Orginal Wheel Pants

[Scott]

The outboard mount slides into the axle. Assemble the first time with the cotterpin removed from the wheel nut. Mark the natural position of the mount in the axle (ensuring the pant is clear of the tire), then dismantle everything.

Now put the o/b mount in the axle up to your mark and use a drill bit to mark the tube mount from each side through the cotterpin holes. Drill the mount tube on the bench or drill press so you don't damage the axle. I drilled them slightly over size so it's easier to install the Cotterpin.

The aluminum used to make the pants is very soft so all the mount locations will be messed up. The original doublers were not much better. You'll see I cut out all the damaged soft material and replaced with 2024T3. I also replaced all the doublers with new larger versions made from 2024T3 (032" for all except the flyer which was 040"). You'll need to install the pants and adjust their "angle of incidence" then mark the inboard mount hole locations. Remember the pants should line up with the airflow while in cruise so it may help to level the aircraft when positioning the pants.

I also put 3/32"" rubber/silicone baffle material between the steel mounts and aluminium pants to prevent chafe.

like I said..... An odyssey !

Oh and this year I replaced the structural washer-head screws with AN3 bolts for the sake of authenticity.

[Jim Herpst]

Scott, so clear even a cave man like me understands. Think though I am missing a piece of hardware. The little threaded hole fitting against the pant now has me perplexed

[Scott]

These are the outboard mounts that slide into the axle:
AN4 bolt through the center of the flyer attaches it to the pant.

Oh and you need 6ea 10-32 nutplates installed on each pant for the inboard mounts.

[Jim Herpst]

Scott,

Once again a picture is a thousand words.The hardwarebI have for the outside is not correct. I don't know what is is from however not thik enough shank to accept a bolt!!

[Hank Jarrett]

When i go to look for the attach hardware (and all the other stuff guys are waiting for) I will grab a couple of pants too. I can trace the openings since my pants aren't on the plane now anyway.

[Jim Herpst]

Hank much needed and more so appreciated. I am not in a rush but do want to get these for when it cools of a little. Thank you

[3Dreaming]

Scott,

Once again a picture is a thousand words.The hardwarebI have for the outside is not correct. I don't know what is is from however not thik enough shank to accept a bolt!!

Maybe a picture of what you have will help with diagnosing what you need.

[Jim Herpst]

Yes . I am going to post a picture. I said that further up in this chain. Thank you for your contribition.Clearly I have the wrong hardware for the outside and yes the picture will show that. Scott's picture and Ryan's picture were very helpful to arrive where I am. Thanks to them. Also thanks to Hank in advance for the tracing when he is able to get into his hangar loft when it cools.

[Bruce Caldwell]

Jim, if your friend with the machine shop gets tooled up to make some, I'd love to have a pair. I'm in no hurry. I'm doing a complete restoration on a 46 BC-12D. All I have left to do is cover the wings and fuselage. Everything else is ready for paint and then assembly. Hope to have it in the air next year, but I've been saying that for two years.

[3Dreaming]

Yes . I am going to post a picture. I said that further up in this chain. Thank you for your contribition.Clearly I have the wrong hardware for the outside and yes the picture will show that. Scott's picture and Ryan's picture were very helpful to arrive where I am. Thanks to them. Also thanks to Hank in advance for the tracing when he is able to get into his hangar loft when it cools.

Jim, even though it seems you took it that way, I wasn't trying to be snarky. There is a wealth of knowledge on the forum, and I would like to think I contribute to that from time to time. It has been said many times that there is no hard fast rule to what is right on one of these airplanes, and that no 2 are the same. Maybe what you have will be like what someone else has, but different than Ryan's or Scott's. The only way to know is to see what you have.

[Jim Herpst]

73 years has not been kind. On closer inspection it appears the tops of both openings on the insides were molested with a notch at the top. Hank no further traces are needed. The aluminum trim extrusions that fit on both are in excellent condition thankfully. Scott I will be following your foot steps . Thank you for documenting your work !
Pictures of hardware to follow

[Jim Herpst]

It appears I was dead wrong. Ryan you will recognize this as the Wag Aero hardware. After going through the package (duh hu) I found bolts and that the threaded holes accepted them. I thought at first glance only large enough for screws The outer hardware is not as robust as what Scott built but it will work. Any one Dejavu on the starting condition of the pants shown in previous post?

[Jim Herpst]

Jim, if your friend with the machine shop gets tooled up to make some, I'd love to have a pair. I'm in no hurry. I'm doing a complete restoration on a 46 BC-12D. All I have left to do is cover the wings and fuselage. Everything else is ready for paint and then assembly. Hope to have it in the air next year, but I've been saying that for two years.

Bruce, I was thinking I had the wrong hardware . The hardware is available from Wag Aero and yes appears to be just fine.

[Jim Herpst]

Jim, even though it seems you took it that way, I wasn't trying to be snarky. There is a wealth of knowledge on the forum, and I would like to think I contribute to that from time to time. It has been said many times that there is no hard fast rule to what is right on one of these airplanes, and that no 2 are the same. Maybe what you have will be like what someone else has, but different than Ryan's or Scott's. The only way to know is to see what you have.

Tom , I am good if you are. I recall you or your brother or someone in your family coming up to me at SUN N Fun in 1999 when I owned 94984 with a good suggestion on making the fuselage to wing fairings fit where the rear half of the root of the wing sits lower than the fuselage. The forum is as good as the folks that participate and communicate . Hopefully I can help someone along the way as well.

[Hank Jarrett]

Found all 4 pants today and a real find, a U.S.Gauge oil temp I didn't remember having!!!! Got to test it and see if I got REAL lucky and it works! Still looking for the pant attach hardware. I know I have it but it was 110* in the hangar today (based on the thermometer on the wall about 7' up and the storage space was quite a bit higher). I can only go up there and dig around for a few minutes at a time. I have GOT to get that vent fan hooked up when it gets cooler out. Maybe go out in the middle of the night and do it. Found one of the outboard pant attach fittings and it is different than any posted so far. Looks like either Taylorcraft had LOTS of attach methods or early owners were very creative.