Main wheels / brakes

THE PLANE IS ON WHEELS.  We were able to get the plane on wheels today.  I spent some time hand packing the bearings with Mobil 28.  The main wheels were installed.  I loosely placed the front wheel as I need to still balance the front wheel.  Then with the help of N and T we got the plane on wheels.

I then started on the the brake lines. Flare attachments were added to the metal tubing and the lines were attached to the fluid fittings on the gear leg brackets. The tubing was then ran behind the legs and attached to the brakes. I installed the brake cylinder and placed the brake lines under the panel in the clamp. I will wait until later in the build to bleed the brake lines.

I had a few minutes so I started on the flight controls. I separated and installed the bearings on the flaperon mixer. I then installed the rod on the flap handle.

Time: 5.5 hrs

Greasing the bearing

Main Wheel Installed

Brake and Fairing bracket installed

Nose wheel installed

Plane on wheels

Plane on wheels

Brake lines

Brake lines behind right leg

Ziptie of brake lines

Brake Reservoir

Brake lines fastened through clamp

Flaperon mixer

Flap Handle 

Main wheels / axles

More landing gear work today.  B helped me for part of the time. I started by tightening the fork nut on the nose gear. I used a spring scale to get it in the 18-20 lbs range as per plans.  I then disassembled the main wheels.  I placed the tubes and tires on the wheels.  The brake discs were then attached.  I have some questions about whether the wheels should be balanced. Some people say not to worry about others say to do it.  I think I will be on the safe side and balance the wheels.  I have ordered a motorcycle wheel balancer that should work. I will wait to place the wheel on the legs until I have them balanced.

The main axles were then bolted on the legs. I then used a string to check the alignment of the axles. They seem to be right on and there is no need for shims.

I installed the fluid fittings on the brakes.  It then came to my mind as to the fairings and if there is something I should be doing now before I place the wheels on the legs. Sure enough there are some fairing brackets that get placed on the main wheels. So I had to unbolt the axles I just had placed so the bracket could be installed.  Better to do it now than later.  The other brackets for the fairings should be able to be placed at a later time without involving the wheel.



Time: 2.75 hrs.

Nose gear nut

Wheel disassembly

Wheel

Tires on wheels

Axle alignment

Right axle

Fluid fittings places on brakes

Fairing bracket placed on main legs

Engine mount / front wheel

With the help of N I was able to get the engine mount placed. We also worked on putting together the front tire.  It is a little questionable what to do with the washers that the instructions say to remove when putting the tire together. In reading some say to just leave them off.  I will research that a little more.

We installed the nose gear leg. and fork.  I need to finalize torque of the fork, so that will have to wait until next time as we were running out of time today.  Also there is a question on when the bolts at the top of the nose leg are installed.  I couldn't see with a quick run through of the plans.  I will need to research that also. Maybe they get installed with the engine.  I will see what I find out.   I also need to see if I need to balance the wheels or not.  Lot of things to research.

Time: 2.25 hrs.

Engine Mount

Front tire place on wheel (The stem didn't exactly line up with the red dot, so I deflated it and lined it up after this photo)

Nose gear

Nose gear

Nose fork.

Main gear legs

Worked on installing the main gear legs. Started with placing a thin layer of grease on the plates and brackets as per plans. Then installation of the main gear legs began. It was a little tricky getting the bolts in place. S helped me some to get the bolts in places and torqued.

Time: 2.25 hrs

Plates and brackets greased

Right gear leg

Left gear leg

View of leg bolts in cabin

FW day 5/ Wing attach

Worked on several sections today.  I started by running the canopy latch and light wires. I then started section 35 - Landing gear.  The doublers and wear plates were primed as per plans. I installed the brake fluid fittings to the landing hear blocks.I then regressed back to section 30 and prepared the spar pins as per plans. I tapped the pins without breaking them this time.  Then with the help of S, N, and T we were able to try in the wings. It took a little adjustment but we were able to get the left wing to fit and the pins placed.  The right wing took some more work.  We had it very close to going in all the way, but it was getting cold so we will wait until another time to adjust it more.  I will installed the landing gear and then we can try to place the wings again.  It is getting to look more like and airplane with the wings installed.

Time: 3.75

Plastic tube over canopy latch and light switch

Canopy latch and light wires ran

Brake fitting attached to gear blocks

Spar pins ready

Trying in wings.

Fuselage wiring day 4

More wiring fun today.  Started by running the WH-0045 wire bundle. Discovered that the purple gray wire is no purple and gray, but a white wire that has been labeled.  A search on vansairforce.net showed me that information. That was good to know as I was getting a little confused with all the white wires.  I installed the 12V power outlet and headset jacks.  Noise filters were installed by the headset jacks and the fuel pump.  Also ran and installed the rest of the auto pilot wiring. Lots of wires everywhere.  I will go through and tie wrap them once we have all the wire ran.

Time: 5 hrs

WH-0045 Run

12 volt power outlet

Headset Jacks

Wiring for headset jacks

Noise filter and wing wiring

Wing wiring

Auto pilot wires

Rear autopilot wiring

Noise filter by fuel pump.

Fuselage wiring day 3

Was able to get quite a bit accomplished today.  I ran the wires and attached the connector for the autopilot pitch servo and spar pin wiring.  Wires were then ran to locations as specified in plans.  I then started on running the WH-00045 wire bundle.  In doing so, I had ran the previous bundle under the brake pedal bar.  The antennae wires were ran over the bar.  This seemed a little strange to me as I thought maybe the bundle needed to go over also.  After looking through the instructions, it wasn't real clear, but some of the figures later in the section show the wire going over the bar.  So great! I already had some of the wire ran.  In order to correct this I had to remove the brake pedals and place the wires over the bar.  Not an easy task, but with the help of N I was able to get it accomplished. The hardest part was keeping the washer in place.  

Time: 4.5 hrs

Autopilot wires

Spar pin wire

Wires out aft section

Wires ran to right side

Options wire bundle 

Wires placed over brake/pedal bars.