High Country

Thanks for the input. I had a two blade ivo on my old skyraider and loved it that is partly why I chose to go this route again. Thanks for the heads up leni on the wrench but I already have a whole shop (used to be a self employed fabricator/mechanic) so should be good there. How much torque is required to lock the nut? Might be worth having a thick piece of aluminum cut at a machine shop to make a light weight wrench to carry along. I live high in the mountains and it would be nice to be set for climb when leaving on a CC but could be beneficial to adjust it to a more cruise setting along the way. thoughts??? as per the A box maybe I'm just remembering wrong.... darn now you have me curious I will have to dig it out this weekend and check just for my own curiosity. glad I'm not a cat.
 
-Robert- 

Thanks for all the input. I'm currently running a B box with 2.58:1 gears and i will stick with this for now. I was just stating that I also have an A box w 3.0:1 gears if it were better to use these gears in the B box. I just put a 68" 3 blade ultralight ground adjust on the visa. should be here in the next two weeks. sounds like I'm grounded again for a couple weeks. 
 
Thanks again for all your help

Thanks Leni. this is what I've been leaning towards http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/quickivoprops.phpI'm thinking 68" Ultralight 3 blade. I'm not sure of the standard pitch vs the hi pitch what does this do for me. which is best on our Avids? 

or you could just use a break and bend the aluminum over just like the trailing edge aluminum used on the wings then you would just have to hysol them onto the struts and wrap the whole works with fabric. thats what I'm planning to do when I make the new struts

Thanks again for the compliments, My wife and I are very happy with it so far and have big hopes of seeing better performance with a few change. To answer all the questions specs are as follows
 
Wings- HH spars (12' .083 wall) built with speed wing rib profile spaced 12" per the HH prints. the only exception of ribs is that 2-3 were removed for the fuel tanks and rib #4 is a second transitional root rib. this enabled me to use the new ethanol proof HH wing tanks (nobody makes speedwing tanks anymore) and I ran false rib cap strips along the bottom of the tank where rib's 2-3 would have been to keep the flat bottom, the tops of the tanks are high like the HH and it just tapers down between rib 4-5 to the speed wing profile. the washout is set to 1 1/2" per the speedwing prints but if I was doing it again I would probably just use 1/2" as the newer KF's have gone to. We currently have the original lift struts non faired but are planning to make some 1" struts and fair them in the next couple weeks this will increase the structural integrity and clean it up at the same time. 
 
Flapperons- currently the shorter speedwing flapperons which are performing ok but I will eventually make new ones that are 3' longer and I will use a symmetrical airfoil as KF has gone to. I also want to shorten up the horns that attach to the mixer so less stick movement makes more flapperon movement. 
 
Flapperon Mixer- I have cut the mixer out from behind the seat giving me a completely open baggage area. We turned the main mixer on its side and relocated it under the left seat then ran teleflex cables up to the flapperons (this is just a slightly modified version of how the fat avids were done) I think we gained a little "play" doing this conversion thats why I would like to shorten up the horns on the flapperons to take some of it out. 
 
Tail- We added a dorsal fin to the vertical stabilizer and have gone to the MK IV elevator with electric trim and MK IV rudder. (still have to add gap seals) 
 
Landing gear- the Main gear legs are from Ridge Runner and I made a custom cabane to make them work this gave me 8' from outside to outside of the Nanco 21x12x8 tires. It rides very stable and I prefer the Bungee suspension over the spring suspension.  (Bungees would be a very easy/cheap conversion for those of you running the spring gear that just want bungees instead) 
 
Engine- Basic gray head DCDI 582 with pull start pre mix fuel Lucas semi synthetic mixed 50:1. GSC 3 blade wood prop pitched at 12* 
 
Overall this plane is still very "dirty" with no gap seals or fairings anywhere but we are planning to clean it up a lot in the near future to help with performance. 
 
Empty weight 527 lbs. Gross 1050
 
with myself 155 lbs full fuel 26 gal I'm seeing 1000 fpm climb at 60 mph and with an added 185 lbs im seeing 500 fpm at 60 mph Cruise is around 75 mph at 5800-6000 stall no flaps 50 (haven't played with the flaps much to determine stall w/ flaps yet) it sure hops off the ground fast with full flaps I'm shooting base at 70 and final at 60 power to idle as I cross the numbers then its a very smooth transition to the ground. 
 
Currently at 30.1 hrs almost out of Phase I

It would appear to me that one rod end with male threads threaded into another with female threads and a lock nut would have you going in no time. just an example this http://www.speedwaymotors.com/AFCO-10460-Standard-Steel-Heim-Rod-End-3-8-24-RH-Male,41021.html?utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=CSEGoogle&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&CAWELAID=1268596625&CAGPSPN=pla&gclid=CPysz7jzvcECFcpzMgodABYAOw screwed into this http://www.speedwaymotors.com/AFCO-10462-Standard-Steel-Heim-Rod-End-3-8-24-RH-Female,41024.html with a lock nut to hold the position. 

that sounds like a good idea Ed problem is I built them off of an old print and it wound up being that the 1st rib was set aprox 1/4" further out than it should have been and the rest were measured off of it making the gap at the outer end 1/4" shorter so the hinges don't line up. I planning to just make a whole new set later and will probably use the symmetrical design Kitfox has gone to. also want to shorten up the arms that the push pull cables attach to so I have less stick movement for more flapperon movement. this will all come in time for now they seem to be working just fine
 
-Robert-

Jim- I've heard it both ways regard the structural integrity of the lift struts with vs w/o the wood fairings I'm going to change them soon to either 7/8 or 1" and will Fair them then just wanted to start flying it in the mean time. the rib tails were plated with aluminum all the way up into the webbing of the ribs for reinforcement. 
 
Mike- the Flapperons are short because I used heavy hauler spars (3' longer) and HH / specs but used speed wing rib profile and have not yet extended the flapperons to match it. I did add the rib tail out there for extending them in the future though. 

2 years 10 months and we finally have our pink slip. hoping to make first flights on Tuesday

Thanks for the compliments its been quite the trip building and we've had lots of help from you guys and friends here locally. 
 
Wolverine- yes I do plan to wrap the bungees in the future but I'm to the point that I just want to get it in the air and finish up the little things later. I'm trying to decide if i just want to make the fabric ones that Velcro on or to make nice aluminum ones that are faired like Just used on the Escapade 
 
With some help from the club we got the Weight and Balance done last week. came in at an empty weight of 527 Lbs.   left main= 241 right main= 239 Tail wheel= 47
 
We have been fighting with the FAA since April on the registration and finally got the paperwork last week grrr. anyways the rest of the paperwork has been submitted to my DAR and we are hoping for an inspection later this week I will give some PIREPs once we get in the air. cant wait
 
-Robert-

Mechanical brakes = well you know not much you can do about it.
 
the problem with converting these older airframes is the limited space in the footwells so you're limited on master cylinders most go with the Matco MC-4D they are small enough to fit and very effective. The rudder torque tubes can have small tabs welded on to make a mounting point for the lower part of the master cylinder or you can extend the firewall forward a bit to allow room to mount them to the floor boards this is the route I did. You will then need new pedals these can be made real easy if you weld or you can buy them from Mikesk here on the board. As for the landing gear you are better off going to the wide gear for other reasons than brake issues but if you wish to use your existing gear you just need a small 2x3"? plate welded on that goes centered over the axle this will have 4 holes drilled in it to mount the new brakes. a single puck matco caliper is all you really need thats what I'm running off of an old kitfox and I can do a complete runup picking the tail up off the ground without moving and inch. The most economical way would be to find parts from an older kitfox maybe someone here will have them laying around and chime in but its going to cost a fair amount anyway way you do it but its well worth the investment. 
 
Look here http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/530-go-kart-to-matco-brakes/?hl=brakes for a good write up Joey did on his bird I believe you have the same airframe as his in the areas of concern.
 
good luck

As much as I want to cut the weight this is the way I'm leaning at the moment as they have a long proven history and I'm a bit gun shy after the earthx went up in smoke. as for skipping a cheeseburger I'm barely a buck fifty as it is and have nothing to loose and I work for the sheriff's office so leaving out a doughnut just won't work 

and now you see my frustration grrr. now I need a good alternative.....

I had an original piece from Dean Wilson that was pieces of copper tubing soldered together from straight to angled pieces to get the shape you need and on each end was a small piece of wire wrapping around the parameter and soldered on to make a lip for the rubber hose to go over and make a tight strong seal. hope this makes since - straight pipe -45*-straight-45* etc 

after 2 months and lots of emails and calls they did refund my money but still say the problem is my plane although i've put 5 hrs on it since with no problems and the plane has not fried my radio gps or misc instruments. They basically say that the electrical systems we use are old and out dated and that nobody uses them any more and we should not use anything but a lead acid battery for the 2 stroke engines. I personally believe their battery will work fine and that I just got a poorly manufactured one. My frustration is more with the company than the product. I just wanted to get a different one and move on but after dealing with the customer service and taking 2 months to get anywhere I'm going with a different company.  here is a bit of info I received from their lead engineer 
 
"Hi Robert, check out the attached sketch.   If the wiring and equipment is right, it may work, but magneto charging systems are not ideal which is why no motorsports/powersports vehicles use them anymore.  The other concern with the magneto charging system is the battery is a major part of the scheme, for without the battery acting as a large capacitor bank, the output would not really be DC. " 
 
We checked and all matches up with the schematics and also checked the output from all 3 places they requested while running at 3000 rpms and all checks out good. 
 
"A lead acid battery is the best option for your design, for a lead acid battery is very different than a lithium battery.   A lead acid battery has a higher resistance to charge / discharge current, so it naturally limits both regardless of what the charging system is doing.   Also, a lead acid battery doesn’t heat up during discharge like a lithium, which will also work better with your charging system."

Well after all the mess I've been having with earthX i refuse to use their products for any reason and am back to the drawing board. I'm looking at these ones from crazed pilot has anyone had any actual real world experience using one with the 582? I got the engine changed over the weekend and went to a keywest regulator as well now I just need a good battery in the system. Currently don't have electric start but am leaning towards having a battery that will work with one in case I add it later on. 
 
-Robert-

959- if you have one of the older airframes it will not have the tab welded on the lower end to bolt the front brace to. If this is he case you can have the tube go below the lift strut attach point and come back up just inside of the lift strut attach point and have a small tube welded on to the brace that points fore and aft that a bolt can go through. Hope this makes since. I will be down to the airport in the next couple days and try to get a picture of what I'm talking about. hopefully this drawing will make some since in the meantime  

thanks for the input I just received my new keywest regulator in the mail. hope to get the 582 switched over this weekend. still waiting on my registration issues to be resolved with the FFA. grrr. 

Slinger welcome to the site and congrats on your new bird. you should be able to find the build manuals here
http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/forum/24-avid-build-manual/ don't hesitate to ask any specific questions as there is always someone here that can answer them. good luck with your new project

I have a full set of the short spars new. hope you didn't damage it that far in but I figured I would throw it out just in case