How to Maintain an Aircraft Towbar

While many are familiar with how ground support equipment may be used to manage and maintain aircraft, they may overlook the fact that such equipment requires regular maintenance itself. For example, the aircraft towbar is a very useful device for moving aerial vehicles across a runway, and its failure may lead to high repair costs, decreased safety, and increased downtime as operations take longer to complete. In order to maintain the functionality and reliability of an aircraft towbar, it must be checked over on a regular basis. Depending on the manufacturer, make, and model of an aircraft towbar, the exact inspection process may differ. Nevertheless, inspections will generally cover many of the same wear-prone areas, those of which we will discuss below.

The shear pin of an aircraft towbar is one of the most crucial components of the entire assembly, acting as a sacrificial piece that breaks when excessive or abnormal loads are placed on it. As a result, the shear pin is what protects aircraft landing gear and the towbar from facing damage under excessive loads, meaning it must be functional with ample integrity to carry out its job. Whenever an aircraft towbar inspection is being carried out, any present shear pins should be looked over to see if there are any cracks, indentations, or crookedness that may deter safety. If such issues are found, the towbar should not be operated until everything is repaired, replaced, or otherwise fixed.

The body of the towbar is also important to look over, and it will similarly face various loads over time as it assists in pulling an aircraft across the ground. If the towbar body faces excessive or high loads over time, the assembly may begin to bend. Additionally, stress may also cause cracks across the body. While bends may be able to be amended through welding and a repair, cracks may require more significant actions to bring the towbar back to service.

Alongside the shear pins and towbar body, the lifting mechanism is another essential item for towing. The lifting mechanism is what allows the head of the equipment to be raised, ensuring that the towbar can successfully be attached to an aircraft. Oftentimes, lifting mechanisms will rely on force provided by a series of pumps, and any cracks, leaks, or pressure issues will quickly deter from the overall operability of such equipment.

Unless you have a spare towbar that accommodates the aircraft that is being transported, it is essential that your towbar is kept in good shape to avoid any unnecessary delays. As towbars are also used to bring aircraft in and out of hangars while traversing tight airport spaces, you also reduce the risk of damage and injuries when such ground support equipment is maintained. If you find yourself searching for quality towbar parts like a manual pump, towbar wheels, or a lifting mechanism, there is no better source than Expedited Quoting for fulfilling all your needs.

On our database, we present customers access to over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find items that trace back to leading manufacturers that we trust. Furthermore, much of our offerings are subjected to rigorous quality assurance measures, ensuring that you are always treated to the absolute best with every purchase. If you find items of interest on our catalogs, be sure to fill out and submit an RFQ form at your earliest convenience for the means of requesting a quote for your comparisons. Once we have had a chance to review your submitted details, a member of our staff will reach out in 15 minutes or less to provide a customized solution that caters to you. Get in contact with us today and see why so many customers steadily depend on our services!