MD-80 ldg gear?

Center_Mid

Well-Known Member
Sitting on the ramp at SFO a month ago, I looked over at a MD-80-series jet parked at the next gate. On the main gear, I noticed some kind of bar across the backside of the tires, about midway. I could not figure out the purpose of the bar and noticed that other jets did not have this part on their landing gear.

What is it?
 
I think what you are seeing is the main gear spray deflector. It's purpose is to keep water/slush/etc from spraying off the main tires up into the engines. Look closely at the nose gear on an MD-80 (but not on the shorter DC-9) and you'll see a similar deflector for the nose tires.
 
Cool...I've always wondered what those were!
cool.gif
 
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