Activity Stream

Activity Stream



  1. dholly added a topic in Avid and Kitfox parts Suppliers   

    Maule Tailwheel - Exploded View and Parts List
    Not a Supplier source, but helpful info if you need to replace a particular component and are looking for the proper part number.
     
    MAULE TAILWHEEL PARTS LIST.pdf
    • 6 replies
    • 4,226 views


  2. dholly added a topic in Technical tasks   

    Proper Tailwheel Geometry - Castor Angle and Shimmy
    This topic comes up every so often in the General Forums so I thought it was worthy of it's own post in the Technical Forum.
     
    Read the EAA Counselor's comments and compare the attached pic to your own tailwheel. It may provide the solution to your problem.
     
    Tail Wheel Shimmy.pdf
    • 3 replies
    • 2,652 views


  3. Luked added a post in a topic plastic leading edge   

    Cost for 2 was $93.90 last year when I bought them. Nice place to work with.
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  4. EDMO added a post in a topic What adhesive to use to secure fiberglass wing tank   


    Doug, It is in the KF1 manual - I have the KF4 and part of KF5.
    I guess McB found something more expensive than the GE Silicone II you can buy at Walmart?  I don't know which GE Silicone they had back in the early 1980's, but I worked hard with a box knife at getting a tank out of my Kitfox 1 wing after it had been there for about 25 years - that white rubber stuff really sticks.  It would have been easier if  the builder had used Saran Wrap on the spars.
    EDMO
    Note:  I think that putting a row of rivets into the spar is a BAD, BAD IDEA - It don't need it, and none of mine ever had that.   That may have been left over from the metal tanks - STILL A BAD IDEA!
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  5. EDMO added a post in a topic plastic leading edge   

    I did the same, but cut the extra 8" off, and didn't fare into wingtip. I used lightweight Bondo after gluing with 9460, but Leni says Kittyhair (?) is better.
    EDMO
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  6. akflyer added a post in a topic plastic leading edge   

    Nice job fairing that LE in!  Looks very nice.
     

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  7. akflyer added a post in a topic Bush gear springs   

    I think Highcountry is onto the right track using the "cub style" gear with bungees.  With this, you could put 6" long slots in it and never go metal to metal unless you really really worked at it.  If you hit that hard, folding the gear is probably the least of your worries.  I do think safety cables are a good idea as many cub owners have found out.  If you break a bungee the safety cable catches you and you dont have the sickening view of the tire punching through the lift strut at the same time the prop eats the dirt and catapults you over in a not so perfect pirouette.  You don't get style points for that maneuver unless its done with no (well maybe just a touch of) blood shed.
     
    Another thing to look at is the evolution of gear on the cubs.  When they first started making extended gear, they had issues buckling gear legs etc.  Atlee dodge and a few others figured out that you need to put some braces in-between those long gear legs to keep them from buckling.  Just like on the fuse, you add a brace and make cute triangles and you add a ton of strength with little weight penalty.  Personally I would rather have a gear that weighs 4 more pounds than a wad of tubing sitting on a sand bar due to a folded gear leg.
     
    I will see if I can get my engineer back on it to give me the actual loads and optimize the cabane vee angle to spread the loads and not add a lot of weight.  This will also give us the needed travel info other than... hey, hold my beer, yep that looks about right, tack it.
     
    I understand that these are experimental, and we can pretty much build what ever we want out of bailing wire and duct tape, but I think some of the back yard engineers (not a slam to anyone) thought they had a good idea, did not fully test it, marketed it, and cost a lot of people a lot of money on bent birds.  I would not market a "bush gear" until I had done due diligence and beat the shit out of the gear on my own airplane and I was satisfied that it was not going to cause unintended damage to a buyers airplane unless said buyer really went way above and beyond the realms of normal abuse.
     
    With that said, I really love the idea of rubber "bushings" or a polymer of some sort like the AOSS suspension system.  Maybe if I get enough interest from the guys running the "bush" gear, I can go talk to burl face to face and see what he would do for us.  Its a pisser that we spend 1500 on gear, then would have to spend another 1500+ on it to make it function right and not bend our birds.
     

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  8. dholly added a post in a topic What adhesive to use to secure fiberglass wing tank   

    What manual recommends the Saran Wrap Ed? I don't remember seeing that in my KF3 or 4 manuals.
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  9. dholly added a post in a topic What adhesive to use to secure fiberglass wing tank   

    I agree with Robert. No Hysol, use #739 RTV Silicone Adhesive only for the newer Airdale, Skystar and Kitfox 'slip-in' wing tanks, ethanol resistant or otherwise. The only possible exception to my thinking would be the very early Avid fiberglass wing tanks that are completely wrapped around the spars with f/g mat. I believe those tanks were thinner wall than the newer wing tanks and I wonder if the necessary structural integrity Dean Wilson designed in would be compromised if simply glued in with the #739 adhesive.
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  10. EDMO added a post in a topic Bush gear springs   

    The replacement parts for the rubber pucks on the Ercoupe was a stack of Belleville washers.
    EDMO
    Leni, Sorry to override your post about "CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING" and hope that everyone will send you a few bucks.
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  11. akflyer added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    Hey guys,
     
    Thanks a lot, that is very much appreciated.  That should pretty much take care of the new update that just came out  
     
    Ron...   That was funny right there, I don't care who ya are    It means something different here in AK too.
     
     
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  12. akflyer added a post in a topic Bush gear springs   

    I sent an email to Burl to see if he would develop something for us like the AOSS system for cubs.  If I was a chemical engineer I may be able to understand the polymer stuff, but I started doing research on the material used in the AOSS system and it made my head hurt.  If some one here is a chemical engineer and they wanted to come up with the proper stuff for me to pour into a can I could make the AOSS system for our planes really easy.. I just dont know the proper crosslinked super duper gee whizz polymer that Burl uses in the AOSS system.
     

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  13. EDMO added a post in a topic First flight on my SkyRaider with skis   

    Nice looking little bird Jim - Looks like a balanced elevator like mine - what engine?  How does it compare to the 503 and bigger bird?
    EdMO
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  14. EDMO added a post in a topic Bush gear springs   

    I had those on my Ercoupe on the mains, but I think they were combined with shock absorbers. I had a Kick-Ass strong Bush Gear on my Maule, made by Atlee Dodge, and it had Hydo-shocks. They make these for Pipers too.EDMO
    I would think that rubber would get very ridged in cold temperatures - almost solid - Maybe crack! - Never had my Coupe in Alaska, but there were some at Anchorage, but never saw any of them flying in the winter.
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  15. Av8r_Sed added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    Thanks for the reminder, Ron.  A few more bux on their way to AK now.
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  16. EDMO added a post in a topic Rudder Pedal Rub   

    Ron,
    I would have to look at the manual to see how your Magnum is built, but one thing you may want to watch closely is the alignment of the cable with the nearest fairlead - There was a Kitfox owner who reported that his cable had worn thru the nylon bushing and rubbed on the steel sleeve, ruining the cable.
    EDMO
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  17. Dusty added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Bush gear springs
    There has been a few discussions regarding springs,has anyone tried rubber donuts and washers like in a some nose gear I have seen.Any thoughts ,
    • 8 replies
    • 841 views


  18. Dusty added a post in a topic Finally opened my bush gear   

    Great gear TJay ,I have the same and it is very strong.ZK KNZ recently got dropped on one wheel(not me flying) ,grass dirt between the rim and tyre ,scuff marks at 45 degree to tyre.We carried out a major visual inspection .No damage! Kudos to kitfox & highwing gear.
    I never measured the wheel travel but appeared to be around 4 inches.
    A bonus with the highwing gear is the luggage pod will fit with a few mods
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  19. RDavidson added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    Hey everybody...It is a New Year and Leni sure has done a great job keeping this site going! Please send him a donation via PayPal in appreciation for his help if you can.

    Thanks for everything Leni! This site is full of great information and has kept me inspired throughout my project! I sent you some green. Let me clarify, I sent you some money (Green probably means something else here in Colorado! Ha!)

    Thanks,
    Ron
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  20. High Country added a post in a topic Rudder Pedal Rub   

    Pics would be helpful here but if I'm following correctly you're referring to the bolt that actually attaches the cable to the pedal. Are you already putting the bolt from outside to inside I assume? If not try flipping it around for more clearance. if this is already the case you could try replacing the bolt with a clevis pin http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/clevispinsgrid.php?clickkey=13442 thatwould allow more clearance with the shallower head. I had to do this on some of the linkages for my flapperons to prevent rubbing on the floor boards/belly skin area. 
     
    -Robert-
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  21. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Flyer General Hangar   

    Rudder Pedal Rub
    Fellas,
    While Working to fit the fuel selector cowling on my Avid Magnum, I dug out the moulded carpets that came with the kit and installed them in their rightful places. Unfortunately I found that with the bolt installed for the rudder cable attachment point on the rudder cables, there is not enough clearance from the boot cowl to have the carpet there.

    Has anyone modified their rudder pedals to get more clearance?
    I guess the easiest solution would be not to put carpet there. However, I'm sure someone has run into this before.

    Thanks,
    Ron
    • 8 replies
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  22. High Country added a post in a topic What adhesive to use to secure fiberglass wing tank   

    When I installed my tanks just a couple years ago I went to Kitfox and spoke with John, he sold me Dow Corning #739 RTV silicone to glue them in. this allows the tanks to provide the necessary structural integrity to the wing but still allow the flex needed and not crack the fiberglass tanks. This is what they use on the SLSA planes. They have it on page #28 of the catalog http://www.kitfoxaircraft.com/product_catalog/kapartscatalog.pdfyou may find it cheaper elsewhere if you look around. I got away with 1 tube but had none to spare.
     
    -Robert-
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  23. High Country added a post in a topic Finally opened my bush gear   

    The cross tube in the cabane is a huge plus, this is something I have added when building my gear and I would recommend doing on any gear with the cabane.I think its better to have the lower attach point on the cabane lower (I have the ideal angles somewhere will have to dig them up) but for most flying its fine its that botched landing that makes it a concern. as for the spring struts I would 2nd Leni and make more travel to prevent the metal to metal, that energy has to go somewhere. Another thing to consider would be to weld in a step into the main gear legs I use mine a lot, however they are not just for convenience but to reinforce the gear leg. A friend of mine ran over a taxi sign at slow speed on Brett's original gear that didn't have the "step" and it completely folded the gear up and took out his lift strut and longerons. should not have been a big deal but when the gear leg failed it turned into money fast. the step was the solution and seems to have helped a lot. Overall however I think you are going to be very happy with the stance this gear gives you as well as the ground handling compared to the original gear. 
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  24. RDavidson added a post in a topic plastic leading edge   

    Just something to mention. If you are picky and want to have the leading edge look perfectly smooth, after gluing the plastic on you will have to use a little filler where the plastic meets the aluminum. It does look fantastic and does add that little bit of protection.
    I called kit fox to order it. You can have it cut into four pieces (2 for each wing) to save on shipping. I did it a couple of years ago, but $100 sounds about right.
    Here are some pics of my magnum wing

    Good luck,
    Ron

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  25. EDMO added a post in a topic plastic leading edge   

    I don't see how it can help from being a little useful for flight - it adds about another inch to chord, cleans up and sharpens leading edge, and it is protection for the spar from bumping into something.
    EDMO
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