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New Shimmy Dampners
- Thread starter jrichards
- Start date
painlesspotter
New member
Concord, Ca.
- Aircraft Year
- 1977
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- N4887W
- Serial Number
- 14217
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
I am interested, contingent on price.
I am interested, contingent on price.
cschuler123
New member
Mesa, AZ
- Aircraft Year
- 1976
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N509CA
- Serial Number
- 409
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
We have already talked Jim...you know I am in.
We have already talked Jim...you know I am in.
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Jim,
Thank you for your response that FAA approval is imminent. I would like to order one, a shimmy damper repair kit and a scissors torque-link kit also, so I guess it is best I call you to discuss. I am hoping that the repair kit will keep me going until the new damper is ready as I guess I will be further down the waiting list.
I will call you at Aerodyne to discuss.
Regards,
Lewis G-BYKB (Scotland)
Jim,
Thank you for your response that FAA approval is imminent. I would like to order one, a shimmy damper repair kit and a scissors torque-link kit also, so I guess it is best I call you to discuss. I am hoping that the repair kit will keep me going until the new damper is ready as I guess I will be further down the waiting list.
I will call you at Aerodyne to discuss.
Regards,
Lewis G-BYKB (Scotland)
N4843W
New member
SE MI
- Aircraft Year
- 1977
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- N4843W
- Serial Number
- 14173
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Donald, I do not know where I am on the list but if you are in a jam you can trade spots with me. I want the new one but mine is working just fine for now.
Donald, I do not know where I am on the list but if you are in a jam you can trade spots with me. I want the new one but mine is working just fine for now.
South Burlington, VT
- Aircraft Year
- 1978 580
- Aircraft Type
- Super Commander
- Reg Number
- N555LP
- Serial Number
- 14405
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Hi All,
Great fly-in! All who could not make it were missed.
About the SHIMInators, I am looking hard at my costs once again this week and will propose a pricing matrix to all with the next week or so. We may be able to establish a few pricing options: i.e. primed and topped vs simply CAD plated, and whether, or not, the OEM damper is returned (TO BE SCRAPPED), i.e. an exchange price for the old damper.
I am sweating the numbers again:
• To recover my non-recurring program costs over some period less than FOREVER.
• To give me at least a modest profit margin as units are sold.
• To honor the "pre-buy" program the best I can.
• To price for everyone else at a level that fosters adoption of the new dampers.
I appreciate the sentiment from those who have already said that 1250 is acceptable as a final price for the pre-buy participants. But, I want to make sure all, pre-buy or new buy, are served fairly and at the lowest possible price.
Manufacturing anything to high standards is increasingly challenging in today's "throw away" world, as you all know when you buy appliances, cars, or most anything else. I have hung tight with my local vendors while they crank up to my requirements rather than chop my standards and open my tolerances.
The SHIMInators are strong, effective, and protect your principal NLG components from progressive damage. If any of our Beta program participants are following along here, they might speak up, but based on feedback to me the operational results have been very good. I know from flying the prototype on my own 5LP for a year now, she rolls as if "on rails", no shimmy, and never feeling in the least like she is on the verge of instability.
Thanks,
Jim
Hi All,
Great fly-in! All who could not make it were missed.
About the SHIMInators, I am looking hard at my costs once again this week and will propose a pricing matrix to all with the next week or so. We may be able to establish a few pricing options: i.e. primed and topped vs simply CAD plated, and whether, or not, the OEM damper is returned (TO BE SCRAPPED), i.e. an exchange price for the old damper.
I am sweating the numbers again:
• To recover my non-recurring program costs over some period less than FOREVER.
• To give me at least a modest profit margin as units are sold.
• To honor the "pre-buy" program the best I can.
• To price for everyone else at a level that fosters adoption of the new dampers.
I appreciate the sentiment from those who have already said that 1250 is acceptable as a final price for the pre-buy participants. But, I want to make sure all, pre-buy or new buy, are served fairly and at the lowest possible price.
Manufacturing anything to high standards is increasingly challenging in today's "throw away" world, as you all know when you buy appliances, cars, or most anything else. I have hung tight with my local vendors while they crank up to my requirements rather than chop my standards and open my tolerances.
The SHIMInators are strong, effective, and protect your principal NLG components from progressive damage. If any of our Beta program participants are following along here, they might speak up, but based on feedback to me the operational results have been very good. I know from flying the prototype on my own 5LP for a year now, she rolls as if "on rails", no shimmy, and never feeling in the least like she is on the verge of instability.
Thanks,
Jim
Last edited:
Planecents
New member
Cameron, TX
- Aircraft Year
- 1976
- Aircraft Type
- 114 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N4771W
- Serial Number
- 101
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
I've had SN 0006 installed for not quite a year now. I have absolutely no issues at all. In Kansas, there are very few days without some kind of crosswind component and it performs flawlessly. In fact before the installation, any kind of imperfection in the runway got the flat wheel shopping cart effect going to the point of aborting the take off. Now, I don't even think about it. Very nice work Jim. Thanks for your continuing efforts and support of the Commander community.
I've had SN 0006 installed for not quite a year now. I have absolutely no issues at all. In Kansas, there are very few days without some kind of crosswind component and it performs flawlessly. In fact before the installation, any kind of imperfection in the runway got the flat wheel shopping cart effect going to the point of aborting the take off. Now, I don't even think about it. Very nice work Jim. Thanks for your continuing efforts and support of the Commander community.
South Burlington, VT
- Aircraft Year
- 1978 580
- Aircraft Type
- Super Commander
- Reg Number
- N555LP
- Serial Number
- 14405
New Shimmy Dampers
New Shimmy Dampers
Hi All,
Well finally, here it is... approval of the Aerodyme SHIMInator.
I will proceed to catch up with the backlog over the next few months although I guess the list will be getting longer at the same time we ship it down. I'll aim to ship the first batch by early Jan. We've had 12 Beta units in the field for a year with only 1 reported problem which was not reproduceable here on my test set but we made a minor design adjustment anyway. Reports to me have all been good otherwise.
Pricing is $1250. Those who prepaid $850 will need to pay a balance of $400 but will also receive an Aerodyme Gift Certificate in the same amount, $400, useable against any Aerodyme Service Kits within 24 months.
Thanks very much for all your patience.
Our foray into hydraulics continues, with PMA gear actuators to come next. We are already manufacturing various spare parts for those.
Jim
New Shimmy Dampers
Hi All,
Well finally, here it is... approval of the Aerodyme SHIMInator.
I will proceed to catch up with the backlog over the next few months although I guess the list will be getting longer at the same time we ship it down. I'll aim to ship the first batch by early Jan. We've had 12 Beta units in the field for a year with only 1 reported problem which was not reproduceable here on my test set but we made a minor design adjustment anyway. Reports to me have all been good otherwise.
Pricing is $1250. Those who prepaid $850 will need to pay a balance of $400 but will also receive an Aerodyme Gift Certificate in the same amount, $400, useable against any Aerodyme Service Kits within 24 months.
Thanks very much for all your patience.
Our foray into hydraulics continues, with PMA gear actuators to come next. We are already manufacturing various spare parts for those.
Jim
Attachments
San José, Costa Rica
- Aircraft Year
- 1976
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- TI-COS
- Serial Number
- 14128
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
I am interested as a back up for now.
Gonzalo
I am interested as a back up for now.
Gonzalo
South Burlington, VT
- Aircraft Year
- 1978 580
- Aircraft Type
- Super Commander
- Reg Number
- N555LP
- Serial Number
- 14405
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Hi Jim,
Yes.
Firstly, I constructed an automated test set and have run 3 Beta units to 25,000 full steering strokes at 1 stroke per second. Several earlier runs, during engineering, taught us a thing or two and allowed us to increase seal life from about 10,000 cycles on our initial runs to no seal degradation at 25,000.
Secondly, I have "flown" 90 KIAS high speed taxi runs approx 10 miles total.
Thirdly, the dampers have been evaluated on a specimen worst-case NLG assembly to determine positive safety margin when the NLG reaches the steering stops. Note: the OEM damper design did not account for worst-case casting/CNC out-of-registration nor assembly tolerance stack-ups and was causing some aircraft to reach the damper stroke limit before the NLG reached the steering stop. Hence some of you have had your OEM dampers actually fracture, typically at the forward tube/plug.
Lastly, by design, the new dampers use a double shear attachment to the NLG to stop the wear on the NLG side.
Alongside the various endeavors of my life, I have always and foremost been a test engineer. Test, test... and then test!
Jim
Hi Jim,
Yes.
Firstly, I constructed an automated test set and have run 3 Beta units to 25,000 full steering strokes at 1 stroke per second. Several earlier runs, during engineering, taught us a thing or two and allowed us to increase seal life from about 10,000 cycles on our initial runs to no seal degradation at 25,000.
Secondly, I have "flown" 90 KIAS high speed taxi runs approx 10 miles total.
Thirdly, the dampers have been evaluated on a specimen worst-case NLG assembly to determine positive safety margin when the NLG reaches the steering stops. Note: the OEM damper design did not account for worst-case casting/CNC out-of-registration nor assembly tolerance stack-ups and was causing some aircraft to reach the damper stroke limit before the NLG reached the steering stop. Hence some of you have had your OEM dampers actually fracture, typically at the forward tube/plug.
Lastly, by design, the new dampers use a double shear attachment to the NLG to stop the wear on the NLG side.
Alongside the various endeavors of my life, I have always and foremost been a test engineer. Test, test... and then test!
Jim
South Burlington, VT
- Aircraft Year
- 1978 580
- Aircraft Type
- Super Commander
- Reg Number
- N555LP
- Serial Number
- 14405
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Hi Jim,
To evaluate your existing OEM damper:
1. The criteria for allowable shimmy is NONE.
2. The criteria for structure is no cracks and no significant corrosion pitting.
3. The criteria for leaks is subjective based on your willingness to replace the seals.
4. The criteria for attachment to the NLG is to avoid any significant wear of the bolt hole in the NLG Tube Collar because this becomes permanent steering instability unless you replace the NLG Tube Assembly.
Jim
Hi Jim,
To evaluate your existing OEM damper:
1. The criteria for allowable shimmy is NONE.
2. The criteria for structure is no cracks and no significant corrosion pitting.
3. The criteria for leaks is subjective based on your willingness to replace the seals.
4. The criteria for attachment to the NLG is to avoid any significant wear of the bolt hole in the NLG Tube Collar because this becomes permanent steering instability unless you replace the NLG Tube Assembly.
Jim
South Burlington, VT
- Aircraft Year
- 1978 580
- Aircraft Type
- Super Commander
- Reg Number
- N555LP
- Serial Number
- 14405
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Hi Jim,
Start with these inspections:
1. Check for damping action of 15 lbs or so.
2. Check for wear at the nose gear attaching hole (in the nose gear lug).
Jim
Hi Jim,
Start with these inspections:
1. Check for damping action of 15 lbs or so.
2. Check for wear at the nose gear attaching hole (in the nose gear lug).
Jim
Dennis Schwieger
New member
Decatur, IL
- Aircraft Year
- 1977
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- N4944W
- Serial Number
- 14266
Re: New Shimmy Dampners
Jim I believe I had one of the first beta test units and after 18 months we have absolutely no complaints. It really works as promoted.
Dennis Schwieger
KDEC
N4944W - 1977 - 114
Jim I believe I had one of the first beta test units and after 18 months we have absolutely no complaints. It really works as promoted.
Dennis Schwieger
KDEC
N4944W - 1977 - 114