How an airframe Vibration in the Forward Fuselage area can be isolated to the Nose landing gear wheels ? What preventive maintenance actions help?
✔ Fuselage Vibration can have multiple contributing factors, Nose wheel & tyre assemblies are amid most prominent.
✔ How to isolate , if the vibration is due to MLG or NLG during take off run or just after Lift-off ?
✔ Simple Observation :
👉 If , after the Lift off, Vibration stops immediately after the landing gear selction lever is selected Up or Brakes applied, Vibration source is Main landing gear.
👉 If, after the Lift off, the Vibration diminishes gradually, vibration is due to the Nose wheels.
✔ What causes the Nose wheels to initiate a Vibration ?
✔ Nose wheel static balancing – Proper balancing of Nose wheels at workshop level is key to solve many vibration issues.
✔ Nose wheel Bearings – Premature wear of Nose wheel bearings also contribute most of the vibration cases linked to NLG.
✔ Factors behind the worn out Nose wheel bearings are “Improper Installation”, “Operating conditions”, “Bearing environment” & “Improper Lubrication”.
✔ Bearing deterioration can be avoided by proper Cleaning , inspection, torquing & Pre-load Rotation of wheels (Roller seating).
Author – Tanmay Palei
Sr. Aircraft Structure Engineer