Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 10:46 AM - Re: Glasair-List Digest: 1 Msgs - 04/29/08 (MPPalmer@aol.com)
2. 11:20 AM - FT Nose Gear Stop fix (MPPalmer@aol.com)
3. 08:05 PM - Unique Glasair parts? (MPPalmer@aol.com)
Message 1
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| Subject: | Re: Glasair-List Digest: 1 Msgs - 04/29/08 |
**************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car
listings at AOL Autos.
(http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)
Message 2
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| Subject: | FT Nose Gear Stop fix |
We have had a subtle "shimmy" in the nose gear for about a year or two now.
Unlike typical shimmy that happens at speed when the nose gear pivot friction
isn't set correctly or when the rubber shock mounts sag and move the nose gear
out of the correct geometry (there was a Service Bulletin or a Service Note
about that), this shimmy only occurred at the end of a stop.
When I pulled the nose gear fork off the pivot arm for routine maintenance, I
discovered, quite by accident, that the friction pad was loose and able to
rotate just a tad. Almost like it could cause that slow, end of run, back and
forth rotation of the nose wheel. Both the Philips head screw and the hex head
stop bolt had backed out a quarter turn, despite Loctite 13 years ago.
Since they were loose, I decided to pull the friction pad assembly to do some
deep cleaning. When I did that, I discovered, again by accident, that 1) the
top threads in the nose gear fork for the hex head bolt had crumbled and 2)
the top of the hole was elongated. I suspect both were caused when you back the
plane into a parking space without a tow bar and the nose gear pivots wildly
and slams into the stop bolt. (I took a photo and will plan, someday, to post
it on a website.)
There wasn't much I could do about the elongated hole. I tried making a steel
bushing to capture the top of the bolt in the elongated hole, but without a
lathe, I was unable. But fine threads in aluminum didn't seem right. A little
googling on the web and the consensus is that you should use coarse thread in
aluminum. Indeed, this is how our exhaust studs for the engine cylinders are
done.
So I drilled out the hole and inserted a 5/16" - 18 Heli-coil insert and
bought a new Grade 8 coarse thread hex head bolt. (BTW, Ace Hardware seems to have
the lowest prices for Heli-coil inserts. NAPA is next lowest.) I didn't
change the threads on the Philips head for now.... not sure if I can get a 37
degree head in a coarse thread. But those threads looked okay so I simply
reassembled with fresh Loctite.
This post may be premature, as I haven't flown yet since doing this fix. I
don't know if this fix fixed the problem. But I'm passing it along as something
to check for your next inspection. If you're building and Glasair is still
using the fine thread bolt, you might want to change over now, unless you will
ALWAYS use your towbar when you move the plane backwards.
Hope this helps,
Mike Palmer <><
<BR><BR>**************<BR>Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S.
used car
listings at AOL Autos.<BR>
(http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)
Message 3
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| Subject: | Unique Glasair parts? |
I'm getting ready to order that nose gear friction pad from Newglasair. (See
previous posts.) I wonder if there are any other parts unique to the Glasair
that can't be second sourced, that I should buy now before the economy tanks
and companies shut down?
How about posting unique Glasair parts you've had to buy over the years?
For example, years ago, we bought the last cork float spiral gage assembly
they had laying around for the main tank stand pipe. (Our cork float seems to
have swollen and sometimes sticks in the pipe.) I suppose I should order the
gasket for the stand pipe, although I think you could cut your own from a gasket
kit from NAPA.
I've had to order canopy bulb seal. The seal separates where you lean against
it to get in and out of the plane. You can RTV it back together only so many
times. I think one can buy the bulb seal from other sources, but spec'ing it
out is the hard part.
I've ordered numerous exhaust hangar springs. For a while, I got about a
thousand hours out of those and then something changed in our installation and
we
started breaking them every flight. I finally switched over to an automotive
muffler rubber hanger
I don't think I can get the canopy gas springs for our plane any more. They
went to different units for the Glasair II. So far we've been able to
re-pressurize ours every few years. (I should probably do the over-center mod anyway.)
Please let me know what specialty parts comes to mind.
Thanks,
Mike Palmer <><
<BR><BR><BR>**************<BR>Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for
U.S. used car
listings at AOL Autos.<BR>
(http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)
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