1953–1962 Cessna 150, 172, 175, 180, 182, and 185 Series Skyhawk, Skylark, Skylane, Skywagon Single-Engine Aircraft 1953–1962 Service Manual (P/N D-138-13-GRIT-1500-2/1/62)

This Cessna service manual, dated February 1, 1962, covers the 1953–1962 Model 150, 172, 175, 180, 182, and 185 series, including the Skyhawk, Skylark, and Skylane configurations. The original cover identifies the manual as D-138-13 (P/N D-138-13).

Printable PDF and Wiring Diagram Detail

Search, navigation, and diagram labels: PDF text search and embedded bookmarks are not available. Small wiring labels and circuit identifiers require zooming on the checked diagram pages.

One printable PDF contains 508 pages, including the cover, front matter, shop-note pages, and blank pages. The original list of effective pages states 506 pages; the supplied PDF contains 508.

Airframe Repair, Control Rigging, and Aircraft Systems

The following selected coverage highlights outline the main service areas rather than reproduce the complete contents. Other subjects include cabin heating and ventilation, cargo tie-down provisions, and exterior painting.

• Inspection and servicing: Ground handling, storage, servicing and lubrication charts, and inspection checklists for the engine compartment, airframe, controls, and aircraft systems.

• Landing gear and brakes: Wheel-bearing service, Goodyear and Cleveland wheel assemblies, alignment shims, nose-strut and shimmy-dampener servicing, and hydraulic brake bleeding.

• Flight controls: Aileron, manual and electric flap, elevator, rudder, and trim-system troubleshooting, component replacement, cable rigging, and stabilizer-actuator overhaul.

• Powerplant and fuel systems: Engine removal and installation, starting-system diagnosis, magneto timing, carburetor adjustments, and a dedicated Model 185 fuel-injection section.

• Propellers and governors: Fixed-pitch and constant-speed installations, Hartzell and McCauley troubleshooting, governor controls, and the Hartzell BHC-C2YF-1 installation.

• Instruments and electrical systems: Pitot-static and vacuum-system fault isolation, fuel-quantity transmitter calibration, charging-system troubleshooting, and model-specific wiring diagrams.

• Structural repair: Damage assessment, wing and fuselage repair illustrations, control-surface balancing, engine-mount repair considerations, and Royalite and Fiberglas repairs.

Written as a reference for experienced mechanics, the manual also provides step-by-step procedures for less experienced mechanics.

Inspection Planning and Airframe Work

The servicing charts and inspection checklists bring routine maintenance requirements together with system-specific inspection points. Reference-station drawings and component illustrations support planning work across the covered airframes.

Fuselage coverage includes windshield and window replacement, cabin and baggage doors, door latches, seating mechanisms, upholstery, and safety-belt installations. Airframe sections address wing, wing-strut, fin, and stabilizer removal and replacement.

Alignment and control differences: Main-wheel shim charts distinguish aircraft and serial-number configurations. Separate control-system sections explain the differences between elevator trim tabs and adjustable stabilizers, with dedicated procedures for the later Model 182 arrangement.

The wing-adjustment discussion warns that misaligned eccentric bushings can impose a shearing load on the attachment bolt and damage the wing-spar hole.

Engine Installation, Fuel Injection, and Propeller Service

Step-by-step instructions cover engine removal, accessory removal, powerplant build-up, and reinstallation. Starting-system troubleshooting and Slick and Bendix-Scintilla magneto procedures extend the coverage beyond general servicing.

Model 185: Its dedicated powerplant section addresses the fuel-air control unit, manifold valve, discharge nozzles, injection pump, and engine-control adjustments. The Model 185 Fuel Schematic shows how the supply, return, and auxiliary-pump circuits connect.

Internal engine disassembly and overhaul require Continental instructions. The manual also directs mechanics to the applicable accessory and propeller manufacturers’ publications for repair and overhaul.

Instrument Diagnosis and Electrical References

Troubleshooting charts distinguish system faults from defective instruments. Coverage includes pitot-static leak checks, vacuum-pump and venturi installations, suction-gage readings, and fuel-quantity transmitter calibration; internal instrument repair is assigned to instrument specialists.

Reference illustrations include Main Gear Alignment, Wheel Alignment Shims, the Elevator Trim Tab System Schematic, the Model 185 Fuel Schematic, and the Electrical Symbols Chart. Wiring diagrams cover starting, generation, lighting, instrument, and warning circuits with model and serial applicability notes.

Avionics coverage: Section 18 directs readers to the separate Cessna Electronics Manual and Parts Catalog.

Certified technicians must verify all procedures directly against the full OEM publication before initiating any hands-on shop work.

A Preview of Torque and Nose-Strut Specifications

The recommended nut-torque table specifies 50–70 pound-inches for 1/4-28 tension-type nuts on oil-free, cadmium-plated threads, unless a procedure specifies otherwise.

The nose-strut servicing section gives inflation pressures with the nosewheel off the ground: 20 psi for the Model 150 and 50 psi for the Model 182, 1962 and on.