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New Shimmy Dampners
- Thread starter jrichards
- Start date
South Burlington, VT
- Aircraft Year
- 1978 580
- Aircraft Type
- Super Commander
- Reg Number
- N555LP
- Serial Number
- 14405
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Hi Carol,
Emailed you back but got caught in your spam filter.
Several years ago I approached Lord but they declined any program to produce a Commander damper. We are just too tiny a community. Thus, we proceeded with development of the Aerodyme SHIMInator. Our design addresses issues well beyond anything Lord would have grappled anyway.
Jim
Hi Carol,
Emailed you back but got caught in your spam filter.
Several years ago I approached Lord but they declined any program to produce a Commander damper. We are just too tiny a community. Thus, we proceeded with development of the Aerodyme SHIMInator. Our design addresses issues well beyond anything Lord would have grappled anyway.
Jim
Tallahassee, FL
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112/A
- Reg Number
- N1140J
- Serial Number
- 140
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Fast forward to July 2018 and I need a new shimmy dampener for my 112. Jim Richards is currently on vacation until 7/23. While waiting to hear back from Jim, are these still being produced? The last entry in this thread was 2015. Thanks!
Fast forward to July 2018 and I need a new shimmy dampener for my 112. Jim Richards is currently on vacation until 7/23. While waiting to hear back from Jim, are these still being produced? The last entry in this thread was 2015. Thanks!
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
As far as I know he still has them.
As far as I know he still has them.
mcgrathm
New member
Savannah, TN
- Aircraft Type
- 112/A
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
They can be rebuilt if you don’t have any cylinder damage. Replace the seals and re-service.
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Tallahassee, FL
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112/A
- Reg Number
- N1140J
- Serial Number
- 140
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
My shop thinks they're too worn to refurbish and recommend replacement.
See attached photos. (Btw - I tried using the VR image hoster on this forum, but it keeps rejecting my photos. Postimage.org allows you to resize them for bulletin board use. Hopefully they work)
https://s26.postimg.cc/i89oqoqg9/IMG_6354.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/8nq23slop/IMG_6356.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/fqxxjebop/IMG_6357.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/yj9smzfsp/IMG_6359.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/fqxxjeyu1/IMG_6363.jpg
My shop thinks they're too worn to refurbish and recommend replacement.
See attached photos. (Btw - I tried using the VR image hoster on this forum, but it keeps rejecting my photos. Postimage.org allows you to resize them for bulletin board use. Hopefully they work)
https://s26.postimg.cc/i89oqoqg9/IMG_6354.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/8nq23slop/IMG_6356.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/fqxxjebop/IMG_6357.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/yj9smzfsp/IMG_6359.jpg
https://s26.postimg.cc/fqxxjeyu1/IMG_6363.jpg
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Yes it does look pretty bad - looks like it was run dry for some time.
Yes it does look pretty bad - looks like it was run dry for some time.
Tallahassee, FL
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112/A
- Reg Number
- N1140J
- Serial Number
- 140
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Another live and learn lesson as a new Commander Owner. When we did the pre-buy and the annual, this definitely slipped through the cracks. Since I don't know what a properly serviced shimmy dampener feels like on touchdown, I didn't think anything was wrong. I never got anything more than a wobble, and it felt similar to a PA-28 I had flown before this. My friends 182 felt the same.
I just assumed it was "normal" for a light GA aircraft. I certainly couldn't compare it to a 757/767 at work. I did talk to Jim Richards last month about another issue. When I asked about ordering some of his service kits, he said the nose wheel touchdown should be just as smooth as the jet. That's when I ordered the repair kit.
It was on my "to do" list and when the plane went in for a landing gear issue, I asked them to service the shimmy dampener. You can see what we found.
Trust me, this is now on my high priority MX list. Once again, this forum has proven invaluable for the depth of knowledge and expertise available. Many thanks!
Another live and learn lesson as a new Commander Owner. When we did the pre-buy and the annual, this definitely slipped through the cracks. Since I don't know what a properly serviced shimmy dampener feels like on touchdown, I didn't think anything was wrong. I never got anything more than a wobble, and it felt similar to a PA-28 I had flown before this. My friends 182 felt the same.
I just assumed it was "normal" for a light GA aircraft. I certainly couldn't compare it to a 757/767 at work. I did talk to Jim Richards last month about another issue. When I asked about ordering some of his service kits, he said the nose wheel touchdown should be just as smooth as the jet. That's when I ordered the repair kit.
It was on my "to do" list and when the plane went in for a landing gear issue, I asked them to service the shimmy dampener. You can see what we found.
Trust me, this is now on my high priority MX list. Once again, this forum has proven invaluable for the depth of knowledge and expertise available. Many thanks!
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N1144J
- Serial Number
- 186
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Please send all used shimmy damper parts to me.
I'm building up a cache of them so I can. Mix and match parts, and quickly turn them around for anyone who is in need of a rebuild.
Any condition - even those that look completly unservicable.
Please send all used shimmy damper parts to me.
I'm building up a cache of them so I can. Mix and match parts, and quickly turn them around for anyone who is in need of a rebuild.
Any condition - even those that look completly unservicable.
Last edited:
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
When they let go they dump a bunch of hydraulic fluid so it's pretty hard to miss if one's paying attention. If the plane set somewhere for any length of time it's possible that all the fluid leaked out and no one noticed.
When they let go they dump a bunch of hydraulic fluid so it's pretty hard to miss if one's paying attention. If the plane set somewhere for any length of time it's possible that all the fluid leaked out and no one noticed.
Jamesdub
New member
Enterprise, AL
- Aircraft Year
- 1978
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- N114JA
- Serial Number
- 14365
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
At around 1500TT I developed a dangerous and very Embarrassing shimmy. A fellow Commander wingman's wife was sure my nose gear was about to vibrate off. (It was that bad)
Problem solved, but I approached it on multiple fixes. In retrospect I wished I would have tried single maintenance approaches to identify what was the cause and what actually fixed the problem.
I -
-replaced the shimmy dampener with one of Jim's new models.
-properly inflated the tire, (found it at 25psi)
-removed (semi-new) tire and shifted in 180*'s on the wheel
-balanced the tire (4 Oz's +)
-tightened right side steering bungee cable tension
-shimmed nose scissors levers with "L" washers until 'snug
I do find that on some runway types (usually remote types) I'll still get a nagging but not near as bad shimmy.
Good luck with your project.
John
At around 1500TT I developed a dangerous and very Embarrassing shimmy. A fellow Commander wingman's wife was sure my nose gear was about to vibrate off. (It was that bad)
Problem solved, but I approached it on multiple fixes. In retrospect I wished I would have tried single maintenance approaches to identify what was the cause and what actually fixed the problem.
I -
-replaced the shimmy dampener with one of Jim's new models.
-properly inflated the tire, (found it at 25psi)
-removed (semi-new) tire and shifted in 180*'s on the wheel
-balanced the tire (4 Oz's +)
-tightened right side steering bungee cable tension
-shimmed nose scissors levers with "L" washers until 'snug
I do find that on some runway types (usually remote types) I'll still get a nagging but not near as bad shimmy.
Good luck with your project.
John
RNC
New member
McKinney, TX
- Aircraft Type
- 114TC/115TC
- Reg Number
- Former owner of N595TC
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
John, if you haven't put new bolts and bushings from Jim that's the permanent fix. I did mine a couple of years before selling the airplane and that made mine like-new. Shimmy dampeners are the last line of defense, after all.
John, if you haven't put new bolts and bushings from Jim that's the permanent fix. I did mine a couple of years before selling the airplane and that made mine like-new. Shimmy dampeners are the last line of defense, after all.
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Tallahassee, FL
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112/A
- Reg Number
- N1140J
- Serial Number
- 140
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Do you mean the ones that come with the SK-100 kit?
http://aerodyme.com/Service_Kits/service_kits_0.html
I'm pretty much planning on installing any service kit available on the next annual!
I'll have to wait until I see what the SHIMinator shimmy dampener comes with. It's not shown on the Aerodyme website.
Do you mean the ones that come with the SK-100 kit?
http://aerodyme.com/Service_Kits/service_kits_0.html
I'm pretty much planning on installing any service kit available on the next annual!
I'll have to wait until I see what the SHIMinator shimmy dampener comes with. It's not shown on the Aerodyme website.
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Yes that is the kit.
Yes that is the kit.
Jamesdub
New member
Enterprise, AL
- Aircraft Year
- 1978
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- N114JA
- Serial Number
- 14365
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Jim also provides step by step instructions on how to align / install. Good kit.
Do you mean the ones that come with the SK-100 kit?
http://aerodyme.com/Service_Kits/service_kits_0.html
I'm pretty much planning on installing any service kit available on the next annual!
I'll have to wait until I see what the SHIMinator shimmy dampener comes with. It's not shown on the Aerodyme website.
Jim also provides step by step instructions on how to align / install. Good kit.
RNC
New member
McKinney, TX
- Aircraft Type
- 114TC/115TC
- Reg Number
- Former owner of N595TC
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Yes.
If you are blowing out shimmy dampeners there is a reason why, that isn't the fault of the shimmy dampener
.
If you fix all those other wear parts you'll find that shimmy dampeners last a long time.
Do you mean the ones that come with the SK-100 kit?
http://aerodyme.com/Service_Kits/service_kits_0.html
I'm pretty much planning on installing any service kit available on the next annual!
I'll have to wait until I see what the SHIMinator shimmy dampener comes with. It's not shown on the Aerodyme website.
Yes.
If you are blowing out shimmy dampeners there is a reason why, that isn't the fault of the shimmy dampener
.If you fix all those other wear parts you'll find that shimmy dampeners last a long time.