Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

[akslumlord]

I Have a bent front (left) spar lift attach fitting part number B A 809.2 . And am having a hard time finding a new one. please email or post a reply if you can help.
thanks all
shane
akslumlord@hotmail.com

[Robert Lees]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

Shane, if no-one else replies, you can have one of mine...it's the original fitting, not the thicker one used in the Harer STC. Good condition, but needs bead-blasting and painting.

But the shipping from the UK will be more expensive than from the lower 48. Can yours not be fixed/repaired/straightened?

Rob

[crispy critter]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

I think I have an extra one also but it will need the same as Robs.....cleaned,blasted,and primed.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

How the heck did you bend the fitting without damaging (distroying) the spar? I hope it was off the wing when it was bent!
Hank

[Carl Ellis]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

Didn't you say it was bent in a wind storm that destroyed other aircraft?

- Carl -

[teamscalepilot]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

I think i have one or 2 but not for both wings. Bead blasted and primed ready to go....

[akslumlord]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

Thanks Rob and crispy critter I may take you up on your offer. I believe I do have the heavier one now. Id like to replace it but beggers cant be choosy.
Hank the plane was tied down in a wind storm and rt wing and tail were tight but left wing loosened and tried to fly. because of the tie down right next to the attach bolt the fitting created a very small bend. Thats the best we can tell. At this time we cant find any spar damage. But We'll soon find out.
Thanks all
Shane

[lktiller]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

I gotta add my two pennies here, so bear with me. For Safety's sake!!!!
Check that spar real good. Cracks can hide under the ply doubler but will propagate to the butt end. Check for a dark line along the grain at the butt end. If a crack has propagated to a bolt hole this could spell disaster........

I know it's a pain to replace the spar but that is the only recognized repair for a 'butt crack'. (sorry, I couldn't contain myself)

[Don Eide]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

I agree with the above. However my spars are full of dark lines at the butt end, and they go all the way through the spar to the other end. They are GLUE lines. My spars (all four) are made from little bitty pieces of wood all scarfed and laminated together to make spars. The best I can tell, there are 39 pieces of wood that make up the 4 spars.

Just the other side of the coin.

Don

[crispy critter]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

You both make very good points,just be sure to inspect it carefully because when a butts fitting bends cracks are most commonly likely to happen.

[lktiller]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

Glad you mentioned Laminated spars. Great piece of engineering. Stronger than original. No flex. Much less prone to cracking. Bit heavier tho.

The grain lines at the butt end can fool ya. The varnish will darken inside the grain making it look like a possible crack. Magnifying glass will help see the difference. An OLD crack is very dark, a new crack will be lighter. Might even sand the varnish off, clean good and inspect.
If the ply doubler is de-laminating, consider removing and replacing the plywood.

For the solid wood spar, the 43.13 doesn't recognize a scarf joint repair underneath a ply doubler or within so many feet of the butt or at a stress location, meaning IF there are cracks about a third of the spar would have to be cut out and a new piece scarfed in. And if one is going to all that trouble one might as well replace the whole spar.
I did build a router jig to create a scarf slope, lots of effort.

Really hope there are no cracks. I don't wish anyone the pleasure of replacing a spar!

Larry Tillery

[akslumlord]

Re: Help ! need a front spar attach fitting

Thanks guys I'll take a closer look.
Shane