Strut Installation tips we should share

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Strut Installation tips we should share

IMHO a good, new, genuine AN bolt and nut is more than enough for these loads. There are NAS bolts with higher shear strength but I believe the engineers will verify they are not nearly necessary. There should only be a couple of thousand pounts or less in shear on each of the four primary lift-load bolts. (1200 pounds at 6G = 7200 pounds, divided by four bolts).

Just get a good new AN bolt the same length as the one you took out, put the anti-seize goo on it as mentioned, and put LPS or Boeshield anti-corrosion spray in the holes liberally.

Although not MUCH rotation at all, the lower strut fitting does rotate a fraction of a degree in flight. The cabin entry step rotates several degrees and uses the same bolt. So use a drilled shank bolt and a castellated nut with a cotter pin. The bolt is loaded 100% in shear so do not tighten the bolt to a high torque.

Thanks for your advise Bill. I won't have to worry about the AD, as my struts are sealed, (I guess that they were put on the plane during it's complete restoration six years before I bought it), but it's good to know about the lower attacth bolt. Brie

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Strut Installation tips we should share

where did the "sealed struts " come from at that time?
Re earlier post we have a procedure coming that will apply to all strut removal and replacement, basically, "level" the ship , especially fore and aft, have at least three people , release top bolts first, swing struts down onto a high horse, I keep them up from level, remove lower bolt, remove struts to safe location, brace wing into place, ( or remove) I use another strut or water pipe, OR crib it in place , or place a cut down 2x4 vertical at both attach points. ( more detail coming, Bill Berle has done the complete draft, I have to comment & modify. Most A&P's and IA's can do this operation were quickly .....

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Strut Installation tips we should share

Terry Bowden's solution to a wing holding jig while the struts are off. I obviously took this photo right after we re-mounted the struts. This is made from an IV drip hangar doofer or whatever you call that piece of medical equipment.

The other photo is the hangar mate for the Taylorcraft. Gotta love it.

[Guest]

Re: Strut Installation tips we should share

Attached some pick of changes I made to the jury strut band (clamp) that goes around the front lift strut.

First pic shows the correct size clamp around a piece of the streamline tube that Univair struts are made from and probably most others as it is the common size of today.

The old band gets cut in two then the nose and tail of it gets heat formed around the LE and TE of the tube because the radius on the new tube is larger.

Then a 1/2" piece of metal (.048 thick approx) gets welded in to lengthen the band.

The bolt tabs are kept aligned with the correct band, mostly I did that so I could figure out how much to add, ie 1/2".