---------------------------------------------------------- Lightning-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sat 02/16/08: 5 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 07:25 AM - Newsletter and updates (Colin J. Kennedy) 2. 02:31 PM - Gear legs II (Colin J. Kennedy) 3. 03:34 PM - Gear Leg Shimmy (JOSEPH MATHIAS LINDA MATHIAS) 4. 03:48 PM - Thanks to everyone who suggested CFI's (Charles Dewey) 5. 10:24 PM - Re: Gear Leg Shimmy (Catalpa aviation) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 07:25:51 AM PST US From: "Colin J. Kennedy" Subject: Lightning-List: Newsletter and updates Great job on the newsletter Buz! I will certainly try to contribute some material in the future. Thank you! I am particularly interested in the new pitch system geometry, the new electric trim system with an actual trim tab on the elevator, the 1" longer engine mount, and center throttle. As I am early in the build process, I am wondering if any of the updates mentioned can be added to existing kits? Can anyone share the production status of these updates, and which can be applied to already delivered kits? If they can be applied, do they require other modifications? For example, does the longer engine mount require a different cowling, or do the pitch geometry and CofG changes impact the need for the horizontal stabilizer/elevator modification? Colin K. OK Lightning # 52 under construction. http://www.mykitlog.com/cojaken ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 02:31:35 PM PST US From: "Colin J. Kennedy" Subject: Lightning-List: Gear legs II Progress on the main gear legs today. First I cleaned out the paint from the gear leg holes in the spar box. I used a drill extension and a 1 1/2" wire brush wheel, which I managed to twist into the 1 3/8" ID tube. This made a difference but not quite enough. I bought 48" belt for a belt sander, 120 grade. I turned this inside out and used it to manually sand the main gear legs. It took less than five minutes of sanding on each to get them to fit. A bit more on one side than the other as one hole was slightly tighter. I finished where I had sanded with some finer grade emery paper. I marked the holes and legs 1 and 2, so that I can match them up again after the spar box is in the fuselage. The main gear legs are ready! Not so good with the nose gear leg. I have cleaned out the paint from the tube with the drill extension and 1 1/2" wire brush wheel, but the gear leg only went in a half inch. I have spent about 20 minutes sanding the leg and now it goes in about 3". I am hoping another half hour tomorrow will finish the job. I did use the 1 1/2" wire brush wheel to clean the paint from the weldment that goes on the bottom of the nose gear leg and now it fits perfectly! Colin K. OK Lightning # 52 under construction. http://www.mykitlog.com/cojaken ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 03:34:49 PM PST US From: "JOSEPH MATHIAS LINDA MATHIAS" Subject: Lightning-List: Gear Leg Shimmy Well folks, we changed the tires on the main wheels today to Goodyear Flight Custom IIIs; one of the original tires definitely was out of round and quite obvious while spinning it on the axle during removal. The new tires improved the shimmy a bit but it hasn't gone away. However, we have a new theory: during the tire changing, we noticed that the axle is quite loose on both main gear. The next idea is to put some shim stock around the axle to tighten its fit in the socket. Has anyone else noticed that the axle doesn't fit tightly? I'll post the results when we get the axle tightened. Linda Mathias ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 03:48:44 PM PST US From: Charles Dewey Subject: Lightning-List: Thanks to everyone who suggested CFI's Thanks to all for the help in getting a suitable CFI to help me get my Lightning in the air and finished. Charles --- JOSEPH MATHIAS LINDA MATHIAS wrote: > Well folks, we changed the tires on the main wheels > today to Goodyear Flight Custom IIIs; one of the > original tires definitely was out of round and quite > obvious while spinning it on the axle during > removal. The new tires improved the shimmy a bit > but it hasn't gone away. However, we have a new > theory: during the tire changing, we noticed that > the axle is quite loose on both main gear. The > next idea is to put some shim stock around the axle > to tighten its fit in the socket. Has anyone else > noticed that the axle doesn't fit tightly? > > I'll post the results when we get the axle > tightened. > > Linda Mathias > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 10:24:43 PM PST US From: "Catalpa aviation" Subject: RE: Lightning-List: Gear Leg Shimmy Hullo from Australia, I have kit 32 and my axles were very loose. I had 2 half inch washers made up for the outboard side with a taper and holes for the nuts. On the inboard side leave the axle full length and cut a thread on the axle and a tapered (very small taper) washer and nut to hold the axle centre and tight, all you then have to do is drill the =BC hole and AN 4 bolt and nut according to the plans. As it was I had cut the axle to length so I had a tap put in the axle and bolted it in with a tapered washer and bolt with locking nut and safety wire to stop axle rotating. I do have a question relating to the flaps, when I fitted the port flap I could almost get my fingers between the flap and wing in the retracted position. As you cannot unbolt the flap brackets and you cannot bend, cut or weld them I had larger bronze bushes made and I drilled them out of centre with the flaps in place. I still have a fair gap as I was running out of meat on the flap brackets, what do I do now to make the gap neat and just big enough to clear? The starboard wing and flaps are just fine. Anthony Morrison Lighting 19-5301 -----Original Message----- From: owner-lightning-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-lightning-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of JOSEPH MATHIAS LINDA MATHIAS Sent: Saturday, 16 February 2008 3:32 PM Subject: Lightning-List: Gear Leg Shimmy Well folks, we changed the tires on the main wheels today to Goodyear Flight Custom IIIs; one of the original tires definitely was out of round and quite obvious while spinning it on the axle during removal. The new tires improved the shimmy a bit but it hasn't gone away. However, we have a new theory: during the tire changing, we noticed that the axle is quite loose on both main gear. The next idea is to put some shim stock around the axle to tighten its fit in the socket. Has anyone else noticed that the axle doesn't fit tightly? I'll post the results when we get the axle tightened. Linda Mathias _____ Upgrade Your Email - Click here! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message lightning-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Lightning-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/lightning-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/lightning-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.