Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes Wheel pants: Answer creates problem

Well folks. The question of if wheel pants are actually interchangeable between model years has now been answered. And that answer is ............NOPE! The bolt patterns are definitely quite different. Thus the answer and the problem. I presently now own a complete set of the earlier wheel pants that will only fit the flat gear. I need a set that will fit the later model tube gear. I would just like to exchange these pants with somebody in the opposite, though same, predicament as myself.

OR............

If somebody here wants a set of pants for flat gear, and they can get me a set for the round gear to exchange, that would also work out nicely.

I have included pictures. The nose does not match the mains scheme wise. They all would need repainting. And there is one crack in the right main pants as shown. But otherwise in very good shape physically. Complete with the wheel scrapers and top cover for the nose pant. Just email or PM me if ya think we can help each other out?

they appear to be in good shape- and can do tricks. they roll over in formation.

Yes Tom! Quite amazing! For this is being the first time all three have actually performed together!

This is interesting. The main wheel pants part numbers are 0541223-16 and 17. Quite plentiful, for a price. The nose wheel pant is 0543079-1 and appears to be quite non-existent. I wonder why there are mains available but no nose??

Hmmm,

It might be that the nose wheel one is the one that suffers the most damage..... especially when some people steer plane into position for parking by pushing on the nose pant with their boots instead of using the toe bar - just a thought

Cheers

Bill,
There are four distinct versions of wheel pants, all take different mounting plates. The ones in your photo are for the flat gear, 1968 and earlier, these are "tuna" shaped. The 1969-70 had a different style as shown on the attached early Aerobat photo, then there are the 1971-73 type that I have on my plane- these have distinctive "flats" over the top curve, and all 1974 and up are the rounded current style most Cessna's have.
I have an extra set of the 71-73 style I will be selling soon.
You can put the newest style on any tube gear 150/152 so long as you have the matching mounting plate. I've seen the newest style on the earlier tube gear planes, as some owners like the little door for the valve stem, the ability to have a brake cuff fairing, or they were simply the only set-up they had available.
I put the correct style on my plane to match the production year model, prior to painting. I wanted the original look as it left the factory.
-Brian

You pointed something out that I was not aware of, Brian. And that there were two styles of pants for the flat gear. So,for simplicity, it appears to me now that the two later flat geared pants are interchangable with appropriate backing plates. (Our 1970 model had the long pants installed.) While the two tubed gear pants are interchangable with the appropriate backing plates. But you cannot exchange the flat with the tubed gear pants at all??

I still stand by my position! I've seen fasback 150s with the last style wheel pants and I have seen tube gear 150s with the tuna style wheel pants.

Well? They would not mount on our 1975? Not without doing something different?

I'd suspect the backing plate is different. Locate another backing plate for comparison.

OR.....

Just fix all the imperfections in the ones you have, prime them so they're ready for paint, take lots of pictures and put 'em on ebay.

Sell them for $500-$600.00 for a set of 3.

Sweet!

Start over.