Bonanza Gear Down Indicator Bezel Plus

thingiverse

The gear-down indicator bezel in my neighbor's Bonanza had deteriorated significantly, prompting him to ask if I could print a replacement. I was more than grateful when I discovered the original model by CarbonF33. I added a small lip to the original design but ultimately decided not to use it and printed the original model by CarbonF33 instead. If you're looking for a replacement with a lip, this one here may be helpful; otherwise, it's identical to the original. My neighbor anticipated a significant challenge in reassembling the indicator, so I created a small tool that would aid in attaching the actuator wire to the indicator. When the indicator is properly positioned with the wire attached, the lock nut can be tightened using the tool in place, without any interference from the soft plastic. I printed this tool in PLA. If you plan to use it, consider printing 3 or 4 at a time or slow down your print speed; you'll get a better print at the top due to the longer layer time when printing multiple pieces per layer. My neighbor reported that the tool made it extremely easy to connect the wire to the indicator. I printed the bezel in ABS since that was the only suitable material available. As expected, the side panels were not as strong as they could have been (due to the print orientation) and cracked when the mounting hardware was being attached. Being ABS, the cracks were easily repaired with Acetone and ABS. The side panels were glued to the inside of the bezel to boost the strength of the sides of the bezel. My neighbor chose to connect the indicator frame to the bezel using screws (with nuts epoxied to the frame) rather than rivets. After completion, he said he thought this was a worthwhile change.