Jacking up a “stock" GlaStar or Sportsman to change a main-gear tire in the middle of nowhere is no picnic. The problem is that there is no point on the gear leg to safely jack up the airplane, leaving but one option: Insert a large-diameter steel rod deep into the axle and jack up the gear from there. The wheel can then be removed from the axle, but it still remains between the steel rod and jack! To finish the job, continue to jack up the gear until blocks of wood fit under the axle, then lower the axle onto the wood to free the rod and wheel. 

Results of a Google search pointed the way to a great solution developed by a resourceful GlaStar owner: jack-point brackets. In 2011 a local machinist/pilot drew up plans for N9103D’s new brackets, and after considerable tweaking to fit around the ‘Star’s Grove disc brakes, produced the final product.

Since 2011, at every annual condition inspection the jack-point brackets prove their value by saving time when pulling a wheel to repack the bearings. Changing a tire away from home would still be a pain, but at least there’d be time to have a sandwich.