I was starting the process of fitting the wheel pants to my nose gear this past weekend, and after unloading the nose gear/wheel per the plans and leveling the fuselage, I discovered a noticeable list, or tilt to the port side of the nose gear/nose wheel. I can't tell if the source of the list is a cumulative stacking of tolerances between the attach point on the engine mount/firewall down to the axle, or if it is coming from a single location. Regardless, I sent an email with photos to Vans asking whether this was something about which I needed to be concerned. I'm thinking a list of this magnitude (best I can measure is somewhere between 1 and 2 degrees depending on where and how you measure) will require riding the right brake to taxi in a straight line, will cause uneven wear on the tire, and may make takeoffs and landings unstable. I got an almost flippant email back from Vans saying that the nose gear has a 1 degree plus or minus tolerance on its bends, and perhaps that was what I was seeing, and based on the photos I sent that it "looks ok".
I was disappointed in that response. There were no clarifying answers to my questions on how the tilt might affect ground handling, no questions from them about my installation or measurements I have taken, essentially nothing that makes me feel any better about this situation. It was as if they were not taking my questions seriously. I hate saying that about the technical support, because in the past it has been much better. I'm seriously concerned that I have a defective nose gear.
For those more knowledgeable about nose gear aircraft (all my experience is in taildraggers), do I have a problem or not? See photos at the link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pdHdnusNyXWcbW9p7
I was disappointed in that response. There were no clarifying answers to my questions on how the tilt might affect ground handling, no questions from them about my installation or measurements I have taken, essentially nothing that makes me feel any better about this situation. It was as if they were not taking my questions seriously. I hate saying that about the technical support, because in the past it has been much better. I'm seriously concerned that I have a defective nose gear.
For those more knowledgeable about nose gear aircraft (all my experience is in taildraggers), do I have a problem or not? See photos at the link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pdHdnusNyXWcbW9p7