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Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

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rob(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:53 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image001.gif(at)01C92202.8D09F9D0[/img]       <![endif]-->    

Having been working mostly on those factory mandated or recommended modifications of late, I now realize that it is much easier to build an airplane than it is to repair one.  Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely tedious, working deep in the tailcone, one handed, through small access holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not go well when following the written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is more of that wonderful English understatement: “Insert the tubes - they will probably need a light tap to fit them” it says in the procedure.  English hammers must be considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or 16.5 mm reamers must be a bit larger) because “a light tap” does nothing.  After pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes where the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put between the offending pin and the hammer.  This made it easier to keep pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target.  The steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those “light taps.”  

   

I should have retained my initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted tubes, which after painting with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no, I foolishly believed that the factory had actually tried this procedure.  Well folks, the paint makes the pin almost impossible to fit.    

   

Fearing complaints from my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful Sunday afternoon I finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming mid-day today when most of my neighbors will be away at work.  As of yesterday afternoon one pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to the fuselage and the other was still barely halfway home.  

   

Now, if I could find one of those English hammers at Home Depot….  

   

   

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete

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christoph.both(at)acadiau
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:48 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image002.gif(at)01C92230.81EC9570[/img]       <![endif]-->    

Rob,  

I can really feel with you, having just completed MOD 73. The manual falls short to say that you ought NOT to insert the tail planes so deep into the torque tube that the two retaining pins would contact or even insert into the bushings fitted to the tailplane root.  

I was lucky on the first one which refused to insert because the layup is performed on the opposite side. It was EASY to crack the torque tube to retaining layup by TWISTING the tailplane against the torque tube. Came right off no problem. I was not worried either as the inner tube was greased.  

What compelled me with my second tailplane to push it that far in to allow the pins to insert I don’t know as I should have used my head, not the description in the MOD manual. Next morning wanting to separate the tailplane from the torque tube turned out to take several hours. Yes, I admit I showed up with a hammer, pry bars etc, but after initially starting to damage a bit of the root layup by prying I decided not to proceed. Instead I disassembled the entire torque tube which had been there for years and took all out. Took me 2 hours. From there it was easy as the pin retaining welded part could be removed and the tailplane cracked loose by a twist.  

In hind sight I am glad I did not use the hammer. This can be extremely damaging to internal parts in the tailplane like hair cracks. My recommendation is to just insert the torque tube sufficiently into the inner tube at time of layup so that pins stay out of the way. This should be added to the current MOD 73 instructions.  

   

Best,  

Christoph Both  

(at)223  

Wolfville, Nova Scotia Canada  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Rob Housman

 Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:52 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Having been working mostly on those factory mandated or recommended modifications of late, I now realize that it is much easier to build an airplane than it is to repair one.  Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely tedious, working deep in the tailcone, one handed, through small access holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not go well when following the written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is more of that wonderful English understatement: “Insert the tubes - they will probably need a light tap to fit them” it says in the procedure.  English hammers must be considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or 16.5 mm reamers must be a bit larger) because “a light tap” does nothing.  After pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes where the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put between the offending pin and the hammer.  This made it easier to keep pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target.  The steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those “light taps.”  

   

I should have retained my initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted tubes, which after painting with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no, I foolishly believed that the factory had actually tried this procedure.  Well folks, the paint makes the pin almost impossible to fit.    

   

Fearing complaints from my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful Sunday afternoon I finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming mid-day today when most of my neighbors will be away at work.  As of yesterday afternoon one pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to the fuselage and the other was still barely halfway home.  

   

Now, if I could find one of those English hammers at Home Depot….  

   

   

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete

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rob(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:44 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image001.gif(at)01C92216.94A647C0[/img]       <![endif]-->    

…and I can assure you, Christoph,  that the hammer and pry bars would not have worked.  When brute force failed I took the more drastic approach – I cut the added glass with a Dremel driven abrasive, sort of like a dentist drilling a tooth, and still needed a bit of heat from a propane torch to release the bond.  The surprise was how well the epoxy bonded to greased metal and that gave me a lot more confidence in my structural bonds elsewhere, where I did a thorough job of cleaning and roughing the surfaces to be bonded.  

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Christoph Both

 Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 8:47 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Rob,  

I can really feel with you, having just completed MOD 73. The manual falls short to say that you ought NOT to insert the tail planes so deep into the torque tube that the two retaining pins would contact or even insert into the bushings fitted to the tailplane root.  

I was lucky on the first one which refused to insert because the layup is performed on the opposite side. It was EASY to crack the torque tube to retaining layup by TWISTING the tailplane against the torque tube. Came right off no problem. I was not worried either as the inner tube was greased.  

What compelled me with my second tailplane to push it that far in to allow the pins to insert I don’t know as I should have used my head, not the description in the MOD manual. Next morning wanting to separate the tailplane from the torque tube turned out to take several hours. Yes, I admit I showed up with a hammer, pry bars etc, but after initially starting to damage a bit of the root layup by prying I decided not to proceed. Instead I disassembled the entire torque tube which had been there for years and took all out. Took me 2 hours. From there it was easy as the pin retaining welded part could be removed and the tailplane cracked loose by a twist.  

In hind sight I am glad I did not use the hammer. This can be extremely damaging to internal parts in the tailplane like hair cracks. My recommendation is to just insert the torque tube sufficiently into the inner tube at time of layup so that pins stay out of the way. This should be added to the current MOD 73 instructions.  

   

Best,  

Christoph Both  

(at)223  

Wolfville, Nova Scotia Canada  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Rob Housman

 Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:52 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Having been working mostly on those factory mandated or recommended modifications of late, I now realize that it is much easier to build an airplane than it is to repair one.  Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely tedious, working deep in the tailcone, one handed, through small access holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not go well when following the written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is more of that wonderful English understatement: “Insert the tubes - they will probably need a light tap to fit them” it says in the procedure.  English hammers must be considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or 16.5 mm reamers must be a bit larger) because “a light tap” does nothing.  After pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes where the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put between the offending pin and the hammer.  This made it easier to keep pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target.  The steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those “light taps.”  

   

I should have retained my initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted tubes, which after painting with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no, I foolishly believed that the factory had actually tried this procedure.  Well folks, the paint makes the pin almost impossible to fit.    

   

Fearing complaints from my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful Sunday afternoon I finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming mid-day today when most of my neighbors will be away at work.  As of yesterday afternoon one pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to the fuselage and the other was still barely halfway home.  

   

Now, if I could find one of those English hammers at Home Depot….  

   

   

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete

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rob(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:47 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image001.gif(at)01C9221A.890B4100[/img]       <![endif]-->    

That midget with long arms would have been useful for work in the tailcone.  

   

Having had a bit of experience with cutting tools I know that a hand reamer has a 1 degree entrance taper to facilitate getting the cut started (whereas a chucking reamer has a 45 degree chamfer, but that is suitable only on a machine driven reamer, not one turned by hand).  I had my reamer fabricated by a local toolmaker with about ½ inch of taper, enough to allow the thing to get started but not so much as to make it impossible to fit the pin all the way in.  It turns out that the forward bolt through the landing gear frame is not far enough aft to allow the first pin I have inserted to go all the way in, but it does not project enough to interfere with the engine mount.    

   

Also, the Europa supplied pins do have a 45 degree chamfer on one end, not that such a small chamfer helps much in overcoming the taper on the reamer.    

   

Your suggestion to avoid priming per the procedure is, in retrospect, a very good one.  Inserting the pins with wet primer is probably the best approach since the primer will provide some lubricity while wet, and corrosion prevention when cured.  

   

Lacking a friendly neighborhood midget, I hammered under the assumption that engine vibration would contribute more fatigue cycles, although at lower amplitude, than hammering.    

   

I did comprehend your suggestion about modifying the pins, and I do have a full machine shop at my disposal, but decided that since I expected (fool that I am) a fit with clearance, modifying the pins was not necessary.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Carl Pattinson

 Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 9:29 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

Rob,  

    

   

    

Unfortunately the factory failed to mention that the reamer supplied (as with most reamers) is tapered at the end, whereas the supplied inserts are not. The tapered portion of the reamer is about 1 inch long, the rest being the correct dimension.  

    

   

    

This means that no matter how big a hammer you use, the F****ing things will never go all the way in.   

    

   

    

The easy solution which will only work if you do it before jamming the insert in the tube is to file down the end of the taper so that it fits all the way - you will need a lathe or drill to do this.   

    

   

    

I didnt bother pre priming the inserts or tube, simply coated everything with red lead primer before assembly and hammered the inserts into place. Once the primer sets there is no way anything will ever come apart.  

    

   

    

If you have a situation where the inserts are jammed halfway into the tube, your only option is to saw off the protruding end (of the insert), as I believe many builders have done. The inserts are of such a length that they go all the way up to the bolts which attach the frame to the fuselage. As long as there is no more than about an inch protruding from the end the inserts will be doing their job and sawing off the excess should not weaken the finished job.  

    

   

    

As a disclaimer I guess I should say clear this with your inspector or the Europa folks first (before reaching for the hacksaw)  

    

   

    

Good luck,  

    

   

    

Carl Pattinson  

    

   

    

PS: Hopefully all that pounding hasnt damaged the fuselage surrounding the frame or the alloy plates bonded into the structure. Ideally there should be somebody holding a large lump of steel (EG: a big hammer - American or otherwise !!!) at the other end of the tube (within the frame) that you are hammering on. This should speed up the insertion process and minimise any damage to the surrounding structures. You may need a midget with long arms to hold the hammer.  

    

   

   	  Quote: 	
		      

----- Original Message -----   

    

From: Rob Housman (rob(at)hyperion-ef.com)   

    

To: europa-list(at)matronics.com (europa-list(at)matronics.com)   

    

Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 3:51 PM  

    

Subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

    

   

  

Having been working mostly on those factory mandated or recommended modifications of late, I now realize that it is much easier to build an airplane than it is to repair one.  Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely tedious, working deep in the tailcone, one handed, through small access holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not go well when following the written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is more of that wonderful English understatement: “Insert the tubes - they will probably need a light tap to fit them” it says in the procedure.  English hammers must be considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or 16.5 mm reamers must be a bit larger) because “a light tap” does nothing.  After pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes where the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put between the offending pin and the hammer.  This made it easier to keep pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target.  The steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those “light taps.”  

   

I should have retained my initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted tubes, which after painting with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no, I foolishly believed that the factory had actually tried this procedure.  Well folks, the paint makes the pin almost impossible to fit.    

   

Fearing complaints from my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful Sunday afternoon I finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming mid-day today when most of my neighbors will be away at work.  As of yesterday afternoon one pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to the fuselage and the other was still barely halfway home.  

   

Now, if I could find one of those English hammers at Home Depot….  

   

   

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

       

  

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christoph.both(at)acadiau
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:03 pm Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image002.gif(at)01C92255.1A91FF30[/img]       <![endif]-->    

   

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Rob Housman

 Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 1:44 PM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

…and I can assure you, Christoph,  that the hammer and pry bars would not have worked.  When brute force failed I took the more drastic approach – I cut the added glass with a Dremel driven abrasive, sort of like a dentist drilling a tooth, and still needed a bit of heat from a propane torch to release the bond.  The surprise was how well the epoxy bonded to greased metal and that gave me a lot more confidence in my structural bonds elsewhere, where I did a thorough job of cleaning and roughing the surfaces to be bonded.  

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Christoph Both

 Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 8:47 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Rob,  

I can really feel with you, having just completed MOD 73. The manual falls short to say that you ought NOT to insert the tail planes so deep into the torque tube that the two retaining pins would contact or even insert into the bushings fitted to the tailplane root.  

I was lucky on the first one which refused to insert because the layup is performed on the opposite side. It was EASY to crack the torque tube to retaining layup by TWISTING the tailplane against the torque tube. Came right off no problem. I was not worried either as the inner tube was greased.  

What compelled me with my second tailplane to push it that far in to allow the pins to insert I don’t know as I should have used my head, not the description in the MOD manual. Next morning wanting to separate the tailplane from the torque tube turned out to take several hours. Yes, I admit I showed up with a hammer, pry bars etc, but after initially starting to damage a bit of the root layup by prying I decided not to proceed. Instead I disassembled the entire torque tube which had been there for years and took all out. Took me 2 hours. From there it was easy as the pin retaining welded part could be removed and the tailplane cracked loose by a twist.  

In hind sight I am glad I did not use the hammer. This can be extremely damaging to internal parts in the tailplane like hair cracks. My recommendation is to just insert the torque tube sufficiently into the inner tube at time of layup so that pins stay out of the way. This should be added to the current MOD 73 instructions.  

   

Best,  

Christoph Both  

(at)223  

Wolfville, Nova Scotia Canada  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Rob Housman

 Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:52 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Having been working mostly on those factory mandated or recommended modifications of late, I now realize that it is much easier to build an airplane than it is to repair one.  Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely tedious, working deep in the tailcone, one handed, through small access holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not go well when following the written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is more of that wonderful English understatement: “Insert the tubes - they will probably need a light tap to fit them” it says in the procedure.  English hammers must be considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or 16.5 mm reamers must be a bit larger) because “a light tap” does nothing.  After pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes where the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put between the offending pin and the hammer.  This made it easier to keep pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target.  The steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those “light taps.”  

   

I should have retained my initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted tubes, which after painting with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no, I foolishly believed that the factory had actually tried this procedure.  Well folks, the paint makes the pin almost impossible to fit.    

   

Fearing complaints from my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful Sunday afternoon I finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming mid-day today when most of my neighbors will be away at work.  As of yesterday afternoon one pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to the fuselage and the other was still barely halfway home.  

   

Now, if I could find one of those English hammers at Home Depot….  

   

   

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete

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MJKTuck(at)cs.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

Didn't someone suggest leaving the pins in the freezer overnight to 

shrink them enough to make insertion in the mounting frame easier?



Martin Tuck

Europa N152MT

Wichita, Kansas

craigb(at)onthenet.com.au
Guest

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:00 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

If you can get the tubes  out again, easier said than do probably, I would suggest a shrink fit, if you  are happy

 the insert tubes are the  same size as the ID of the tubes after reaming then throwing the tubes in the  freezer

 and GENTLY heating the UC  frame should give you the clearance you need long enough to get them  home

 mine took about 4 decent  taps and they were home, mind you i did use a lathe and skimmed the tubes till  they

 were within .01mm, the  heating/cooling dropped the tube size to about .2mm smaller than the UC frame. I  believe

 quite a few have opted for  this method with good results

  

 craig

 [quote]   --

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rob(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:35 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image001.gif(at)01C922CD.39077580[/img]       <![endif]-->    

Craig & Martin:  

   

Good suggestion in re: taking advantage of thermal effect on size.  However, in my case one pin is in and the other is far enough in to preclude removal and starting over.  

   

Prior to starting the Mod I measured both pins and confirmed that each was less than 16.5mm (PRIOR to applying the etch primer) and not tapered, and the hand reamer was fabricated by a local shop with whom I’ve done business for a long time, and it is to size.  Were it not for the factory’s instruction to paint the pins (and my foolishness in following that suggestion) the pins would have fit easily.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of craig bastin

 Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 4:07 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

If you can get the tubes out again, easier said than do probably, I would suggest a shrink fit, if you are happy  

    

the insert tubes are the same size as the ID of the tubes after reaming then throwing the tubes in the freezer  

    

and GENTLY heating the UC frame should give you the clearance you need long enough to get them home  

    

mine took about 4 decent taps and they were home, mind you i did use a lathe and skimmed the tubes till they  

    

were within .01mm, the heating/cooling dropped the tube size to about .2mm smaller than the UC frame. I believe  

    

quite a few have opted for this method with good results  

    

   

    

craig  

  [quote]  

--

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grahamsingleton(at)btinte
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:48 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

Erich Trombley wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Rob,



 Before hacking off the end of the insert I would try and first remove it using a slide hammer.  While you won't find a slide hammer at Home Depot they are readily available at Harbor Freight or an auto body supply house.  With the appropriate attachment on the slide hammer the insert should be easily extracted at which point the primer can be removed and the insert re-installed with wet primer.  Good luck.



 Erich Trombley

 N28ET Classic Mono 914

Rob
	


why don't you rig up a press? Length of screwed rod or a long set screw, 

a socket of suitable ID over the protruding insert and a nut on the 

other end, the tighten the nut and squeeze out the insert.

Graham

r.collings(at)onetel.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 2:04 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

Hi, Have you tried adapting a sash  clamp to press the tube into the hole. This is how I fitted mine but before  mounting the frame in the fuselage which made the job easer. You would need to  cut the sash clamp bar down to just the right length as the unused length would  get in the way. 

 Failing that remove the 2 fixing bolts  holding the frame onto the cockpit module and slide a suitable length high  tensile bolt though the tube put  a large plate washer and nut on the end  and as you tighten it up you will draw the tube into the frame.

 If you must use a hammer try to position a  heavy weight behind what you are hitting to act as a reaction. Best of luck  Richard

  	  Quote: 	
		     From:    Rob Housman (rob(at)hyperion-ef.com)    

   To: europa-list(at)matronics.com (europa-list(at)matronics.com) 

   Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 3:32    PM

   Subject: RE: Mod 72 -    Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:210A3C66F77C4D8DB15D0FCB0E5625F8(at)laptop[/img]       <![endif]-->       

Craig &    Martin:   

Good suggestion in re: taking    advantage of thermal effect on size.  However, in my case one pin is in    and the other is far enough in to preclude removal and starting    over.   

Prior to starting the Mod I    measured both pins and confirmed that each was less than 16.5mm (PRIOR to    applying the etch primer) and not tapered, and the hand reamer was fabricated    by a local shop with whom I’ve done business for a long time, and it is to    size.  Were it not for the factory’s instruction to paint the pins (and    my foolishness in following that suggestion) the pins would have fit    easily.   

Best    regards,   

Rob    Housman   

Irvine, CA       

Europa XS    Tri-Gear   

A070   

Airframe complete

From:    owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com    [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of craig    bastin

Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 4:07 AM

To:    europa-list(at)matronics.com

Subject: RE: Mod 72 -    Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

If you can get the tubes    out again, easier said than do probably, I would suggest a shrink fit, if you    are happy

the insert tubes are the    same size as the ID of the tubes after reaming then throwing the tubes in the    freezer

and GENTLY heating the UC    frame should give you the clearance you need long enough to get them    home

mine took about 4 decent    taps and they were home, mind you i did use a lathe and skimmed the tubes till    they

were within .01mm, the    heating/cooling dropped the tube size to about .2mm smaller than the UC frame.    I believe

quite a few have opted for    this method with good results

craig

    	  Quote: 	

-----Original      Message-----

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com      [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com]On Behalf Of Rob      Housman

Sent: Tuesday, 30 September 2008 12:52 AM

To:      europa-list(at)matronics.com

Subject: Mod 72 -      Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening     

Having been working      mostly on those factory mandated or recommended modifications of late, I now      realize that it is much easier to build an airplane than it is to repair      one.  Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely tedious, working deep in the      tailcone, one handed, through small access holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane      retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not go well when following the      written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is more of that wonderful      English understatement: “Insert the tubes - they will probably need a light      tap to fit them” it says in the procedure.  English hammers must be      considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or 16.5 mm reamers      must be a bit larger) because “a light tap” does nothing.  After      pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes where      the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put      between the offending pin and the hammer.  This made it easier to keep      pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter      tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target.       The steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those “light      taps.”     

I should have retained my      initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted tubes, which after painting      with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no, I foolishly believed that      the factory had actually tried this procedure.  Well folks, the paint      makes the pin almost impossible to fit.       

Fearing complaints from      my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful Sunday afternoon I      finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming mid-day today when most      of my neighbors will be away at work.  As of yesterday afternoon one      pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to the fuselage and the      other was still barely halfway home.     

Now, if I could find one      of those English hammers at Home Depot….     

Best      regards,     

Rob      Housman     

Irvine, CA           

Europa XS      Tri-Gear     

A070     

Airframe      complete     

     -  -    Release Date: 9/30/2008 11:03 AM

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rob(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:13 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image001.gif(at)01C923A3.1A3F3080[/img]       <![endif]-->    

Erich, Graham, and Richard:  

   

Removal, with the insert now more than halfway in would likely be a real chore, so for now at least I’ll continue on with the brute force approach.  

   

I have considered rigging a press and still may do so. However, based on my experience with Mod 73 where I used a similar scheme to extract my dummy torque tube after a small amount of epoxy managed to get where it should not be, and that threaded rod’s 1/4-20 NSC threads were severely damaged, I fear that the force needed would be greater than the strength of the largest threaded rod that would fit through the ID of the insert.  

   

I think the sash clamp would have a better chance of success since the threaded portion (with high strength Acme thread) would be in compression not tension as for the scheme noted above, but I’ll defer that pending further hammering.  

   

With about 1.3 inch remaining to hammer in, and modest application of heat to the landing gear frame helping, I have made sufficient progress to keep pounding onward, so to speak.  Progress is slow using heat because heat works only when there is a temperature differential and the insert soon reaches the same temperature as the frame thus requiring a waiting period while both get back to ambient temperature.  Heat, hammer, cuss, wait.  Repeat as required.  

   

I hope that this discussion will help others that have yet to tackle Mod 72, though with almost two years having elapsed since the Mod was announced I am probably the last to have this much fun.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Collings

 Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 3:04 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

Hi, Have you tried adapting a sash clamp to press the tube into the hole. This is how I fitted mine but before mounting the frame in the fuselage which made the job easer. You would need to cut the sash clamp bar down to just the right length as the unused length would get in the way.   

    

Failing that remove the 2 fixing bolts holding the frame onto the cockpit module and slide a suitable length high tensile bolt though the tube put  a large plate washer and nut on the end and as you tighten it up you will draw the tube into the frame.  

    

If you must use a hammer try to position a heavy weight behind what you are hitting to act as a reaction. Best of luck Richard  

  [quote]    

From: Rob Housman (rob(at)hyperion-ef.com)   

    

To: europa-list(at)matronics.com (europa-list(at)matronics.com)   

    

Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 3:32 PM  

    

Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

    

   

  

Craig & Martin:  

   

Good suggestion in re: taking advantage of thermal effect on size.  However, in my case one pin is in and the other is far enough in to preclude removal and starting over.  

   

Prior to starting the Mod I measured both pins and confirmed that each was less than 16.5mm (PRIOR to applying the etch primer) and not tapered, and the hand reamer was fabricated by a local shop with whom I’ve done business for a long time, and it is to size.  Were it not for the factory’s instruction to paint the pins (and my foolishness in following that suggestion) the pins would have fit easily.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of craig bastin

 Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 4:07 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

If you can get the tubes out again, easier said than do probably, I would suggest a shrink fit, if you are happy  

    

the insert tubes are the same size as the ID of the tubes after reaming then throwing the tubes in the freezer  

    

and GENTLY heating the UC frame should give you the clearance you need long enough to get them home  

    

mine took about 4 decent taps and they were home, mind you i did use a lathe and skimmed the tubes till they  

    

were within .01mm, the heating/cooling dropped the tube size to about .2mm smaller than the UC frame. I believe  

    

quite a few have opted for this method with good results  

    

   

    

craig  

  [quote]  

--

image001.gif

Description:

Filesize:

530 Bytes

Viewed:

1762 Time(s)

christoph.both(at)acadiau
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:26 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image002.gif(at)01C923D1.5DD3ABE0[/img]       <![endif]-->    

Rob,  

While flash heating the outer tube insert at the last moment a deep frozen closely fitting item into the inner tube. This, for a few seconds will allow differential expansion and contraction of both parts.  

Hope this works.  

Christoph Both  

#223  

Wolfville, Nova Scotia  

   

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Rob Housman

 Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 1:13 PM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Erich, Graham, and Richard:  

   

Removal, with the insert now more than halfway in would likely be a real chore, so for now at least I’ll continue on with the brute force approach.  

   

I have considered rigging a press and still may do so. However, based on my experience with Mod 73 where I used a similar scheme to extract my dummy torque tube after a small amount of epoxy managed to get where it should not be, and that threaded rod’s 1/4-20 NSC threads were severely damaged, I fear that the force needed would be greater than the strength of the largest threaded rod that would fit through the ID of the insert.  

   

I think the sash clamp would have a better chance of success since the threaded portion (with high strength Acme thread) would be in compression not tension as for the scheme noted above, but I’ll defer that pending further hammering.  

   

With about 1.3 inch remaining to hammer in, and modest application of heat to the landing gear frame helping, I have made sufficient progress to keep pounding onward, so to speak.  Progress is slow using heat because heat works only when there is a temperature differential and the insert soon reaches the same temperature as the frame thus requiring a waiting period while both get back to ambient temperature.  Heat, hammer, cuss, wait.  Repeat as required.  

   

I hope that this discussion will help others that have yet to tackle Mod 72, though with almost two years having elapsed since the Mod was announced I am probably the last to have this much fun.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Collings

 Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 3:04 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

Hi, Have you tried adapting a sash clamp to press the tube into the hole. This is how I fitted mine but before mounting the frame in the fuselage which made the job easer. You would need to cut the sash clamp bar down to just the right length as the unused length would get in the way.   

    

Failing that remove the 2 fixing bolts holding the frame onto the cockpit module and slide a suitable length high tensile bolt though the tube put  a large plate washer and nut on the end and as you tighten it up you will draw the tube into the frame.  

    

If you must use a hammer try to position a heavy weight behind what you are hitting to act as a reaction. Best of luck Richard  

   	  Quote: 	
		      

From: Rob Housman (rob(at)hyperion-ef.com)   

    

To: europa-list(at)matronics.com (europa-list(at)matronics.com)   

    

Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 3:32 PM  

    

Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

    

   

  

Craig & Martin:  

   

Good suggestion in re: taking advantage of thermal effect on size.  However, in my case one pin is in and the other is far enough in to preclude removal and starting over.  

   

Prior to starting the Mod I measured both pins and confirmed that each was less than 16.5mm (PRIOR to applying the etch primer) and not tapered, and the hand reamer was fabricated by a local shop with whom I’ve done business for a long time, and it is to size.  Were it not for the factory’s instruction to paint the pins (and my foolishness in following that suggestion) the pins would have fit easily.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of craig bastin

 Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 4:07 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

If you can get the tubes out again, easier said than do probably, I would suggest a shrink fit, if you are happy  

    

the insert tubes are the same size as the ID of the tubes after reaming then throwing the tubes in the freezer  

    

and GENTLY heating the UC frame should give you the clearance you need long enough to get them home  

    

mine took about 4 decent taps and they were home, mind you i did use a lathe and skimmed the tubes till they  

    

were within .01mm, the heating/cooling dropped the tube size to about .2mm smaller than the UC frame. I believe  

    

quite a few have opted for this method with good results  

    

   

    

craig  

   	  Quote: 	
		    

-----Original Message-----

 From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com]On Behalf Of Rob Housman

 Sent: Tuesday, 30 September 2008 12:52 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

Having been working mostly on those factory mandated or recommended modifications of late, I now realize that it is much easier to build an airplane than it is to repair one.  Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely tedious, working deep in the tailcone, one handed, through small access holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not go well when following the written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is more of that wonderful English understatement: “Insert the tubes - they will probably need a light tap to fit them” it says in the procedure.  English hammers must be considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or 16.5 mm reamers must be a bit larger) because “a light tap” does nothing.  After pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes where the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put between the offending pin and the hammer.  This made it easier to keep pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target.  The steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those “light taps.”  

   

I should have retained my initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted tubes, which after painting with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no, I foolishly believed that the factory had actually tried this procedure.  Well folks, the paint makes the pin almost impossible to fit.    

   

Fearing complaints from my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful Sunday afternoon I finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming mid-day today when most of my neighbors will be away at work.  As of yesterday afternoon one pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to the fuselage and the other was still barely halfway home.  

   

Now, if I could find one of those English hammers at Home Depot….  

   

   

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

   	
      

  

- - Release Date: 9/30/2008 11:03 AM

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Viewed:

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rob(at)hyperion-ef.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:45 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

[img]cid:image001.gif(at)01C923B2.08D77AA0[/img]       <![endif]-->    

While your suggestion is valid there’s the matter of first getting the offending tube back out of the landing gear frame in order to chill it, so I’m stuck (a deliberate choice of words) with using heat on the outside and not cooling the insert.  Unfortunately I don’t have a tank of compressed gas handy so I can’t take advantage of thermodynamics (isentropic throttling) to provide a good chill to the ID of the insert in situ.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Christoph Both

 Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 10:25 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Rob,  

While flash heating the outer tube insert at the last moment a deep frozen closely fitting item into the inner tube. This, for a few seconds will allow differential expansion and contraction of both parts.  

Hope this works.  

Christoph Both  

#223  

Wolfville, Nova Scotia  

   

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Rob Housman

 Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 1:13 PM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

   

Erich, Graham, and Richard:  

   

Removal, with the insert now more than halfway in would likely be a real chore, so for now at least I’ll continue on with the brute force approach.  

   

I have considered rigging a press and still may do so. However, based on my experience with Mod 73 where I used a similar scheme to extract my dummy torque tube after a small amount of epoxy managed to get where it should not be, and that threaded rod’s 1/4-20 NSC threads were severely damaged, I fear that the force needed would be greater than the strength of the largest threaded rod that would fit through the ID of the insert.  

   

I think the sash clamp would have a better chance of success since the threaded portion (with high strength Acme thread) would be in compression not tension as for the scheme noted above, but I’ll defer that pending further hammering.  

   

With about 1.3 inch remaining to hammer in, and modest application of heat to the landing gear frame helping, I have made sufficient progress to keep pounding onward, so to speak.  Progress is slow using heat because heat works only when there is a temperature differential and the insert soon reaches the same temperature as the frame thus requiring a waiting period while both get back to ambient temperature.  Heat, hammer, cuss, wait.  Repeat as required.  

   

I hope that this discussion will help others that have yet to tackle Mod 72, though with almost two years having elapsed since the Mod was announced I am probably the last to have this much fun.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Collings

 Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 3:04 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

Hi, Have you tried adapting a sash clamp to press the tube into the hole. This is how I fitted mine but before mounting the frame in the fuselage which made the job easer. You would need to cut the sash clamp bar down to just the right length as the unused length would get in the way.   

    

Failing that remove the 2 fixing bolts holding the frame onto the cockpit module and slide a suitable length high tensile bolt though the tube put  a large plate washer and nut on the end and as you tighten it up you will draw the tube into the frame.  

    

If you must use a hammer try to position a heavy weight behind what you are hitting to act as a reaction. Best of luck Richard  

  [quote]    

From: Rob Housman (rob(at)hyperion-ef.com)   

    

To: europa-list(at)matronics.com (europa-list(at)matronics.com)   

    

Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 3:32 PM  

    

Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

    

   

  

Craig & Martin:  

   

Good suggestion in re: taking advantage of thermal effect on size.  However, in my case one pin is in and the other is far enough in to preclude removal and starting over.  

   

Prior to starting the Mod I measured both pins and confirmed that each was less than 16.5mm (PRIOR to applying the etch primer) and not tapered, and the hand reamer was fabricated by a local shop with whom I’ve done business for a long time, and it is to size.  Were it not for the factory’s instruction to paint the pins (and my foolishness in following that suggestion) the pins would have fit easily.  

   

     

Best regards,  

   

Rob Housman  

Irvine, CA   

Europa XS Tri-Gear  

A070  

Airframe complete  

  

       

From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of craig bastin

 Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 4:07 AM

 To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening  

  

  

     

If you can get the tubes out again, easier said than do probably, I would suggest a shrink fit, if you are happy  

    

the insert tubes are the same size as the ID of the tubes after reaming then throwing the tubes in the freezer  

    

and GENTLY heating the UC frame should give you the clearance you need long enough to get them home  

    

mine took about 4 decent taps and they were home, mind you i did use a lathe and skimmed the tubes till they  

    

were within .01mm, the heating/cooling dropped the tube size to about .2mm smaller than the UC frame. I believe  

    

quite a few have opted for this method with good results  

    

   

    

craig  

  [quote]  

--

image001.gif

Description:

Filesize:

530 Bytes

Viewed:

1762 Time(s)

rparigor(at)suffolk.lib.n
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:36 am Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

Hi Rob



"I can't take advantage of thermodynamics (isentropic throttling) to

 	  Quote: 	
		   provide a good chill to the ID of the insert in situ."


	


Sure you can. Heat everything, then chill insert with something cold. You

may have some propane or freon laying around??



When reaming a thin wall tube, especially with weld, you can easily not

cut as you think you may. The reamer will can go in but not size the hole.



I will turn a few sized go no-go gages and run them in bore and figure out

if insert may need adjusting or if the bore needs adjusting. Easy to do,

threaded 1/4-20 rod with a turned washer with various ODs and run them

through bore.



I will use wet PPG DPLF as primer/lubricant for insertion.



Ron Parigoris

grahamsingleton(at)btinte
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening

Christoph Both wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Rob,



 While flash heating the outer tube insert at the last moment a deep 

 frozen closely fitting item into the inner tube. This, for a few 

 seconds will allow differential expansion and contraction of both parts.



 Hope this works.



 Christoph Both



 #223



 Wolfville, Nova Scotia



Sounds like a good plan Christoph
	


Graham

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