Struts & Jury Struts

[Frank DeBartolo]

The BC12-D I purchased last summer has a front wing strut with a splice in it. No 337 on the splice & we noticed that the strut has a warp in it. Strut is bowed outward on the leading edge. When placing the strut trailing edge on a straight surface the bow is noticable and is appx 1/2 inch. I bought a new strut from Univair. (Tried to buy it at the factory but they did not know when struts would be available due to not having the steel tubing to make the struts). Problem is that when I installed the strut the jury struts do not line up. This is because the old jury strut has been widened at the bottom to accomodate the warped wing strut. The jury strut has been made to be adjustable by way of an adjustable cross member at the bottom and using a bolt and nut to tighten the jury strut cross member. We looked at the only other T-Craft on the field (another BC12-D) and its jury struts were fixed. That is 17" from front to back at the top of the jury strut and 17" from front to back at the bottom of the strut. My jury strut is 17" from front to back at the top and 17.5" from front to back at the bottom where it needs to be that wide to fit the warped wing strut. Question is: Do I need to purchase new jury struts or do I refabricate the struts I have? Are all other jury struts fixed and not adjustable like the other T-Craft on the field or are the jury struts that I have OK. The jury strut on the other wing that has good wing spars is 17" at the top and 17.125" at the bottom but can be reduced to 17" and be ok for that strut. I know this is a long problem, but my plane is in for annual and my mechanic wanted me to get some info for him.

Thanks.

Frank DeBartolo
N43684

[yerich109]

Mine are fixed. Don't have the measurements, but could get them if needed.

[TimHicks]

jury struts

What's the origin of the name "Jury" struts, anyway?

[lktiller]

Jury's still out on this.

I'm sorry. Couldn't resist.

[Hank Jarrett]

Sorry to take so long to answer this but I have been a bit buried at work. I have 4 different jury struts and NONE of then or any that I have ever seen are modified like you describe. I would modify them back to the original configuration to work with your new strut and if anyone challenges you you can either call them "owner manufactured" or "repaired".
With the exception of the pitot tube welded on the left-hand jury struts all 4 seem virtually identical in dimension and construction. If you didn't have the pitot you could put any one of them in any position. There are NO adjustments on any of them and the bottom of the "U" is 1' 2 &7/8" between the welded tubes for the bolts. The tubes are each "maybe" 1/16" wider than an inch. The top bolt tubes are 1' 5 1/2" center to center on the front and back. Afraid I don't have anything handy to measure the tube ID. If you need detailed info let me know and I will get some pictures or drawings with dimensions.
Hank

[Robert Lees]

Hank, I think you are mistaken. Some of the jury struts are indeed constructed using a bolted joint in the horizontal cross-member part. My guess is that there were used prior to jig-built strut manufacture was introduced, but I cannot be sure. The Austers (designed from the pre-war Taylorcraft) used this construction method right up to the late 1950's.

Rob

[Hank Jarrett]

That's what I have been told now. I have never seen one with adjusters on it. I got a picture of the earlier design but sent it direct instead of filling the system with big files. If there is a desire for a picture I can shrink it down and post it. I for one would like to see a picture of the one with the adjuster. I just can't get it straight in my minds eye. My brain must need glasses. ;-)
Hank