Piper SARATOGA PA-32-301 Maintenance Manual page 326

PIPER AIRCRAFT
PA-32-301/301T
MAINTENANCE MANUAL
ALIGNMENT OF NOSE GEAR.
1. Place the airplane on a smooth level floor that will accommodate the striking of a chalk line.
2. Place the airplane on jacks. (Refer to Chapter 7.)
3. Level the airplane laterally and longitudinally. (Refer to Chapter 8.)
4. From the center of the tail skid. extend a plumb bob and mark the contact point on the floor.
5. Extend a chalk line from the mark on the floor below the tail skid to a point approximately three feet
forward of the nose wheel. Allow the line to pass under the wheel at the center line of the tire. Snap the chalk
line.
6. Ascertain that the rudder is properly rigged and the rudder cable tension is correct. (Refer to Chapter
27.)
7. Clamp the rudder pedals to align in a lateral position. (Refer to Figure 32-5.)
8. Ascertain that the nose wheel is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the airplane or chalk line.
9. Install the steering assemblies between the steering horn and rudder pedals without any load on the
rods. Adjust the rod ends to obtain this no load condition, and connect the rods to the steering horn.
-NOTE-
Check that the rod ends have sufficient thread engagement, by use of
the check holes in the rods or a minimum of three-eighths of an inch
thread engagement.
10. Ascertain that the rudder pedal stops are adjusted in accordance with instructions given in Chapter
27.
11. To check the nose gear steering for its maximum right and left travel. mark on each side of the nose
wheel an angle line from the center line and wheel pivot point. (Refer to Chart 3202 for nose wheel turning
angle.) Turn the wheel to its maximum travel in both directions to check for allowable travel. Should travel be
exceeded in one direction and not enough in the other direction. check for possible damage to the gear fork or
torque links.
12. When the wheel is turned to its extreme right or left travel. there should be .06 to .12 of an inch
clearance between the nose wheel steering stops. This is due to the stops on the rudder making contact ahead of
the nose gear stops. Prior to checking and or making this adjustment. ascertain that the rudder travel is
correct. (Refer to Chapter 27.)
13. Adjust the shimmy dampener by turning the nose wheel against its stops and adjusting the rod end of
the dampener for adequate travel to both directions.
14. Remove the aircraft from jacks.
32-22-04
Page 32-14
2C9
Revised: August 11. 1983
2C9