Landing Gear
Tailwheel Installation – Part 3
Epoxied tail spring rod into fuselage using 3M DP8407 metal epoxy to strengthen connection since rod had a little bit of play in tail spring mount bracket. Installed tail spring hardware. Upsized steering linkage rod holes in tail wheel assembly and rudder horn then installed Anson Engineering steering rod. Used torque seal on hardware. Hours…
Brake System Assembly – Part 4
Began process of bleeding brakes using traditional pressure method but discovered half way through that tee fitting on cockpit floor was weeping slightly. Removed tubes from tee and installed new couplers on tube. Reattached tubes and tightened fittings by hand tightening compression nuts then further tightening fittings one rotation with a wrench. Applied parking brake…
Main Landing Gear Installation – Part 5
After replacing hydraulic brake o-rings, reset axle nut torque by tightening nut until wheel did not wobble and slight resistance was felt on wheel. Marked castle nut location on axle then drilled cotter pin holes using 5/32″ drill bit, cylindrical drill guide, and drilling fluid. After drilling both axles, chased threads with axle nut to…
Brake System Assembly – Part 3
Manufactured master cylinder mount components out of aluminum sheet and angle stock. Because the B-Model plans do not have provisions for a center mounted brake lever, used “sport trainer” plan set from the legacy plans for part dimensions. Also substituted two 0.125″ spacer plates on each side of the mounts rather than one 0.25″ piece…
Brake System Assembly – Part 2
Began plumbing brake system by drilling brake line pass throughs in firewall and installing rubber grommets. Routed left and right side brake lines from each wheel end to the tee located in on the forward fuselage floor. Secured brake lines with zip ties to lower fuselage cross member and gear legs. Hours Worked: 1.72
Gear Leg Fairings – Part 1
Fabricated gear leg fairings by transferring plan measurements to 0.025″ aluminum sheet and cutting out fairing skins. Cut and pilot drilled hinge halves from P3 piano hinge stock. Clecoed hinges to fairing skins and bent skins into shape using conduit to help form leading edge radius. Pinned fairings into shape then annealed aluminum using a…
Tailwheel Installation – Part 2
Deburred tail wheel and spring holes and installed AN4 hardware through tail wheel assembly. Reinstalled clecoes on aft fuselage floor and took off of saw horses. Rolling chassis complete! Hours Worked: 1.26
Tailwheel Installation – Part 1
Drilled 1/4″ hole in tail wheel spring using same method as landing gear legs. Updrilled bottom half of tail wheel mount bracket then through drilled entire assembly and installed hardware. Noticed a descent amount of slop between tail wheel spring and mount so will probably epoxy mount into hole in warmer weather. Measure distance between…
Main Landing Gear Installation – Part 4
Packed wheel bearings with Aeroshell 5 grease then installed tires onto axles. Tightened nuts then backed off until slight drag felt. Going to put off drilling cotter pin holes in axles until brake system is completed. Removed saw horses and set down aircraft on the gear for the first time! Hours Worked: 0.80
Brake System Assembly – Part 1
Prepped wheel pant mount plates by marking new holes and cut-outs. Drilled mount holes and used combination of files and rotary tool for brake line hardware cut outs. Riveted nutplates onto outside of plates for wheel pant hardware. Assembled brake bodies to brass hardware using Teflon paste. Verified alignment of parts then installed brake assemblies…
Main Landing Gear Installation – Part 3
Drilled motor mount hole in new RH gear leg same as previous but used V block in drill press to ensure squareness. Deburred hole and attached new RH gear leg to fuselage with AN4-30A bolt. Drilled 1/8″ pilot hole through new RH axle (one side only). Setup axle toe-in jig by clamping aluminum angle to…
Main Wheel Assembly
Began prepping wheel assemblies by using large socket to fully set wheel bearing races into rim halves. Prepped tires and tubes by removing Schrader vale and applying talc to tire and tube. Assembled wheel assembly with new bolts from hydraulic brake kit and brake disk. Torqued wheel rim to 15 ft/lbs and inflated assembly to…
