strut hardware

[Ron Coleman]

Giant semi pulled the yard in with a 90 lb. crate containing one very nice set of struts from Airframes. The front struts are significantly fatter than the original. A little clumsy compared to my old ones but my AD strut problems will be over in a couple of days.

I have been trying to put together a "strut and gear" hardware set. I want the hardware in hand, before I pull the old ones. It would save me some headaches (and probably others of us) if we had a list of AN nuts, bolts, washers, etc. so that we could order them in advance. I don't think that we should put everything back together with old hardware.

My Taylorcraft Aviation Corporation Parts Catalogue list the strut kits for $3.50 and $6.xx. I think I'll make up my own.

Anyone have a list of the proper hardware?

Thanks in advance
RonC

[pftcraft]

Re: strut hardware

A list of required hardware came with the installation instructions I got with the struts from Airframes...

[Ron Coleman]

Re: strut hardware

I will go out to the hanger and dig through the box. If I find the list of parts, I will post them.
Next, I will have to get enough heat to paint the struts and to corrosion proof the attach fittings.

Thanks for the reply..
RonC

[Ron Coleman]

Re: strut hardware

Well I went through the material that came with the Airframes struts. There are installation instructions, a log of revisions, a page identifying applicable models, a page listing materials required for the installation. This page lists:
30" bubble or digital level
tape measure 1/16" grads. min. 2@
Bolts AN3-15A 2@
AN5-13A 4@
AN5-27A 2@
Washers AN960-10 4@
AN960-516 as required
Nuts AN365-10 2@
AN365-524 5@
Thread Sealant Mastinox 6856K as required

Pages detail leveling, rigging, and replacing one strut at a time follow.
Nice clear instructions. Finally they have included a STC.

They mention a corrosion preventitive for the exposed threads, but they did not identify what it should be unless they were refering to Mastinox. Aircraft Spruce does not stock Mastinox.

You should probably include a borescope and finishing materials for the fus. to strut fittings and heat for the hanger if you are working above the Mason Dixon line (did I say a bad thing?).

The struts are in the hanger, the borescope is beside me on the chair, the hardware should be here on Monday and if all goes well I will be in the air a couple of days after that.

If not, I'll have to fly the open cockpit sparrow.

RonC

[Guest]

Re: strut hardware

Hi Ron, what model borescope do you use? how much $ ? where did you get it?

Thanks, Dave

[Ron Coleman]

Re: strut hardware

Hi Dave....
I looked all over the place trying to borrow, rent, or steal a borescope. I haunted the net and e-bay until I was enough confused. Then I spotted a flex shaft fiber optic 1/4" scope with a built in light at Eastwood. The 18" model is $229.99 and the 36" model is 274.99. They also have an acessory kit which is a mirror that clips on the lens end of the fiber so that you can see sideways or somewhat backwards.
I've been stung on ebay a couple of times (one of our clan sold me a set of landing gear one of which was damaged and bondo repaired) so I decided to go to someone I could talk to. I called Eastwood and decided to go with their 36" scope, no accessory kit. If I neeed it I will order it or more likely make my own mirror suport.
The scope came in a plastic case and I have used it to check out my rifle barrels, looked into my ears and at my tonsils. I have also looked at my wings spars, the 18" scope would be too short for that. As long as I was going to have to pay for the tool I should get the one with the most utility.

The resolution is good enough although you can see the dot pattern. You can adjust the focus and a camera can be adapted to it. It takes 2 AA batteries that operate a halogen lamp through a push to light switch.
It would be a good thing if you could get together with a couple of other needy people and split the cost. I have several needy people but thay won't share the cost, however they are always happy to "have a pepsi".

good luck
RonC
Eastwood 1 800 345 1178
Item 25146 18"
Item 25145 36"

[Doc]

Re: strut hardware

Check out Aircraft Tool Supply for their borescope options...just ordered the 6mm model as we have 4 local T-crafts to look over. Doc

[flyguy]

Re: strut hardware

Harbor freight 94958-1CNN $170. Just saw it in the their catalog.
DC

[Guest]

Re: strut hardware

Thanks guys.

I assume you need the 90 degree mirror to complete the strut attach fitting inspection.

Do you agree?

Dave

[stormman]

Re: strut hardware

Ron and guys
Check out this sealant
I have been using it in saltwater and it works better then anything else i have seen

https://www.tefgel.com

[Ron Coleman]

Re: strut hardware

I don't think you will need the 90 degree mirror. I spent a couple of hours playing with the thing and learned a few things. First the scope that I have has a 40 degree angle of visability. It can be manipulated by messing with the cable so that in a cavity greater than 1/4" you can see a greater angle, even back if the cavity is large enough.
I had no trouble identifying minor pitting in a 30 caliber carbine barrel. I did discover that if you move the lens back and forth past something you are looking at the image seems to be clearer than if the lens is standing still. I think that it has something to do with the magnification of the eyepiece. I could stop the lens and focus the eyepiece but moving the lens back and forth over a blemish seemed to help me interpret what I was seeing. I even found a weld in an antique Harpers Ferry musket where someone had added to the barrel length. Who ever did the welding had ground and smoothed out the weld in the barrel, but I was able to see where the work had been done.

There are a ton of borescopes available at a wide price range. I don't recommend any of them. I can tell you this for sure, the cable on my scope is too stiff for some kinds of medical exams. Also, I noticed that before I bought the scope no one could tell me anything about them, but after I bought one, everyone had an opinion, advice, and someting better.

RonC

[Ron Coleman]

Re: strut hardware

Next
What this borescope does not do (heck!!!)
It does not magnify. It is not a microscope. It seems like it should be a microscope since it has an eyepiece like a microscope, however, it has only a little magnification. You can look in the eyepiece and look under your chair or behind your back and have a pretty good field of vision. You can look in to your wing and scan a large area, but if you put the lens into a worm hole you cannot magnify the worms eye.
Bummer!!!

RonC

[Guest]

Re: strut hardware

I don't think you will need the 90 degree mirror. I spent a couple of hours playing with the thing and learned a few things. First the scope that I have has a 40 degree angle of visability. It can be manipulated by messing with the cable so that in a cavity greater than 1/4" you can see a greater angle, even back if the cavity is large enough.
I had no trouble identifying minor pitting in a 30 caliber carbine barrel. I did discover that if you move the lens back and forth past something you are looking at the image seems to be clearer than if the lens is standing still. I think that it has something to do with the magnification of the eyepiece. I could stop the lens and focus the eyepiece but moving the lens back and forth over a blemish seemed to help me interpret what I was seeing. I even found a weld in an antique Harpers Ferry musket where someone had added to the barrel length. Who ever did the welding had ground and smoothed out the weld in the barrel, but I was able to see where the work had been done.

There are a ton of borescopes available at a wide price range. I don't recommend any of them. I can tell you this for sure, the cable on my scope is too stiff for some kinds of medical exams. Also, I noticed that before I bought the scope no one could tell me anything about them, but after I bought one, everyone had an opinion, advice, and someting better.

RonC

********************

lol

[Guest]

Re: strut hardware

Thanks Ron, very helpul, Dave

[astjp2]

Re: strut hardware

I have a rigid from a hospital that I picked up, and another one that was used on P&W cylinder inspections, I think its 3/8 diameter. It came from a proctologist! Tim