Jan 05, 2023     Jackpoints - (2.5 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Bolted on jackpoints to the main landing gear. This required removing the wheels to access the bolt heads. Once mounted, bolting the brake pads back in place was a chore. Stuffed a shop towel into the wheel to support the pad until the bolts were threaded.

I angled the jackpoints so they are level in 3-point stance. May lose a fraction of a knot in top speed.

  Mar 21, 2021     Bolt up - (2.5 hours) Category: Landing Gear

Bolted axles, brakes, discs and wheels to landing gear. Attached hydraulic connection between brake cylinder pucks.

Discovered that it was very easy to have brake calipers bind if any of the parts do not fit perfectly. It is important that the axle through bolts do not bind at all, that the brake plate inner edge where it fits to the axle is chamfered to match the axle fillet and that there are no burrs on any of the holes. Also, parts must free of FOD that will prevent an absolutely flat mating surface between the axle and plate.
Once everything is fit up properly, the calipers will slide freely.

  Mar 20, 2021     Priming Gear - (2.5 hours) Category: Landing Gear

Primed landing gear and elevator pushrod. Began deciphering panel assembly.

  Mar 19, 2021     Primer Prep - (2.5 hours) Category: Landing Gear

Prepped landing gear for priming by cleaning with prekote. Also prepped elevator pushrod. Contemplating panel design.

  Mar 17, 2021     Installing dual brakes - (5.0 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Dave W. 2.5 hrs. Installing second set of dual brakes. Tougher going because 3/8” bits were dulled by the steel backplates. Finished up on drill press with higher quality bit

Burs on the backplate caused slight skewing of backplate and brake binding. Deburred and reamed holes to fix.

  Mar 16, 2021     Installing dual brakes - (4.0 hours) Category: Landing Gear

Dave W. 2.0 hrs. Removed gear legs, wheels and axles. Drilled one new brake attachment plate.

  Jan 02, 2021     Torqued landing gear bolts and wheels - (3.5 hours) Category: Landing Gear

Torqued all main gear and tail gear bolts and marked with lacquer. Drilled and riveted a number of rivets to improved fuselage skin security and fit. Cleaned shop.

Did not mount brake assemblies because I want to upgrade to dual brakes.

  Jan 01, 2021     On the Gear - (3.5 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Bolted main gear in place after spot priming. Fabricated 3/16” tail spring saddle shim to correct interference of spring and fuse skin. Bolted tail gear in place.

  Dec 30, 2020     Tail Gear install - (4.5 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Dave W. 2.0 hrs. Removed main gear for spot priming and filing of right side pad to sit flush on longeron.

Trial fit tail gear assembly. Arc of spring contacts fuselage bottom and rivet head. Researching solution.

Update: Randy Schlitter says that this is common and not an is issue, but the recommendation is to fabricate a shim to go between the skin and the aft saddle block/spacer. I will try a 3/16 shim and longer bolts.

  Dec 29, 2020     Mounting landing gear - (6.5 hours)       Category: Landing Gear

Assembling axles and brakes. Drilled gear leg bushings to 5/16” step by step using a succession of drill sizes and reamers. Mounted gear legs and wheels to fuselage.

The right gear leg plate may need filing to sit flush to longeron.

  Dec 28, 2020     Assembling main gear - (2.0 hours) Category: Landing Gear

Dave W 1.5 hrs. Installing tubs and bolting wheel halfs together.