Strut Cuffs

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Can you see them now??
Sometimes computors amaze me
I can see the photos.
I copied & pasted them again, exactely the same as before.

I must be the only one that doesn't see them. Not to worry, I have plenty of resources around here. Thanks, Larry

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Strut Cuffs

How true , we load tested here at a fly-in and even I was surprised at what a corroded strut could still with stand.

"Monumentous decisions are not always made by monumentous people" !

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I think (no calculations, just experience) that if you are within 8" or 10" of the top attach you aren't going to hurt the strut. The two critical loads on a strut are tension and long column buckling. You design for both and take the largest. On a wing strut long column buckling dominates. Without the jury struts they would have to be HUGE! The jury strut effectively cuts the strut length in half. long column still dominates, but it is closer to being even with tension (at least it is within 10 times).
That was the problem with the strut inspection. Corrosion at the bottom reduced net section, which reduced the tension strength, but the strength was already SO HIGH to handle the bending loads in the MIDDLE of the strut that you could have actual HOLES in the strut from the corrosion and they wouldn't fail! That was the the point I kept trying to make to the FAA. They had a pile of "failed" struts that had been laying in the mud and had corroded through on one side, but they didn't have ANY struts that had actually FAILED through the corroded section! FAILURE of the strut would require that they have one that was IN TWO PIECES. IF they are in one piece, they didn't "fail" in service, they were destroyed in STORAGE! We could have safe struts by doing a simple punch test on the bottom side of the bottom end. If the punch goes through REPLACE THE STRUT, even though it still has enough section to take flight loads.
I never could get them to understand they are rejecting struts for corrosion that is actually just cosmetic! If we clean up the corrosion, protect the surface inside, seal the strut and PROOF LOAD IT to a load well beyond the flight load, THE CORROSION PITS DON'T MATTER! There is plenty of residual strength in the strut.
If anyone has rejected struts, please DON'T trash them. I will use them for landing gear struts and cabanes and interplane struts on a homebuilt! Of course I will clean them up, coat them and proof test them, but there is NOTHING wrong with the material if you inspect and treat it.

Sorry, rant over. Just REALLY makes me mad when engineers with lots of letters after their names make decisions about things a REAL engineer who has been in the field has the answer to and they won't listen. We have lots of good people in the FAA but some of their leadership has lost touch with the real world and won't do the analysis to find the right answer. They would rather just play it safe and make us eat the cost of replacements that aren't needed.
And YES, I DID inspect my struts by their directions AND my way. I didn't trust their way to find real problems. But then, I'm anal. ;-)
Hank

[senior]

Re: Strut Cuffs

On the strut tie down question, if you have the loops on your struts they are NOT used to tie the plane down!

That's my understanding too.
I have a set of Strut Rings with Taylorcraft marked on the box, but they don't fit the struts right so haven't got around to customizeing them on.
My other question was if you install cuffs would that lower your tie-down point on the Strut enough to worry about bending one:clue?::

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

On the strut tie down question, if you have the loops on your struts they are NOT used to tie the plane down! Most of them are cast aluminum and will NOT hold your plane (I need to dig up the pictures I have of a plane on it's back with the tie down ropes still tied to the broken rings).
The ring is to keep the ropes from sliding down the strut, they DO NOT take the tie down load!
Run the rope up and through the ring, then around the strut and back through the ring and tie it off. The load goes into the top of the strut, NOT THE RING. The ring should be located as high on the strut as you can put it and still have enough strut exposed to tie the rope to. If the rope slides down the strut it WILL bend the strut. The cuffs will have no effect on the tie down if you set it up right. Note that the CUB style wire rings attach to the wing spar fittings and I don't think you can use the cuffs if you have that type ring (I also don't think those type rings are even legal on a Taylorcraft, they are Piper parts). I have a set of the Piper, heavy wire rings (actually a loop that attaches to the strut top bolt) and they fit and work fine, but I couldn't find them in any of the Taylorcraft parts books.
Be careful how you tie your plane down. It takes very little wind to break those rings if you tie to them wrong.
Hank

[senior]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Can you see them now??
Sometimes computors amaze me
I can see the photos.
I copied & pasted them again, exactely the same as before.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Again to anyone..how do the cuffs attach to hold firm around the Strut ? :clue?::

2 screws in the cuff ends hold the shape. one screw attaches to wing attach bracket or clip attached to wing attach bracket holds them on

[lfries]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Mine are not attached to the struts. There is a flat metal piece on the
wing bracket that they screw into.

[Jim Herpst]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Again to anyone..how do the cuffs attach to hold firm around the Strut ? :clue?::

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Not sure if this helps anybody.
These came with my project.
They're plastic templates but I can't verify fitment.
My plane has a different size strut on each side :clue?::
I'm sure someone can download these pics & adjust them to size.
The tape measure will give you a guide to sizeing.




Tell me where do you tie down to, when cuffs are installed?

Sorry but I see no pics! :tdown:
Larry

[Jim Herpst]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Not sure if this helps anybody.
These came with my project.
They're plastic templates but I can't verify fitment.
My plane has a different size strut on each side :clue?::
I'm sure someone can download these pics & adjust them to size.
The tape measure will give you a guide to sizeing.




Tell me where do you tie down to, when cuffs are installed?

That is a great Question. If its drill a hole in the new sealed strut and install screw... Wow

[senior]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Not sure if this helps anybody.
These came with my project.
They're plastic templates but I can't verify fitment.
My plane has a different size strut on each side :clue?::
I'm sure someone can download these pics & adjust them to size.
The tape measure will give you a guide to sizeing.




Tell me where do you tie down to, when cuffs are installed?

[Ray]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Does anyone have any pictures of these installed. I see the one bolt in the previous pics but I need a close up pic on how they look on the plane and how they are attached.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Well it was a banner night in the Lyons house hold. I have the tracings on light card board and will get them in the mail tomorrow, if my world does not cave in! Rob, these tracings are off your plastic strut cuffs, any idea on vintage?
Larry

PS: My return addy will be on these templates when you get them. However I have your email addy and can get it to you anytime.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Larry,
Best if you mail the tracing since scanners usually distort drawings. Besides, I owe you a compass logo and a drawing of the pre war 4 piece windshield and still don't have your address. The 4 piece may be getting some improvements soon based on some remains of an original one Wally Black found. That will delay the drawings of the old windshield parts a while.
If you mail the tracing be sure to remember to put your return address on it. Hopefully by the time it gets here I may have the windshield drawings.
Hank