Don’t let your landing gear fail when you need it the most

P. Ponk Aviation creates the toughest and most reliable landing gear parts and accessories on the market. Beef up your Cessna with our fully FAA certified upgrades.

Beef Up Kit

PN: PSK1101

The P. Ponk Landing Gear Beef-Up Kit is an FAA Certified (STC #: SA2918NM) gearbox modification for Cessna models 170, 180, 185 and L-19. The purpose of the Beef-Up Kit is to reduce the possibility of landing gear failure during a ground-loop or gear strike and to minimize the damage that will occur.

The stock landing gear box on Cessna 170, 180, 185 and L-19 works very well as long as the aircraft travels in a relatively straight line during takeoff and landing and it is not subjected to any type of shear load. However, when a ground-loop occurs, the side loading on the landing gear increases the tension load on the landing gear attach nut and bolt beyond design limits. The landing gear leg and gear box is essentially taking the load in the opposite direction from it’s intended design. Rather than the majority of the load being carried by the lower angle bracket and inboard bulkhead as a shear load, the load is transferred as a tension load to the single main landing gear attach nut and bolt which hold the gear leg on the aircraft. beef up kitOften times this load is enough to simply strip the nut off the end of the bolt which frees the gear leg and allows it to fold under the aircraft. If the wheel or gear leg hits something like a large rock, a log, a chuck hole, etc. the gear leg can easily exert enough shearing force to simply cut or tear the main landing gear attach bolt in half.

One PSK1101 Kit is needed for one airplane. (LH and RH parts are included in each kit. )
Drill Bits are sold separately.

Cessna Gearbox Animation

Installation Video

Outboard Landing Gear Brackets

PN: PPA1301-1 LH and PPA 1301-2 RH

P. Ponk has re-engineered the Outboard Landing Gear Bracket for the Cessna 170, 180, 185. Our brackets are thicker, stronger, and much more corrosion resistant than the original Cessna parts.

P.Ponk’s gear brackets are individually milled from high strength, cold rolled aluminum block. From the start, each bracket is manufactured specifically as a right or left side bracket. By doing this we are able to increase the parts thickness and strength in areas that would be normally be cut away to make the part usable as a right or left side bracket. The extremely tight, random molecular structure of cold rolled aluminum, coupled with the high strength exterior coating we use, make our gear brackets as corrosion resistant as possible.

landing gear bracket

Inboard Landing Gear Angles

PN: PPA1201

P. Ponk has re-engineered the Inboard Angle Bracket for the Cessna 170, 180, and 185. Our Angles are stronger and much more corrosion resistant than the original Cessna parts.

P.Ponk’s angles are individually milled from high strength, cold rolled aluminum block. The extremely tight, random molecular structure of cold rolled aluminum, coupled with the high strength exterior coating we use make our angles as corrosion resistant as possible.

landing angle bracket

Intergranular Corrosion

Cessna gear brackets and inboard angles are manufactured using an extrusion process which is geared for high volume, lower cost production. As the aluminum is extruded the molecular structure of the material is altered which makes it more susceptible to developing inter-granular corrosion. Shown here is a top view of an outboard gear bracket with severe inter-granular corrosion. Note how the material expands and flakes off in layers. This is due to the re-alignment of the molecular structure that occurs during the extrusion process. Parts milled from cold rolled aluminum block do not develop this type of destructive corrosion.

Intragranular Corrosion
Intragranular Corrosion

Replacement Bearings for Elevator and Rudder

PN: PPA1401

Approved for Cessna 180, 182, 185 and 206

After years of replacing frozen, corroded steel bearings from the tails of Cessna aircraft, we decided there must be a better way! Our advanced polymer elevator and rudder bearings have been specifically designed for use in harsh, corrosive environments. The non-steel, polymer design resists corrosion and offers years of maintenance free use. The unique molecular properties of this state-of-the-art polymer make it self lubricating. Extended bearing life, coupled with significantly reduced maintenance means reduced operating cost.

  • Advanced Polymer Design
  • Superior to Steel Bearings
  • Corrosion Resistant
  • Self Lubricating
  • Minimal Maintenance

Cessna rudder and elevator bearing