Alaska Airframes still making struts?

[taylorcraftbc65]

WOW, I did,'t get swept out the door with the dog hair, and dust in a periodic list cleaning!!
The reason that no one has heard from me in YEARS, is that I had to save up the money for a new set of struts, I didn't want to ship the ones on the plane off to Wag Aero, and find out that I needed new ones, and then have the wings sitting on stands for years. I have three ultralights and an HM 293 to fly, soI was getting my MDR of flying.
My question is this, who is making the 4130 struts that Alaska Airframes was making for the Taylorcrafts back when this whole thing started? Any contact info? I think that I will have the money up by September or October.
Brie

[cvavon]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

brie here is a link to ak airframes site and they still show tcraft struts http://www.airframesalaska.com/taylorcraftstruts.htm

[3Dreaming]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

Having seen struts from all places I like Wag Aero's the best because the size is very close to what was used originally.
Brie, Wag Aero will tell you how to inspect the struts before you send them out.

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

Having seen struts from all places I like Wag Aero's the best because the size is very close to what was used originally.
Brie, Wag Aero will tell you how to inspect the struts before you send them out.

I'm never going to "show" the plane at an Airshow, so having the same external dimensions does not matter that much to me, when I can get an FAA approved strut that is stronger, and marginally lighter. One landing out of twenty will be on a paved strip, the way that I fly out here, so I place a premium on strength, as long as it doesn't screw with the W&B.
Brie

[Dick Smith]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

Brie, I talked with Airframes Alaska this morning. They are still making new struts and have sold a good number over the last few months. When you look at their website, pay close attention to the instructions on measuring your original struts re: the angles involved. I have been very satisfied with the new ones I bought. They run a first-class operation. The last time I was there they were shipping 3 wide-body cub fuselages to Europe. They produce a lot of stuff for the SuperCub guys. Dick

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

Brie, I talked with Airframes Alaska this morning. They are still making new struts and have sold a good number over the last few months. When you look at their website, pay close attention to the instructions on measuring your original struts re: the angles involved. I have been very satisfied with the new ones I bought. They run a first-class operation. The last time I was there they were shipping 3 wide-body cub fuselages to Europe. They produce a lot of stuff for the SuperCub guys. Dick

OK, I have a question Guys. I have been told by many people to never get a fuselage powder coated because it can give rust a head start before you catch it. Airframes Alaska says that a lot of people order their struts powder coated, and this seams to fly in the face of everything that I have been told. Hank, Lee, Forrest, and any of the other people that know a lot about these fine planes, would you do it to your plane? Why, or why not??

[Ryan]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

I ordered from Airframes Alaska and was quite happy. Freight to Ohio wasn't bad, took three days, and following their angle instructions they bolted right on. They are made of obvious piper stock as the front struts to our tcraft and are pacer are now the same size. I do not feel it looks bad. I did not get them powder coated as I heard not to either and elected to paint them with polyfiber epoxy primer. Saved money in the long run and used the same paint system from primer to top coat. Remember to make new jury strut brackets as your original fronts will be to small.

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

I ordered from Airframes Alaska and was quite happy. Freight to Ohio wasn't bad, took three days, and following their angle instructions they bolted right on. They are made of obvious piper stock as the front struts to our tcraft and are pacer are now the same size. I do not feel it looks bad. I did not get them powder coated as I heard not to either and elected to paint them with polyfiber epoxy primer. Saved money in the long run and used the same paint system from primer to top coat. Remember to make new jury strut brackets as your original fronts will be to small.

I'll be sure to fabricate new brackets, THANKS Ryan

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

I have seen corrosion get a real head start under powder coat. I would never use it on a fuselage, but a lot of others have. The wing struts are a little different since they are out where they would be easy to inspect but I chose to use a regular primer and paint system so the colors would match and like Ryan said, painting them yourself saves a bit.
I got my strut from WAG and was really happy with their service. Seems like since Harry left town ALL of the parts providers are really great. If we ever find him we really need to have a Pinata party.
If you should ever see this guy, hit him with a wing strut and RUN!
Hank

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

HOW did you get Harry to POSE for his own wanted dead or alive poster??
Brie

[M Towsley]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

Hank,

I thought there were issues with heating the struts during the powder coating process that could affect the metal. I know I read that somewhere, not necessarily here on the forum. Your thoughts?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

Like I said, I am NOT a fan of powder coating on structural parts. I would not want to heat the sealed struts to coat them either but I didn't consider that since the only parts I was going to powder coat on my 45 were the control wheels, and I ended up spraying on black epoxy on those instead.
Hank

By the way, the sprayed epoxy I have used on my car projects has stood up VERY well in the past and I don't use powder coat on them either any more. I have used Pettit Epoxy products as well as Hobby Poxy on lots of things and it wears like iron. I think Hobby Poxy was actually made by Pettit for models where most of their products are for aircraft and boats.

[Marv]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

I thought Alaska Airframes were the ones that got the price down where people could afford to buy struts, well almost. marv

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

I just thought they were first to drop the price to reasonable. I think when everyone saw what Harry was trying to pull NO ONE would buy from him and even the competing companies all jumped to our assistance.
It didn't take much to see that Harry was just trying to jump start his business by robbing the Taylorcraft community.
Hank

And he NEVER DID produce any good struts!

[lfries]

Re: Alaska Airframes still making struts?

I bought airframes because they were a good 1,000 cheaper than ,I believe, it was Univair at the time. Had no faith in the factory because no one had received struts from there. To the best of my re collection Univair gave purchasors a spendable credit with them after airframes enter the business.