Beechcraft Shimmy Damper Tools

Apologies for no pictures of final parts, I will try to get them up.  This package has a few tools for Beechcraft shimmy dampers.

These tools are used as the shimmy damper instructions on the CSOBeech.com website.

The first is a block for assembly and disassembly of the shimmy damper.  Print it with modifiers in the reduced section to strengthen it for holding in a vise. The offset through hole is to put the shaft in to tap it out if the piston sticks on the shaft. The center recess is sized so when you place the shaft in the lengthwise radius the piston will be supported, and you can drive the pin out, capturing it in the cup below. The piston will rest on the edges of the hole below and allow you to tap the pin in/out.

The next tool is a tee-handle to compress the spring. You will need a length of .078 music wire. The offset holes on the small end will hold short lengths of .078 wire. You may need to run a drill bit in if it is too tight. Once you bottom out the wires, cut them off so about .25" protrudes. These will push on the washer retaining the internal spring/piston. The remainder of the .078 wire is inserted into the back of the piston, and protrudes through the tee-handle to act as a spring guide. Once you push the spring/washer into the shaft, pressing them far enough into the shaft to clear the cotter-pin hole, pull the center wire and insert a cotter-pin to retain the spring/washer. I had made a tool to set the position of the opposing piston, but the length was not correct. If I remake it I will post it.

The last, 3-piece, tool is a gauge to check the shimmy damper in-service. You will need a 1/16" diameter music wire. Print the parts and insert the music wire into the center hole of the “slider.” Insert the slider into the body so the wire protrudes through the hole in the bottom of the body. Put the “cap” on the body and glue it with an adhesive appropriate for the filament used (I used PETG so I used CA glue). Once assembled, cut the music wire off so it is flush with the bottom of the body when the slider is pushed against the cap. This sets the music wire to the correct length. Gently round off the end of the wire to eliminate burrs and provide a rounded point to avoid damaging/scratching shimmy damper parts.

To use: extend the wire using the slider and push it into the end of the shimmy damper shaft, careful to get the end into the recess in the internal piston. Push the body against the end of the shaft and look in the window. If the end of the slider nearest the base of the tool just touches the end of the window that marks 2-3/16 inches to the piston (maximum service) and if the “step” touches the window that marks 3-1/16 inches to the piston (empty) per the Beechcraft shop manual. Verify these ranges in your manuals, and measure wire protrusion to verify proper measurement.