Help !!! problem

[Yellow Duck]

Help !!! problem solved

Thanks everyone for the advice and information. We have solved the problem,not nearly as bad or as difficult as I first thought. My A & P came by and we checked everything out. Finished cutting all the inspection holes and double checked the Spar, and fittings. All very good. Feel much better now. Now need to pain the new inspection covers, but I am flying again.

[Forrest Barber]

Tube between the strut fittings.

I should have jumped in sooner, been missing what was happening. Soooo you found the famous A-844 wire was loose running inside the tube B-80 . these wires ( A-844) have the AN365-440 nuts yes a 4-40 . THOSE wires run through the tube and are at the spar tips between the bow atachments.
NOW , why are they there. WELL at one point they took a close look at negative loading and found that adding those tiny, tiny wires was enough to keep the spars from Spreading apart when taxiing over rough ground, hard landings, and inverted flight. Yes they should be tight; but I have seen many a ship with the wires missing after rebuild OR one ship I have seen was missing them in one wing.....
Then the tube keeps the spars apart under positive load like old Crispy said...... thanks Kevin I too am happy it was not the Compression tube!

[barnstmr]

Help... Me TOO

After short flight of BC-65 s/n 1145 this morning we pulled the airplane into the yard for a wash job. While wiping underside of RH wing noticed a CLANK as my hand passed over the fabric near the rear lift strut attach point. On closer inspection, I FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM as Y.Duck. Only, the center rod on our tube is apparently broken. There is no nut visible on the front side of the FWD lift strut attach point. and the nut and rod have backed out about .2 inch on the aft. So the spreader tube is just sitting in there loose. Apparently this problem has been there since rebuild in 1999 because the front hole is painted closed. It looks like we are going to have a job of replacing the rod.

See picture - hole visible inside (painted over). This is the RH front strut attach bracket.

Has anyone done this before without cutting fabric? I am guessing the rod should have rolled threads. Dos anyone have the part (rod) available or any advice for us? If parts are not available...we'll have to make the rod with cut threads.

Terry
(Logged 2.6 hours today after wash job anyway)

[barnstmr]

Heres the aft strut - nut/rod visible.

[barnstmr]

Help!! ME TOO.

Close-up hole visible on Front spar strut attach bracket.

[Yellow Duck]

Help , answer from Yellow Duck

I was fortunate, my threaded rod was not broken (I understand this happens when tighten too much) I tighten a BIT, and the ronund tube is still a little free but not that bad. Talking to other T-Craft owners, this is normal.

If I were going to replace the threasded rod, I figured I would pullit from the rear and cut minimun amount of fabric. May need to remove the aileron(maybe).

Good luck, mine proved easy.

[alwaysoar]

help!!!problem

Hey Barmstrmr: The guy who last covered my wings left the tubes w/threaded rods that you are talking about on the outside of the wing! This irritated me no end, and when I bought the plane the first thing I did was go get them back inside the wing where they belonged. This was very easy to do as all I had to do was unthread the nut, pull the rods out the back end, remove the tubes, and put them back in through the inspection holes located at those points. I had to stretch the fabric a little but it returned to its original shape. The only tricky part was because the inspection holes were on the wrong side of the ribs, but I was able to manuever them through the ribs and line them up. I reinserted the threaded rods, and snugged down the nuts. I did not have to cut any fabric at all. If you don't have inspection holes at those points, you probably should anyway and they are easier to make than a fabric repair if you cut the fabric.

Ed @BTV VT
TF 527

[alwaysoar]

help!!!problem

Hey Barmstrmr: The guy who last covered my wings left the tubes w/threaded rods that you are talking about on the outside of the wing! This irritated me no end, and when I bought the plane the first thing I did was go get them back inside the wing where they belonged. This was very easy to do as all I had to do was unthread the nut, pull the rods out the back end, remove the tubes, and put them back in through the inspection holes located at those points. I had to stretch the fabric a little but it returned to its original shape. The only tricky part was because the inspection holes were on the wrong side of the ribs, but I was able to manuever them through the ribs and line them up. I reinserted the threaded rods, and snugged down the nuts. I did not have to cut any fabric at all. If you don't have inspection holes at those points, you probably should anyway and they are easier to make than a fabric repair if you cut the fabric.

Ed @BTV VT
TF 527

[barnstmr]

Thanks for the info.

I just purchased the A-844 rod over the phone from Jerry Birchard at the factory. The part is New Old Stock $24. We will try installing the part this weekend and let you know how well it works out. The closest inspection holes are about two ribs outboard. There is a ring at the front strut attach point but the hole hasn't yet been cut.... and it is on the wrong side of the rib to be much help.

Incdentally, I have learned that there are 2 each of this part per wing. One between the strut attach fittings and another at the wingtip bows.

Terry

[alwaysoar]

help!!!problem

As I said, you can work the tubes through the ribs without too much trouble.

[Hank Jarrett]

HOT DANG Ron! Where did you get that? I haven't seen a thread roller in YEARS! Are you up to make some "owner manufactured" parts? All you would need to do is roll the threads in accordance with the speciffication provided by the owner. HE has to do all the rest to make it legal. You might be able to pick up a few bucks.
Hank

[barnstmr]

Rolled Threads

Ron C
Wow. What size and thread pitch ranges can this little machine roll? Would you consider quoting some small quantity orders for part manufacturing in the future? If not, would you consider letting this tool go for a reasonable fee?
Terry B

[Hank Jarrett]

What the heck, would you let it go for an UN-REASONABLE fee! Lease option? Rent? Leave your garage unlocked and we could steal it?
Hank

[paulp]

rolled threads

Ron,

I'm pretty sure that the tail brace wires(flying wires) have rolled threads. I'm going hunting tomorrow at some custom cycle shops!
Will advise the tribe if I find anything. If I don't , would you consider a trade--- say first born, real estate, wife, 58 'vette! Just kidding-I'd never let my '58 go.

[Forrest Barber]

Nope those are cut threads 8-36 the "old" fine thread
8-32 is a course thread