Looks like I actually might be a soon-to-be owner of a C-170B.
Anything in particular to look for during the prebuy?

Congrats! I hope it goes well for you. My '53 B has been a joy to fly and easy on the care and handling.

The Int'l 170 Association had a great page on recommended mods. Half the time I try to go there it seems to be down or moved. Maybe it's just my luck with it?

Someone else can surely speak to mechanical squawks to look for. I'll address desirable features (IMO).

180 Gear legs
McCauley 8043 climb prop (if equipped with stock engine)
Spin-on oil filter (if equipped with stock engine)
Autogas STC (if equipped with stock engine)
Double-puck cleveland brakes and wheels
Steel axles
Pponk gear beef-up kit
Scott 3200 tailwheel
large-tire approval
BAS tail pull handles
BAS inertia reel shoulder belts
U-style yoke and center stack radios
10 degree flaps notch added (*edited- thanks Zane)
Extended baggage
Windshield V-brace
Single-piece windshield
Preheat device
Stol kit
Float kit
Ski fittings
406 ELT

denalipilot wrote:40 degree flaps notch added

If I'm not mistaken, 40 deg flaps was factory. It's the 10 deg flap setting that was a modification.

Yeah, that sounds correct now. I just knew I have an extra notch added on one end of the range of travel.

Thanks for clarifying

"Someone else can surely speak to mechanical squawks to look for. I'll address desirable features (IMO)."

180 Gear legs - No, has the later model 170B gear legs
McCauley 8043 climb prop (if equipped with stock engine) - has 180 lycoming and mccauley CSP.
Spin-on oil filter (if equipped with stock engine)
Autogas STC (if equipped with stock engine) - Is the 91 Octane Autogas STC worthwhile?
Double-puck cleveland brakes and wheels - No
Steel axles - Not sure
Pponk gear beef-up kit - No
Scott 3200 tailwheel - Yes
large-tire approval - No, currently on 8.00x6.00 - I think the largest on the TC.
BAS tail pull handles - Yes
BAS inertia reel shoulder belts - Shoulder, but not inertia.
U-style yoke and center stack radios - Yes
40 degree flaps notch added - Not sure
Extended baggage - No
Windshield V-brace - No
Single-piece windshield - Yes
Preheat device - Yes, Tanis
Stol kit - No
Float kit - No
Ski fittings - No
406 ELT- No

Well, I guess I'll have to start prioritizing...

AKclimber wrote:Steel axles - Not sure

There is an intermediate upgrade to solid aluminum axles. I think the Int'l 170 Assn ordered them made in limited editions. My bird came with them, but I went to steel axles when I got skis.

Here is a link to the discussion from the 170 Association website:

http://cessna170.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1969

To each his own I suppose, but I wouldn't discount an airplane with original 170 gear legs. I know a lot of 180 legs have been put on 170s but the original "springy" legs have at least one advantage..... they absorb energy. The stiffer 180 legs don't bounce as bad on landing but they also transfer that energy right up the door post to the windshield. You'll see a lot of 170s with cracked windshields. On the other hand, I've heard a couple of rumors about the early legs breaking after being operated on skis and / or rough off airport work so it depends on what you want to do with it.

The BAS tail pull handles are great.

I looked at about 8 170s before buying one and learned a lot in the process. Look at the forward door post for wrinkles. A bad ground loop.... and they've all been ground looped by now... will damage the door post and it will fly crooked. If you see little trim tabs attached to the ailerons, it flew crooked and somebody tried to correct it. No 170s came with trim tabs on the ailerons and, as far as I know, they are an unapproved mod but I saw several airplanes with them.

Autogas STC isn't worth much unless you can get non-ethanol gas.

The Pponk gear beef up kit is a good mod in my opinion and I added it to mine.

The extra flap notch (10 Degrees) is nice but wouldn't be a deal breaker at all in my opinion.

If you plan to operate off airport on rough stuff, you will want the stronger axles. I remember choking a bit when I saw the price of the steel ones so if it doesn't have them, you might want to check that before you buy.

K

That's weird - I just wrote this long reply, posted it and it never showed up - what's up with that?
The plane is one of the nicest 170s I've seen - it has 180hp lycoming 915 smoh and Mccauley prop - you can see it in TAP.
We get non-ethanol fuel up here - so far...
How rough can the stock gear and 8 x 6 tires handle?
I plan on using it to fly to some beaches and small dirt strips, a la:
http://www.nps.gov/wrst/planyourvisit/l ... eID=129294

Jr.CubBuilder wrote:

AKclimber wrote:How rough can the stock gear and 8 x 6 tires handle?
I plan on using it to fly to some beaches and small dirt strips, a la:
http://www.nps.gov/wrst/planyourvisit/l ... eID=129294

Those grass strips shouldn't be a problem if they aren't soggy...

Ditto Jr.CubBuilder's assessment about 8 x 6 tires. On the other hand, one of my reasons for going to 26" Goodyears was to get smooth tires. I felt like the grooves in stock tires were flinging more mud and rocks when I took them off-pavement.

There's no need to worry about six bolt wheels vs three bolt wheels. The three bolt wheels are plenty strong enough. The extra notch in the flap handle is easy to do, just carve another notch the right place in the ratchet. That said, I haven't used mine since it was done....waste of time.

Where is this airplane located? Find a mechanic who really knows 170's or early Cessnas, and hire them to do a thorough pre-buy.

BAS harnesses and tail pull handles are mandatory, in my opinion. The harnesses are EXPENSIVE, the pull handles aren't.

MTV

Airplane is in central Oregon, you can look at TAP for it.
Couple more questions:
How hard is it to obtain the field approval for the 26" Goodyears? I think they will serve me well for a while before I graduate to bushwheels.
Also the plane has the original "killer" fuel caps. I looked at Monarch and their conversion is $695!!!
Is there another conversion out there?
Thanks again and keep the advice coming...

AKclimber wrote:How hard is it to obtain the field approval for the 26" Goodyears? I think they will serve me well for a while before I graduate to bushwheels.

I got mine signed off in AK couple years ago. Not hard at all, at the time. Ward's Aero on MRI or Northland Aviation on FAI were each glad to tackle it for me. I have a copy of paperwork- PM me for a copy if you buy the plane and decide to do it. I think it's also archived on the Int'l 170 site, and maybe the Cessna 170 Guide site.

As far as desirable features, I will also throw in my 2 cents as I just bought my A last month.

The F Atlee Dodge step for the side of the cowling and the handle on top of the cowling are awesome and make preflighting and gassing so much easier.

Mine has 8.50s which were field approved and I have an approval for 26s but don't have a set so haven't tried any yet. It seems that the 8.50s will handle most of the stuff which you will find out there for a lot less money.

Does anyone on here have the latch upgrade to keep the doors closed? I bought a set from someone on the 170 forum but haven't put them on yet. They seem like a ton of work so I am a little hesitant to have someone cut into the plane without a lot more info. I am referring to the gear system that was used on 172s.

Definitely on the steps and the handles. Didn't realize that was an Atlee Dodge thing.

denalipilot wrote:

AKclimber wrote:Steel axles - Not sure

There is an intermediate upgrade to solid aluminum axles. I think the Int'l 170 Assn ordered them made in limited editions. My bird came with them, but I went to steel axles when I got skis.

Aluminum axles as purchased in 2001:
0541124-1 AXLE 1234 $187.20 SOLID ALUMINUM AXLES FOR 170
Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc
4900 S. Collins St.
Arlington Texas 76018
Ph 800-938-7278

AKclimber wrote:Airplane is in central Oregon, you can look at TAP for it.
Couple more questions:
How hard is it to obtain the field approval for the 26" Goodyears? I think they will serve me well for a while before I graduate to bushwheels.
Also the plane has the original "killer" fuel caps. I looked at Monarch and their conversion is $695!!!
Is there another conversion out there?
Thanks again and keep the advice coming...

In Alaska, the field approval for bigger tires is pretty simple.

I don't know of any other fuel cap mods for 170s, and with the stock caps, you'll get lots of water into your tanks. Cessna created the perfect design for porting rain water into fuel tanks....

I don't have a subscription to TAP, so can't look at the ad. In any case, get someone knowledgeable on these airplanes to really go over it. These things are all old.

MTV

Aren't there the stock "killer" fuel caps, then some other Cessna ones that some folks upgraded to, that are not so bad? Does everyone here with a 170 have the Monarch caps?

I think the biggest problem with my airplane and getting water in the fuel is that the plane was on floats during the summer months, so those little "troughs" around the fuel fillers would fill right to the brim with water in rain, and no matter how good the seal was on my gas caps, they would port some water into the tanks. Installed the covers and the new caps, and never had a drop since.

MTV

I have a '48 C-170 with the monarch fuel caps (and the wings were metalized years ago). I was a little leary of the cork seal they use between the tank and the cap assembly. Mine leak a little bit when you have full fuel. Replaced one seal when I had a tank fixed and yes it still seeps a little on full tanks. Besides the minor racing stripes they seem to work great. Definitely fixed the "rainwater in" method.


If you need a copy of a 337 let me know.

Bill

If it hasn't already been done get rid of the mickey mouse parking brake on the 170B. I just about lost mine because of a mishap with the parking brake locking up the left wheel on landing. If it hadn't been for a skiff of snow I don't think I woud of saved it.