Motor Mount

[jrichards]

Hi All,

Just another weekend at Aerodyme...

At the moment, it's the IO-540 mount. After extensive consultations and tests with AWI, we have mutually concluded that the Kosola dwgs they have are incomplete and inaccurate, and the fixture is worn beyond reasonable use for repairs.

For our performance initiatives, I need the mount design anyway, so am finally doing the capture. See pics, about half done now.

Jim

 

[Dennis Schwieger]

Re: Motor Mount

Jim - This looks very interesting. The people at Aerospace Welding in Minneapolis informed me they still had tooling and could 'repair' any (112 /114) engine mount, but they are not PMA approved for new manufacture. Your project leads me to assume you will be PMA / STC approved. That is a significant move on your part and real benefit for Commander owners.

 

[jrichards]

Re: Motor Mount

Hi Dennis,

Our work with AWI has been only with respect to the 114/A/B/TC mount. They have the Kosola drawings and fixture but had not repaired any mounts until last year when we sent in the mount from s/n 20016. It came back unuseable. They stood behind their work, and Kevan was willing to do it again, but based on his inspection of the fixture and search for drawings, several conclusions were reached:

1 The Kosola fixture is out of calibration.
2. The Kosola dwgs are not accurate and seem to be for some pre-production prototype, never confirmed to actual production dimensions. For instance, some dims were off by more than an inch.

Last fall I constructed an interim test fixture (you see in my pics) and sent the 114TC
mount back for a second round repair at AWI on my fixture. That came back OK.

Lacking good dwg data, Kevan is unable to correct/calibrate the Kosola fixture.

My design capture initiative has possible outcomes as follows:

1. Generation of new approved dwgs.
2. Use of the mount model in my replacement cowling design initiative.
3. Repair/calibration of the Kosola fixture at AWI.
4. New approved replacement mounts.

Jim

 

[Dennis Schwieger]

Re: Motor Mount

Jim - You've done some really good investigative work here. Given your findings, it looks like you are going to have the only good source of tubular engine mounts for commanders. Will that eventually include all models?

 

[Pete]

Re: Motor Mount

This is interesting. In 2010 Kosola repaired my engine mount after my incident. Carl/Dave at the factory (they did the restore/repair work) said the Kosola replaced about 90 percent of the mount tubing. I have pics and it was fine, good/better than new. To bad something got lost with the business going away.

 

[Pat]

Re: Motor Mount

I purchased a engine mount in 2009 to save some time when a crack was found in the mount on the plane. It was sent from Kosola was a repair. Kosola rebuilt it and it did not arrive when promised. I called Kosola direct and was told their painter was off a few days but it would be shipped directly. When it arrived it did not match the firewall. The IA sent it back to them and sent my old engine mount to Kosola to have one piece replaced. Their painter was still having problems so I had it sent back unpainted and Sturgis Aviation painted it. This one fit good.

 

[klevins]

Re: Motor Mount

Just found this thread....I send my mount to AWI before the holidays and they told me it was quite a bit off in multiple locations, so they're doing a full tubular repair. Now I'm concerned their fixture could be bad. Has anyone had a good experience with a repaired 112A mount from AWI recently?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[wab003]

Re: Motor Mount

Ken,

I had Kosola replace a tube on my 112A mount (453TC) when the engine was in overhaul in 2009. It came back a perfect fit (and finish). That being said... any fixture can be damaged or tweaked out of calibration over time; but that was not an issue with the Kosola fixture for the 112 mount in 2009.

 

[Mr.daimler@bk.ru]

Hi everyone, I'm from Russia and I also have a Commander 114, I had a small incident and if I don't go into details, I now need a new motorama, I would like to try to make it myself, following the example of jrichards, can someone help? maybe there is some documentation or drawings?

 

[gmores]

Hi everyone, I'm from Russia and I also have a Commander 114, I had a small incident and if I don't go into details, I now need a new motorama, I would like to try to make it myself, following the example of jrichards, can someone help? maybe there is some documentation or drawings?

Welcome! The only drawings that I believe you could get would come from the factory, so talking to Dan there might get you some information. www.commanderair.com

But I suspect they wouldn't release that info - can you ship your old motor mount to the U.S. or Europe for service? While expensive that would probably be your best option for repair. Alternatively, you might be able to locate a used motor mount in good condition that could be shipped to you.

Good luck.