Steel axles

[mschlender]

Are the new steel axles hollow or solid?

[GAHorn]

The only steel axles I know of are hollow. (Jamie says I don’t know everything...).

There are four different axles that fit these airplanes, made by three different mfr’s.
Cessna originally made a hollow aluminum axle. It had a habit of developing cracks along interior machining edges. So they re-designed the axle with fewer machine-marks and “beefier” base. It cracked also. It is believed that the use of larger wheels/tires contributed to the failure rates.
Cessna then recommended their solid aluminum axle also known as and recommended for “ski” use (the so-called “ski-axle”.) This resolved the problem, although there floats what I believe is a “rumor” that one or two of them may have failed. (The problem with that story is the failure rate of solid aluminum axles is less than the failure rate of gear legs... so it is a chicken-and-egg discussion, lacking documentation and damage-histories.)

Cessna used hollow steel axles on later 172 and up models. Their failure rate is similar to the solid aluminum axles.... rumors. (If anyone has anything other than “I heard of one that failed....) please contribute to the discussion.

Airforms, Inc. (the same people who make aftermarket engine baffling) introduced a hollow steel FAA/PMA axle which cost about $450 ea. They also make a Titanium axle for 3-times that price.

Cessna also offers their Genuine Cessna axles (hollow steel) for $1K-$1.5K.

Anyone buying axles off of ebay, etc. should be careful to note that any history of abuse is unknown and that axles for flat spring gear legs went through a design-change at mid-production which introduced larger (3/8”) lower bolt holes. Used axles which are sometimes offered can have either earlier 5/16” holes...or may be drilled by former owners to enlarge them to 3/8”... and that the method of drilling may have introduced stess, machine-marks, and radiused-edge issues (missing or improperly machined.). This is the sort of hazard ebay brings to used aircraft parts. Caveat emptor.

PN 0441140 is the early, hollow aluminum with 5/16” mounting holes.
PN 0541124 is the hollow aluminum with 3/8” lower holes.
PN 0541124-0 is the later hollow aluminum with 3/8” lower holes (superceded PN)
PN 0541124-1 is the solid aluminum ski axle. [EDITed: Beware, descriptions are suspect... Read On]

[mschlender]

Bought new steal from Cessna $295

[GAHorn]

Bought new steal from Cessna $295

Which distributor?

[mschlender]

Yingling

[n2582d]

... Cessna also offers their Genuine Cessna axles (hollow steel) for $1K-$1.5K.

Anyone buying axles off of ebay, etc. should be careful to note that any history of abuse is unknown and that axles for flat spring gear legs went through a design-change at mid-production which introduced larger (3/8”) lower bolt holes. Used axles which are sometimes offered can have either earlier 5/16” holes...or may be drilled by former owners to enlarge them to 3/8”... and that the method of drilling may have introduced stess, machine-marks, and radiused-edge issues (missing or improperly machined.). This is the sort of hazard ebay brings to used aircraft parts. Caveat emptor.

PN 0441140 is the early, hollow aluminum with 5/16” mounting holes.
PN 0541124 is the hollow aluminum with 3/8” lower holes.
PN 0541124-0 is the later hollow aluminum with 3/8” lower holes (superceded PN)
PN 0541124-1 is the hollow steel axle.

George,
Years ago, back with the Yahoo website, I made the mistake of saying that the steel axles were solid. You kindly corrected me. Now it's my turn to return the favor. You might want to edit your entry. As far as I know there are no Cessna part numbers that end with a "-0". P/N 0541124-1 is the "ski axle" - solid aluminum, not hollow steel. The hollow steel axle I believe Mike is referring to is p/n 1441003-1, a steel, er - steal - compared to the $1K-$1.5K that you mentioned. I think the price has dropped as it is now cheaper from Cessna than buying it from Airforms. Back in 1949 Cessna came out with SNL 60 which gave a history of axles on their 120/140/170 aircraft. The C-170B IPC fig. 26-18 lists both the standard aluminum axle, p/n 0541124, and the solid aluminum "ski axle", p/n 0541124-1. In my book SNL 60 is approved data for all C-170 models looking to replace hollow aluminum axles with solid aluminum axles. According to SNL 3-31-58 all Service News Letters "carry full CAA approval."

[GAHorn]

... Cessna also offers their Genuine Cessna axles (hollow steel) for $1K-$1.5K.

Anyone buying axles off of ebay, etc. should be careful to note that any history of abuse is unknown and that axles for flat spring gear legs went through a design-change at mid-production which introduced larger (3/8”) lower bolt holes. Used axles which are sometimes offered can have either earlier 5/16” holes...or may be drilled by former owners to enlarge them to 3/8”... and that the method of drilling may have introduced stess, machine-marks, and radiused-edge issues (missing or improperly machined.). This is the sort of hazard ebay brings to used aircraft parts. Caveat emptor.

PN 0441140 is the early, hollow aluminum with 5/16” mounting holes.
PN 0541124 is the hollow aluminum with 3/8” lower holes.
PN 0541124-0 is the later hollow aluminum with 3/8” lower holes (superceded PN)
PN 0541124-1 is the solid aluminum ski axle. [EDITed: Beware, descriptions are suspect... Read On]

George,
Years ago, back with the Yahoo website, I made the mistake of saying that the steel axles were solid. You kindly corrected me. Now it's my turn to return the favor. You might want to edit your entry. As far as I know there are no Cessna part numbers that end with a "-0". P/N 0541124-1 is the "ski axle" - solid aluminum, not hollow steel. The hollow steel axle I believe Mike is referring to is p/n 1441003-1, a steel, er - steal - compared to the $1K-$1.5K that you mentioned. I think the price has dropped as it is now cheaper from Cessna than buying it from Airforms. Back in 1949 Cessna came out with SNL 60 which gave a history of axles on their 120/140/170 aircraft. The C-170B IPC fig. 26-18 lists both the standard aluminum axle, p/n 0541124, and the solid aluminum "ski axle", p/n 0541124-1. In my book SNL 60 is approved data for all C-170 models looking to replace hollow aluminum axles with solid aluminum axles. According to SNL 3-31-58 all Service News Letters "carry full CAA approval."

LOL... Well.... the way I REMEMBERED it was that waaay back at Yahoo it was I... who made the mistake and was given correction.

Anyway, the PNs I posted in my earlier msg were obtained directly from Cessna. According to Cessna, Yingling, and Hill (a Cessna disgtributor in Atlanta) PN 0541124 was superceded to PN 0541124-0 ... and if you go to the Yingling site and enter that -0 Part number they will happily offer it to you at $1317.27 . The info posted in SNL60 may have been correct when it was issued in 1949 but like many things Cessna ... is suspect in modern times. A better description of the history of the axles is contained in “The 170 Book” published by our Assoc’n. (See Pg 81 article by George Mock)
The post I made earlier was “as described” by Cessna Customer Support (sorry didn’t write down the name, the call was several years ago and the I relied on the notes.)

I suggest that anyone needing axles be careful of the source. (See my comments above re: Ebay). Salvage yards are also not entirely reliable either..... just because they said they took the axle off of Cessna N12345 doesn’t mean N12345 hadn’t had it’s axles previously changed by a former owner and may not be what Salvage Yard thinks. (Although I can say that Lucke at ASOD in Lancaster, TX has a remarkable eye for goofiness and a memory based on years of solid experience. If he said it is PN such-and-such... then, in my experience with him, it is.)

[dstates]

Does anyone know the weight difference between the solid aluminum ski axle and the steel axle?

[GAHorn]

Does anyone know the weight difference between the solid aluminum ski axle and the steel axle?

The steel axle AirForms sells is 2 lb 4 oz. (according to AirForms.)
I have a solid aluminum ski axle in the hangar and will weigh it on a digital scale shortly and post what I find...BUT.... my scales haven’t been calibrated since mfr 5+ years ago.

[n2582d]

Prior to 1963 Cessna lists the solid aluminum axle, p/n 0541124-1 as the standard axle on the C-180. In the 61-73 C-180 IPC fig. 41-17 lists two part numbers for the axle on the 1963 C-180, the solid aluminum axle part number and p/n 1441003-1, the steel axle, as the "Heavy Duty" alternative. After 1963 the standard axle is the steel axle on the C-180.

[GAHorn]

Well...there ya’ go! Thanks Gary.

[dstates]

IMG_1424.jpg

IMG_1423.jpg

Prior to 1963 Cessna lists the solid aluminum axle, p/n 0541124-1 as the standard axle on the C-180. In the 61-73 C-180 IPC fig. 41-17 lists two part numbers for the axle on the 1963 C-180, the solid aluminum axle part number and p/n 1441003-1, the steel axle, as the "Heavy Duty" alternative. After 1963 the standard axle is the steel axle on the C-180.

Thanks, Gary!

[n2582d]

Glad to help! Any suggestions on where to send steel axles for magnaflux inspection? West coast preferably.