Restoring a BC12-D

[STEVE KUNKLE]

Hi All, I'm restoring a BC12-D, I have talked with Terry about gross weight & engine upgrades, But I'm also looking for the STC holder for wing tank covers as well as skylight. Also if anyone is making the leading edge tip alum (A-8121 / A-8112 / A-8109?), the aileron control links (A-872 ?) and aileron hinge brackets

Thanks
Steve

[astjp2]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Well the aluminum is 12" wide, you can use .016 to .020 2024-T3, original was .012", buy a 12" sheet, have a shop with a shear cut it length wise to get pieces long enough. If you are used to Cessna's or cub with STC's, there are almost none for a Taylorcraft in comparison. Tank covers I think are not necessary because you cant get to the hardware like a piper rag wing. I would just work with Terry and have him do the DER thing and make sure you find or use an IA that is familiar with our aircraft, we have had spam can mechanics recommend cutting a cowling to sump the gascolator on here because they did not understand that you just open the cowling and reach in to sump it. Univair may have some of the control links and mounts, call them and ask, the post war airplanes used a cast mount, the prewar airplanes were welded. Many prefer the welded because there was corrosion problems in the cast ones.

Ask questions, have a thick skin and be open to suggestions. There is almost no support for these airplanes so you may need to make because you cant buy. Also there are very knowledgeable people like Hank. They have a lot of experience and are a good resource for information. Tim

[Pearson]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Steve,

I replaced the fabric over both of my wing tanks with sheet aluminum using a field approval. A copy of the paper work should be on the website in the tech section.

[N96337]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Why would you want to go to all the work of an aluminum cover for your wing tanks????

[Pearson]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

It really wasn't very much trouble at all. I had to remove my wing tanks to weld up fuel leaks. I was concerned that they may have started leaking again. With the aluminum covers, I can have access to the entire wing root area in about five minutes. It gives me a warm fuzzy to be able to inspect the spars at the attach fittings each annual. Here is the webpage on the Foundations website where the 337 is posted under "wings". http://taylorcraft.org/resources.html#337_STC_data

[astjp2]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Were your wing tanks aluminum or Tern plate?

[STEVE KUNKLE]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

One is aluminum & the other is Tern plated. The tern plated has rust in side, so I'm going to replace it with alum.

Steve

[STEVE KUNKLE]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

It's not much work to put a Alum cover over the tank. and the benefit's, To get access to remove tank as well as checking the wing attach fittings.


Steve

[Guest]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Hi Steve,

I suspect that the cover will give you little help in regards to removing the tank.

You have to get the drag/!drag wires out and maybe the root compression rib. When I removed my tank I had to remove the wing, then remove the butt rib to get the drag/!drag wires out. A more clever guy may have done it more efficiently of course. But my point is that all the work putting in the cover may outweigh the saving IF you have to remove the tank at some future time.

I just struggled with this on my Champ wings and decided to forego the metal covers figuring that the effort spent doing them is more than the possible future time saved. One consideration was how to reinforce the rib on the outboard side of the cover so that the fabric tension does not pull the rib out of shape. That was a factor in my decision.

I really like the inspection visibility aspects of the covers.

Dave

[Pearson]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Were your wing tanks aluminum or Tern plate?

If you were asking about MY wing tanks, they are aluminum.

As far as the rib bending from the fabric tension, it wasn't a factor.

To get the nuts off the ends of the drag wires I had to fabricate my own spoke wrench because I couldn't find one the correct size at a bike shop. I used a piece of 3/16" thick plate steel. I would post a picture of it, but it is on another computer far far away. It is a triangle with the points bent up 90*. Then I used a small hi-speed die grinder with a small carbide disc to cut a notch almost as wide as the small nut on each drag wire. Then I used a small file to widen the notch out so it would fit over the nut. The triangular shape allows it to fit up into the corner formed by the rib and the spar.

[Guest]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Hi Richard,

Were you able to remove the drag/!drag wires while leaving the butt rib in place?

Dave

[STEVE KUNKLE]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

My wires are not left & right hand thread, just right hand. so I just unscrewed one end, their are very flexible

[STEVE KUNKLE]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

Does anyone know what fuel valves can be used for the wing tanks also the main tank? I'd like to replace them

[Guest]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

I may have caused confusion, sorry about that.

!drag is VHDL shorthand for "not drag" and "not drag" is the same as "anti drag".

So when I typed drag/!drag it was shorthand for "drag/antidrag".

Would like to know if you guys have been able to remove a wing tank without first removing the butt rib.

Dave

[Pearson]

Re: Restoring a BC12-D

I did not remove the butt ribs. It is not needed if you have a wrench that will fit into the tight corners. Once you get the nut off of one end of the wires and the other nut loosened, it is easy to just turn the wire and unscrew it from the nut. Even with the home made spoke wrench it is a chore to turn it in the tight spaces inside the wing.