilitates wheel removal and re-installation. Then remove the outer snap ring and dust cap, remove the two cotters in the castellated nut, and back off the castellated nut. The wheel can then be pulled free of the axle. If the tire Is to be removed, deflate and then remove the two wheel halves. When re-mounting the tire and tube, apply enough air pressure in the tube to allow the tube to take shape and position itself properly in the tire before the two rim halves are assembled. This will help prevent pinching the tube between the rim halves. Torque wheel bolts 90 inch-pounds at the nut. Inflate to 41 psi. Clean bearings and hand-pack with Mil-G-7711 general purpose grease. Before the wheel is re-installed, inspect the cast aluminum torque plate for cracks and check the four axle attach bolts for proper torque (450 inch-pounds at the nut). Wipe axle clean and slide inner grease seal and bearing on axle, Position wheel and tighten casellated axle nut until a slight bearing drag is felt as whee! i turned. Back off nut to nearest castellation and install two MS24665-351 cotters. Position inner ‘grease seal and install snap ring. Install outer dust cap and snap ring and rotate wheel to check for possible drag of cotter head on dust cap. The cotter head should protrude no more than 1/8” above the flat for dust cap clearance. Check brake linings for wear and re-install on torque plate. The six ANG bolts in the wheel cylinders require 70 inch-pounds torque. MAIN WHEEL ALIGNMENT 1. Difference in forming of the main gear legs requires the use of tapered shims to provide the correct camber and toe-in on the main wheels. 2. The aircraft is to be fueled, but with empty hopper. Taxi the aircraft a short distance in a straight line to allow the gear legs to assume the natural position. The aircraft should be on paved surface or flat smooth ground. 3. A long straight edge is placed across the front of the tires approximately at axle height. This straight edge is supported by blocks, or cans, or both. A 24” or larger carpenter's square is placed against the straight edge and the outside surface of the tire, and held level with the Ground and at axle height. The tire should be square with the straight edge, or have up to 1/8"” toe-in, measured at the most outboard part of the tire. 4, Camber is then measured by placing a protractor on the vertical axis of the wheel through the axle. Camber should measure 5° + 1°Air Tractor, Inc. Maintenance Page 3 5. Should the whee! fail to check within these limits, the axle bolts are removed and the tapered shims rotated, deleted, or added to until the wheels check with these limits. 6. The use of shims is limited to no more than 4° of change in the axle centerline from a line perpendicular to the face of the landing gear leg in the center of the bolt pattern. Beyond 4°, bolts through the torque plate will cause a preload in the torque plate due to the interference fit that could cause cracking. To determine if more than 4° exists, measure the thickest and the thinnest part of the shim (or shims) used. Subtract the thinnest measurement from the thickest. If this amount is equal to or less than .227", there is no more than 4° of change in the axle centerline. If more than .227"' exists, consult the engineering department immediately. If shims are removed, or bolts changed, be sure the steel round plate is positioned with the countersunk side of the holes under the bolt heads. BRAKES ‘The wheel brake units are Cleveland 30-89 L/H and 30-89 R/H. The brake unit consists of the wheel cylinder assembly and the torque plate, which is attached to the gear leg with the four axle bolts. The torque plates are not interchangeable from right to left, but the cylinder assembly can be converted to a R/H or aL/H by moving the bleed screw to the fluid entry port. Brake fluid used is red Mil-H-5606A petroleum-base fluid which is used in most light aircraft. Do not use automotive brake fluid as this will swell the O-rings. The wheel units can be removed by using a 7/16" wrench to remove the six AN4 bolts attaching the two halves of the brake assembly. The brake line may be left connected if only the linings are to be changed. Linings are Cleveland p/n 66-59 and are attached with Cleveland p/n 105-2 ivets. There are 12 linings and 24 rivets per aircraft. Each brake assembly has three pistons which are Cleveland p/n 92-29 and have an O-ring installed which is a Cleveland p/n 101-232 (MS28775-232). Each piston also incorporates a drag ring which holds the piston against the backing plate of the lining so that excessive pedal travel is not required for positive brake action. To remove the pistons in order to change O-rings, remove the brake line and apply air Pressure at the fluid entry port. The pistons are aluminum and should be checked for wear, or burrs that could cut the O-ring. Check the bore in the housing at the same time, When installing new O-rings, soak them in brake fluid before placing them on the pistons. Re-install the pistons with care, ‘80 that the O-ring is not damaged. ‘The brake disc is a Cleveland p/n 164-30 and is attached to the bolts that attach the two rim halves together. The wheel must be removed from the aircraft per previous instructions, the tire deflated, and the whee! disassembled in order to remove the brake disc. With the new brake disc in place, re-assemble wheel and tire per previous instructions. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS. ‘The master clylinders are Cleveland p/n 10-17A. The lower end is bolted to an aluminum strap connected to the rudder pedal. Both the strap and the pedal have bronze bushings that can be replaced when worn. The bushings are oil-impregnated and do not require lubrication.Maintenance Page 4 Air Tractor, Inc. ‘The upper end of the master cylinder is attached to a p/n 40002-1 clevis with an ANS16-4 check nut. If the rudder pedal position (angle) should need changing for pilot comfort, the check nut can be loosened, and the round plunger immediately below can be rotated with finger pressure in either direction to increase or decrease the angle that the brake pedal makes with the cockpit floor. When desired angle is obtained, snug check nut. To remove the master cylinder, loosen check nut and rotate plunger out of the clevis. Then remove the bolt attaching the master cylinder to the aluminum strap and disconnect the two brake lines at the cylinder. ‘A repair kit is available for the master cylinder which is Cleveland p/n 199-04100. The cylinder may be dis-assembled and repair parts installed per instructions furnished with kit. If the check nut at the top is left in the original position, the pedal angle will be the same as before when the master cylinder is re-installed. Be sure the clevis is free to swing with the master cylinder through the full range of rudder pedal travel. If it does not, the two plates which attach the clevis are too close together and require an additional spacer washer. If a spot of brake fluid appears on the cockpit floor on the L/H side it does not necessarily ‘mean that the master cylinder is leaking. The usual cause is over-filling the brake reservoir, so that when brakes are used, and fluid returns to the reservoir, it sometimes leaks through the vent hole in the reservoir cap. BRAKE BLEEDING If air enters the brake system because of worn O-rings or the replacement of brake system ‘components, the brake pedal will become “‘soft”” and the brakes loose some of their effectiveness. It will then be necessary to bleed the brakes to remove the air. The conventional practice of placing a pressure pot line at the bleed screw location on the Wheel cylinder and forcing fluid up through the system generally does not work. The factory practice is to place one person in the cockpit and another at the wheel cylinder with a bleed screw wrench and a Coke bottle to catch the fluid. Before the bleeding process begins, it is necessary to obtain a short Piece (about 6” long) of windshield wiper hose which will fit snugly over the bleed screw head so that all the fluid can be caught in the Coke bottle and not wasted. The procedure is as follows: 1. The cockpit man pulls on the parking brake and leaves it on. Then he pumps the pedal on the side being bled several times until the pedal begins to get firm. The parking brake is left on since it is actually a one-way check valve. 2, Then the cockpit man pushes on the pedal and shouts ‘‘Open'’ to the man at the wheel cylinder who proceeds to open the bleed screw with a 1/4” open-end wrench. Brake fluid and air then rush through the bleed screw, through the hose, and into the Coke bottle. 3. The cockpit man, who has held the pedal all the way down, then shouts ‘‘Close"” as soon as the pedal reaches the down position, and the other person closes the bleed screw immediately. 4. The cockpit man uses the procedure outlined in (1) to obtain a firm pedal and again repeats step (2) and @). 5. The above procedure is repeated as many as a dozen or so times until a firm brake is obtained with the parking brake off. Be sure to add brake fluid to the reservoir before the reservoir isAir Tractor, Inc. Maintenance Page 5 emptied or else you will have to start all over again. Don't use the fluid in the Coke bottle as it will have bubbles of air. When the bubbles are gone It Is OK to use, however. Repeat the process for the other wheel. PARKING BRAKE 2-006 (w 507-40) The parking brake valve used on the Air Tractor is a Gerdes p/n A-850-5, A cam is welded to a lever arm with a knob attached and the cam is used to actuate/two spring loaded poppits using O-rings for seals. The O-rings are MS28775-010 (3 6a.) an 2 ea.) and MS26775-012 (2 ¢a.). The O-rings may be replaced without removing the vaive=TNs Is accomplished by removing the 1/4” diameter stainless lines from the front side ofthe valve, then removing the two fittings that the lines were attached to, and allowing the spring-loaded poppits to slide out the front side of the valve. The new O-rings can then be soaked in brake fluid and carefully replaced. A stainless angle with a rivet installed is bolted to the lower side of the valve body and the rivet head is used as a detent to prevent the valve lever from creeping into the closed position. At appropriate intervals (during taxi) the valve lever should be brought back to the rivet head position and brakes applied. There should be no tendency for the brakes to hold unless the lever Is forced up (on top of the rivet head. The rivet should be replaced if worn, and the bracket can be re-positioned slightly if there is any tendency for the brakes to hold before the lever is forced up on top of the rivet head. TAIL WHEEL The tail whee! is a Gerdes p/n A-1280 which is modified at the factory by the addition of a grease fitting and felt seals. Keeping the bearings properly lubricated is the key to long bearing life. To accomplish this the rim halves and valve stem are sealed with silicone sealer (available at most lumber yards and industrial stores) during assembly of the wheel halves, tire and tube. In addition the valve stem has a neoprene washer under the nut where the stem protrudes through the rim. The entire inside of the wheel must be filled with grease before the addition of grease will start flowing through the bearings and out of the felt seals. To remove the tail wheel, jack the wheel clear of the ground per previous instructions and remove the long An6-63A bolt that attaches the axle to the fork. Note the method of safety wire on the large stainless jam nut and cut the wire loose from the fork. The tail wheel is now free and ready for dis-assembly. Back off the jam nut from the axle and remove the axle. Inspect the axle for wear at the bearing positions, as insufficient greasing procedures will cause the bearing to turn on the axle and ruin both parts. Inspect the AN6 bolt for wear and straightness, and slide the bolt through the fork to check the hole in the fork for wear. There should be no wear in the fork holes since there is no movement between fork and bolt. If the tire Is to be removed, deffate and remove the bolts holding the wheel halves together. Since the rim halves were sealed the sealer may hold the parts together and tapping the rims with a wooden block may be necessary to split the wheel. Don’t forget to remove the valve stem nut and push the stem until it is loose from the wheel half. Clean all parts and re-assemble, using the silicone sealer on the rim halves and around the valve stem. Partially inflate the tube to keep from pinching it. Check condition of the felts on each side of the wheel. Both felts have the same O.D. but the felt on the threaded end of the axle has anMaintenance Page 6 Air Tractor, Inc. 1.D. of 1 3/8” and the felt on the other end has an |.D. of 1 1/8". These felts are p/n 40069-1 and 40068-2. The aluminum cover plates are the same on each side and are p/n 4068-1, and the neoprene washer around the valve stem is p/n 40076-1. The axle is p/n 40074-1. Tail wheel bearings are Timken L44643LA cone (the part with the rollers) and L44610 cup (the part pressed into the wheel half). Hand pack the bearings with general purpose grease, and install wheel on the axle. Install the 40034-1 Jam nut and 40051-1 tongue washer on the axle with the round shoulder inboard and tighten until all bearing slack is removed but the wheel is free toturn. In- flate the tire to 35 psi. Grease the ANG-63A axle bolt and install wheel and axle assembly on the fork. Torque the nut to 160 inch-pounds. Safety the jam nut against the rotation of the wheel with MS20995C33 stainless safety wire. TAIL WHEEL FORK The tail wheel fork may be removed from the housing by removing the single AN4C26A stainless bolt from the arm assembly that connects to the centering springs. With the fork removed, check for wear on the spindle at the bronze bearing locations. Also check for condition of the stee! bushing that the lock pins drops into. This bushing is pressed into the steel plate at the bottom end of the spindle and staked in four places on each side of the plate with a center punch. This holds the bushing in place since it has a beveled edge on both sides. This bushing is p/n 4042-1. Excess wear on the fork spindle at the bronze bearing locations are an indication that grease is not reaching the proper area. To grease the bronze bearings properly, jack the tail wheel clear of the ground and apply Grease at the fitting on the housing, and rotate the fork until grease is running out of the full perimeter of both upper and lower bronze bushings. Excessive wear in the spindle will require a new fork assembly which is p/n 40040-1 and includes the steel lock pin bushing. The centering springs are p/n 4004-1 and attach to a p/n 40035-1 bracket which wears on a p/n 40036-1 bushing. The bolt is @ ANACTA, TAIL WHEEL FORK HOUSING ‘The housing Is attached to the tall spring with two AN10-H14A bolts", and MS20995C32 safety wire ties the bolt heads together. These bolts have a tendency to loosen in service, particularly in the first 100 hours of operation as paint between mating surfaces is compressed. At 100 hour intervals, the tail wheel should be jacked clear of the ground, and with the locking pin in place give the tail wheel a vigorous tug from side to side to check for movement between the housing and the spring. Torque the bolts to 1,800 inch-pounds.* For row-crop operation from smooth strips these bolts should be replaced at least every 1,600 hours* and for rice operation from rough strips they should be changed every 800 hours* or once a year. Be sure to grease the bolts before installation with G.P. grease, and an added precaution would be to apply grease to the threads of the housing to prevent the bolt from siezing. ‘A brass wear plate is attached at the lower plate of the fork housing assembly. This plate is attached with counter-sunk machine screws and if worn to the point where the machine screw heads are flush, it should be changed. The brass plate is p/n 40018-2. The large bronze bushings inside the housing are p/n 40023-1 (lower) and p/n 40024-1 (upper). These bushings are pressed into place and may be driven out with a pin punch. The lower bushing has a chamfered end which Is positioned onAir Tractor, Inc. Maintenance Page 7 the lower extreme of the housing at the brass wear plate. The housing assembly is p/n 4017-1 which Is less bushings, wear plate, and attaching hardware and grease fitting ‘See page 8 for bolt size, torque, and life for early model aircraft. TAIL WHEEL LOCK PIN AND HOUSING ‘The lock pin housing is p/n 40025-1 and attaches to the steel plate on the lower end of the fork housing with four countersunk screws. The four holes in the base of the lock pin housing are oversize to allow adjustment of the locking pin. If the aircraft tends to steer to the left or to the right on the ground with the lock pin engaged, it is necessary to re-position the lock pin housing. Jack the tail wheel clear of the ground, lift the lock pin up and swivel the fork to one side so that the four screw heads are exposed. Make a pencil mark along the edge of the lock pin housing plate for a reference and estimate the amount of movement for the lock pin housing. Loosen the 4 screws and move the housing in the desired direction. Swivel the fork back into position and allow the locking pin to ‘engage the fork, then tighten the two outboard screws. Then rotate the fork back so that the two inboard screws can be tightened. Check the lock pin again to see that it freely engages the fork. Taxi the aircraft in a no-wind condition or if there is a light wind, taxi both up-wind and down-wind with the rudder pedals in the neutral position and the stick back so that you are sure the lock pin is engaged. Keep adjusting the locking pin housing until the aircraft will taxi in a straight line. During annual inspections (or more frequently if required) remove the housing and slide out the locking pin to check it for wear and straightness. The compression spring inside the housing should also be checked for broken coils. The locking pin is p/n 40021-1 and the spring is p/n 40026-1 MAIN AND TAIL GEAR ATTACH BOLTS. The bolts attaching the main and tail gear springs to the fuselage structure are among the most Important structural components of the aircraft. Being structural components under constant stress, these bolts have definite fatigue lives. The predictability of the fatigue life of each bolt is Impossible due to the wide variety of operating conditions that include smoothness of landing strips, number of landings per hour, pilot landing technique, load carried, the way the turns on the ground are made, the way the brakes are used, and many other small but significant factors. Dropping in over the trees and hitting the ground during a spray run may not cause a gear bolt failure, but the effect on the fatigue life of the bolt could be the-same as several thousand landings on a rough strip. A bolt that is not tightened to the proper torque, especially when there is visible clearance between the gear spring and the fuselage, will last only a fraction of the time normally expected We have seen paved landing strips that had big potholes impossible to miss when landing, that must impose huge loads on the forward main gear clamp bolts. How many times do you hit the potholes before the bolts break? Some strips are so rough you wouldn't dare drive your empty pickup ‘over 30 mph down the strip, yet there goes an Air Tractor with a ton of fertilizer bouncing along at 80 mph on a still day just before lift-off. Lie down on the ground and look at the massive structure ‘supporting all four wheels of your pickup. Now look at your Air Tractor gear support, and consider the leverage that exists between the gear leg length, and the distance between the clamp block bolts.Maintenance Page 8 Air Tractor, Inc. What we are trying to tell you is that your aircraft Is not a tank, the gear will support a surprising amount of load, the bolts will take a lot of tough licks, but don’t press your luck and think that they will last forever without breaking. Accordingly, we have established what we feel is a conservative, yet realistic time period for gear bolt changes, based on field experience at this time. The bolt life shown is based on normal operations, and if you are the one with the potholes or super-rough strips, cut the time between bolt changes in half. If your aircraft hits the ground or a ditch bank during spraying, change the forward clamp bolts immediately. If you discover slack in the large 7/8" bolt attaching the main gear leg, change It immediately. Bolts are cheap. Hours shown are for normal operations in row-crop or rice operations. If your business combines both types of flying, use an average of the two figures. If your strips are rougher than normal cut the hours shown in half. If you hit an obstruction with the main gear, change the forward clamp bolt immediately and check the clamp block for straightness. Bolt sizes have changed during the production life of the Air Tractor as more experience in operation has been gathered. For that reason pay close attention to serial numbers when ordering bolts Bolt Location Size Size Bolt Life Bolt Life [On fuselage] 0001 - 0059 (0060 - Now [Row-crop Op.) [Rice Op.] Fwd main gear ‘clamp block NAS150DH52 600 hours 300 hours NAS152DH40 1,000 hours 500 hours Aft main gear clamp block NAS150DH40 1,200 hours: 600 hours NAS152DH40 2,000 hours 1,000 hours. nbd. main gear large bolt ANI4-51A* 600 hours: 300 hours NAS1540-84 800 hours 400 hours Size ‘Size (0001 - 0025 0026 - Now Tail spring clamp bolts NAS147DH34 600 hours 300 hours, ANT7-278 1,000 hours 500 hours Tall spring Forward bolt AN5-16A ANS-164 600 hours 300 hours 2 Bolts aft end tail spring that NAS148DH24° 1,000 hours: 500 hours attach fork housing: ANIOH14A** 1,600 hours 800 hours ‘The AN14-51A bolt will interchange with the NAS154A-84 bolt and we recommend changing to the NAS bolt when time to change. ‘These bolts have a tendency to loosen even though safety wire is used in the heads. Check torque (690 inch-pounds for NAS) and (1,300 inch-pounds for AN10) every 100 hours.Air Tractor, Inc. Maintenance Page 9 Hours shown are for normal operations in row-crop or rice operations. If your business combines both types of flying, use an average of the two figures. If your strips are rougher than normal cut the hours shown in half. If you hit an obstruction with the main gear, change the forward clamp bolt immediately and check the clamp block for straightness. Torque values for all bolts are shown below: NAS150DH52, NAS150DH40: 1,300 inch-pounds NAS152DHA40: 2,500 inch-pounds NAS154A-84, AN14-51A: 3,000 inch-pounds NAS147DH34, AN7-27A: 500 inch-pounds (Torque wrench on bolt head) ANS-16A: Snug only. Do not over-tighten as spring must move on bolt. NAS148DH24: 690 inch-pounds AN10H14A: 1,300 inch-pounds Be sure to make log-book entries when bolts are changed TAIL GEAR SPRING The tail gear spring is p/n 40009-1. It is machined of E-4340 aircraft quality steel, formed, heat-treated, shot-peened for fatigue resistance, and magnafluxed for cracks. It is sand-blasted and primed with an epoxy primer (Reliance Universal Relthane 499 Chromanoxide primer) and finished with Alumi-grip 92-Y-167 yellow polyurethane paint. ‘The forward attachment of the spring to the fuselage frame is with an ANS-16A bolt. It Is clamped at the rear attachment with a p/n 40066-1 clamp** block which attaches to the fuselage frame with two AN7-27A bolts.* There is a p/n 40075-1 aluminum pad that is installed between the ‘clamp block and the spring to allow the spring to work without putting secondary loads into the fuselage frame or attach bolts. There are square .020 thick stanless shims (p/n 4065-1) and sometimes a spacer washer located between the clamp block and the fuselage frame. During annual inspections the tall gear should be jacked at the stabilizer strut fitting as described under “Lifting and Jacking" and the tail spring checked for looseness at the clamp block. Looseness can be eliminated by removing one or more of the square stainless shims from under the clamp block. With the clamp block removed, also check the aluminum pad for condition. The forward spring attach bolt (ANS-16A) should be changed every 600 hours or once a year for row-crop work and every 300 hours if working from rough strips in rice operations. Besides saving @ possible fatigue failure, the forward bolt tends to freeze up if not changed often. Be sure to grease the bolt and snug the nut only (no torque) as the spring must move on the bolt. ‘The clamp bolts (AN7-27A)* should be changed every 1,000 hours* for row-crop work and every 500 hours' if operating from rough strips in rice operations. Torque the clamp bolts to 00 inch- pounds (torque wrench on bolt head), and make sure there are sufficient shims between the clamp block and the fuselage frame to prevent bending the clamp block as the bolts are torqued, The tail gear spring will fatigue and break at some point in the life of the aircraft. The umber of hours before failure will vary considerably as some operators make many more landings per flight hour than others, or carry heavier loads, or operate from very rough strips. Pilot technique is a factor also, since some pilots are very rough on airplanes. For these reasons it is not possible to Predict when a failure might occur.Maintenance Page 10 Air Tractor, Inc. Usually the tail spring will show signs of yielding just prior to failure and the tail of the aircraft will sit a slight bit lower to the ground than previously. Sometime during the first 100 or so hours of operation a measurement should be taken and recorded from the clamp block to the ground or hangar floor. The aircraft should be fully fueled, and with full hopper. At various intervals this measurement should be checked, and after 1,000 hours check the measurement at least every 50 hours. Although service history for the Air Tractor is still relatively limited, it appears that the tail spring should be changed about every 1,000 hours for the worst conditions of rice operations from rough strips, and every 2,000 hours for the best conditions of row-crop work from smooth strips. Each operator should determine at what point in between these extremes his operation fits and change the tail spring at the appropriate interval, unless the measuring process described earlier indicates yielding. In that case the spring should be changed immediately. When ordering a new tail gear spring, also order two ea. 4065-1 shims in case they are needed. For everyone's protection, take a cutting torch and destroy the old spring when it is replaced * See page 8 for bolt size for early model aircraft. ** Serial numbers 001 through 0025 use a p/n 4022-1 clamp. * Seepage 8 for bolt size, torque, and life for early model aircraft. MAIN GEAR SPRING ‘The main gear spring is p/n 4007-2 and will fit on either side of the aircraft. It is machined of E-4340 aircraft quality steel, formed, heat-treated, shot-peened for fatigue resistance, and magna- fluxed for cracks. It is sand-blasted and primed with an epoxy primer (Reliance Universal Relthane 499 Chromanoxide primer) and finished with Alumigrip 92-Y-167 yellow polyurethane paint. The inboard attachment of the spring to the fuselage frame Is with a NAS154A-84 bolt*, Ms20002C14 washer under the bolt head (be sure the chamfered side of the washer is next to the head), one to two AN960-1416 washers under the nut, AN310-14 nut, and MS24665-359 cotter. The bolt is installed upside down and torque should be 3,000 inch-pounds (torque wrench on bolt head). A simple adapter for your torque wrench is a short piece of 3/4” hex stock to enter the bolt head, and a 3/4” socket for your torque wrench. The inboard bolt should be changed every 800 hours * for row-crop work and every 400 hours* for rice operatons. It is necessary to hoist the aircraft as described under “Lifting and Hoisting" when changing the inboard bolt. Be sure to grease the bolt with general purpose grease before installing. Also, be sure the bolt is marked "‘R’” on the head to indicate the threads were rolled after heat treat. ‘The gear spring is clamped to the fuselage frame with a p/n 40003-1 clamp** block with two NAS152DHA0 bolts," MS20002C12 washers" under the bolt head (make sure the chamfered side of the washer is under the bolt head), and various number of 40055-1*** and 40055-2"** round shim washers (each a different thickness) between the clamp block and the fuselage frame. The shims are selected to allow the bolts to be fully torqued without bending the clamp block. The 4055-1 shim is 018 thick and the 4055-2 shim is .030 thick. If too many thick shims are used the gear connection will be too loose and will rattle during taxi or landing. If the gear leg becomes loose during service ‘even though the clamp block bolts are at full torque it is necessary to exchange a thick shim for a thin one.Air Tractor, Ine. Maintenance Page 11 ‘The method employed at the factory to determine the amount of shims required is to install ‘the clamp block and fully torque the bolts before installing the large inboard bolt. The block is checked for straightness with a small straight edge (a six-inch steel scale is OK) to be sure the block is not bent by not having sufficient shims. Then the gear leg is grasped at the lower end, given an outboard tug by hand. A moderate tug should move the inboard end of the leg down from the attach bushing in the fuselage frame a distance of 1/8” to 1/4”. If it Is a greater distance than 1/4” the connection is too loose, and a thinner shim is tried and the process repeated. Once the proper shims are determined, the bolts are loosened and the large inboard bolt is installed. Then the clamp block bolts are tightened to full torque (2,500 inch-pounds)* and MS20995C32 is used to safety the two bolt heads together. ‘An adapter for your torque wrench may be made from a short piece of 5/8’"* hex stock to enter the bolt head, and a 5/8" socket for the torque wrench. Be sure to grease the bolts before installing. The clamp block bolts should also have the letter ‘“R’’ stamped on the head to indicate the threads were rolled after heat-treat. For row-crop operations the forward clamp bolt should be changed every 1,000 hours* and the aft clamp bolt ever 2,000 hours.* For rice operations from rough strips the forward bolt should be changed every 500 hours* and the aft bolt every 1,000* hours. If an obstruction is hit with the main gear change the forward clamp bolt immediately and check the clamp block for straightness. The forward clamp bolt can be changed without hoisting the aircraft. The parking brake should be set, and use care so as not to disturb the shims that are in place. Since each main gear leg is slightly different in thickness, and since each clamp block is machined within a specified tolerance, it is necessary to make a shim selection as described earlier if either the gear leg or the clamp block is changed. As in the case of the tail gear spring, the main gear spring will fatigue and break at some Point in the life of the aircraft. Again, the number of hours before failure will vary considerably as Some operators make more landings per hour than others, or carry heavier loads, or operate from very rough strips. Pilot technique is again a factor, as some pilots are very rough on airplanes. For these reasons it is impossible to predict when a failure might occur. Usually the main gear will show signs of yielding just prior to a failure and the main gear will spread out more with a load than normal. At some point during the first hundred hours of operation top off the fuel tank, fill the hopper with water and taxi straight ahead far enough to allow the gear to take its natural position. Shut off the engine and measure the distance between the inside lower edges of the gear legs. Record this distance and the flight hours at time of measurement. Also stand in front of the aircraft and get a mental picture of how far apart the gears are spread. At various intervals, this measurement should be checked, and after 1,000 hours check the measurement every 100 hours and after 1,500 hours check the measurement at least every 50 hours. If a trend towards increased spreading apart begins to develop at any time, the gears should be changed immediately and the old ones destroyed with a cutting torch. Service history is still relatively limited but in the interest of safety and the high financial consequences of a broken main gear leg, it would be advisable to take a highly conservative approach and change the main gear springs well before the probable fatigue life. It would not be unreasonable for a rice operator to change gears at 1,000 hours if his strips are rough and a lot of landings per hour are made. A row-crop operator with smooth strips might want to change at 2,000 hours. When the main gear springs are changed, use new bolts and nuts at all locations. The axleMaintenance Page 12 Air Tractor, Inc. ‘August 8, 2003 AT-301 attach bolts are NAS147-51. Install the springs to the fuselage in accordance with the instructions in this section, and install the axles to the spring using the procedure to cheok camber and toe-in outlined in the section “Main Wheel Alignment." Be sure to make log book entries when bolts or gear springs are changed. Whenever the aiplane is ground-looped or involved in an incident that puts a permanent bend in one gear spring, the other spring must be changed as it may have been overstressed. ‘When ordering new main gear springs or clamp blocks also order 4 ea, 40055-1" shims and 4 ea, .40055-2" shims in case they are needed. In addition, the large aluminum tapered shims at the axle attach- ment might need an addition or change so it would be a good idea to order 2 ea. 4011-2 shims and 2 ea 40011-3 shims in case they are needed. * See page 8 for bolt size for early model aircraft. * See page 8 for bolt size, torque, and life for early model alrcraft. ** Serial numbers 0001 through 0059 use a p/n 40063-1 clamp. *** Serial numbers 0001 through 0059 use a p/n 4062-1 or -2.8q. shim. * Seepage 8 {or bolt size, torque, and life for early model aircraft. * Serial number 0001 through 0059 use p/n 40062-1 and -2 shims. WINGS: ‘The wing Is of all-metal construction with the main spar designed to take all of the bending | toad. Thick wing skins are employed near the wing root with a gradual drop In thickness at each skin fap as wing loads diminish. No span-wise stringers are used In order to simplify construction and repairs and for that reason wrinkles In the upper skin and “‘cans”” between the ribs will be noticed during maneuvers with heavy loads. This Is @ natural condition and unless the cans or wrinkles change noticeably in a particular location there Is no cause for alarm. Any changes as mentioned will require close Inspection of all internal structural parts in the area where the change has taken place. The wing leading edge Is of .040 thick 2024-T3 and can be replaced In the fleld as described under the Repairs section of this manual. The wing rear spar attach plate Is of 1/4” thick 4130N steel for extra strength and resistance to corrosion during fertilizer applications. It Is cadmlum plated and primed with Chromanoxide epoxy primer before assembly to the rear spar. All wing parts are cleaned with a detergent soap, scrubbed with an etching solution, and dipped into an Alodine 1200 solution, then primed before assembly. Skin laps on the top side of the wing are sealed with PRC-1422 A2as in the wing root to prevent chemical entry. WING ATTACHMENT TO FUSELAGE Two wing attach angles are used to attach the wing main spar to the fuselage vertical tube Just aft of the main spar. There are three ANS-25A bolts that attach each vertical tube to the wing ‘angles. Its important to note that only the center bolt Is fully torqued. (100 inch-pounds at the nut), and that the upper and lower bolt Is only snug. This is because there is an intentlonal gap of 1/16" between the wing attach angle and the welded bushing in the vertical tube at the upper outboard and lower inboard locations. This intentional gap Is to allow the upper spar cap to compress and the lower ) cap to stretch as high air loads are applied without Imposing secondary loads to tho vertical fuselage tubes.