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EDMO added a post in a topic Width of landing gear 21 Nov 2014

I believe the standard Grove gear was 62" and the tri-gear was 66" - not including tires and brakes.
EDMO

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1avidflyer added a post in a topic 582 Rotary Valve Lubrication 21 Nov 2014

I used the clear vinyl tubing also. It is 1/2" ID if I remember right. Jim Chuk

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Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration 21 Nov 2014

I've been plugging along with the mangy fox. We brought the plane back down to the machine shop to finish up the fuselage where the welders are due to the snow. I'm hoping to wrap up the fuselage before the end of the year and get it sand blasted and re-powder-coated. (A better color than babyshit blue)

Here's the latest little tidbit. The main fuel shutoff. He control is on the panel with a driveshaft (and u-joint) going to the valve body on the firewall. Also note the duel fan heater core.

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Guest added a post in a topic Iron design tailwheel 21 Nov 2014

The iron designs tailwheel has a super effective and excellant working locking mechanism that releases precicely as it should. The only issue is that it has no damping.

Tailwheel locking characteristics are completely independent of damping characteristics. Do not confuse the two.

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akflyer added a post in a topic 582 Rotary Valve Lubrication 20 Nov 2014

I used clear reinforced hoses from the local hardware store so I could see the oil and any possible air bubbles trapped.

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akflyer added a post in a topic Iron design tailwheel 20 Nov 2014

I had mine unlock at an inopportune time.... had it swung left I would ate the trees, but it swung right and I only chewed up some scrub brush. Make sure you update the brakes and spend a few bucks on them to get them working properly!

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akflyer added a post in a topic Another FNG... Los Angeles Avid B 20 Nov 2014

I am going to try out the "bush gear" with a few mods to dump the springs and use bungee instead and change the cabane vee angle so it wont crater the fuse sides. The wide gear makes it an entirely different plane on the ground and it will fit any of the avids. The wider track is much better on the ground and it is taller to give you more AOA so you can get off the ground quicker.. I still land 90% of the time dragging the tail wheel in first and chopping the throttle with the mains still a foot or so in the air. Not that you have to do that, I just do it hanging on the prop for shortest landing distances.

The "new to me" bush gear should be delivered in the next few days, and I will know in the next few weeks if I am going to be putting the other wide gear on the market.

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Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Iron design tailwheel 20 Nov 2014

If you are flying an Avid or Kitfox, a non locking tailwheel is a sure way to wreck your plane.

These planes are short coupled, light, short on rudder at low speed and usually have questionable brake systems. Add in a non locking tailwheel and ground looping is nearly a guarantee.

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Guest added a post in a topic 582 Rotary Valve Lubrication 20 Nov 2014

The install and repair manuals have the tubing sise recommendation. It's metric. I think I bought mine from Lockwood at outrageous prices.

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EZFlap added a post in a topic Another FNG... Los Angeles Avid B 20 Nov 2014

AKFlyer... tell me about the wide bungee gear. Which models, why are you not keeping it, what did it do or not do for your airplane, etc.

Horse trades are definitely possible

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larrym added a post in a topic 582 Rotary Valve Lubrication 20 Nov 2014

Yes, agree. What is the size recommended? I could no find a thing except for the sleds and skis, which has a much smaller size. They use 1/4 fuel line (Bing type) I have tripple walled sriffer than ?!* with no abilityto bend on mine. I was planning, if I can't find otherwise, just make myown with aluminium tubing. Seems like a pretty easy system, and no pressure pump, etc. The sled would indicatei that the gearsits in a bath of oil, and the tank repenishes the oil thatmay be lost out the seal. (acceptable for aircraft at 1cc/hr)

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Guest added a post in a topic Iron design tailwheel 20 Nov 2014

I have a ton of experience with it. Scott Weinberg in a great guy and the tailwheel is an amazing piece of art.

That said, it does have an issue with very light aircraft. The Iron Design Tail wheel has no damping and as such is more subject to shimmy depending on airframe/tire size/weight and a host of other variables. Scott was working on a version that used friction only with no steering linkage. I do not know if he ever finished it, but that type of system would definitely work. I would ask him about it. You might be fine with the 7 inch tire version (I do not know what plae you have) but unless Scott has incorporated some sort of friction (damping) into the design, you might very well end up with tailwheel shimmy on a small plane.

Chris

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Jbird added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar 20 Nov 2014

Iron design tailwheel

Hi all I'm in the process of researching new tailwheel options for my mk4 does anyone have any experiences with the iron design . Thanks

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akflyer added a post in a topic Hard Hunted 19 Nov 2014

Cool find!

Did you get moved down to the peninsula?

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akflyer added a post in a topic 800? 19 Nov 2014

Actually, I also have the diamond drive torn out of the snogo too.. first thing on the list when I get back home is to put the sled back together, then fix the new gear legs for the Avid and pull the floats and install the new gear, then get to work on the 180 and start stripping it down... some place in there I gotta get up to the cabin to get more fire wood cut and get the cabin ready for the new years party / fireworks, bonfire (need at least a cord for that) shit show... No lack of projects at the Perry house thats for damn sure!

It has been a month since I have flown, I think that is the longest dry spell for me since 2007 and I damn sure don't like it!

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akflyer added a post in a topic Another FNG... Los Angeles Avid B 19 Nov 2014

howdy Bill welcome aboard.

I am pretty sure I still have a good stock left hand gear leg. I should have a set of the wide bungee gear available soon. I have a mount for a 582, but I don't think it will do you much goof for the frankenstien, but we could work something out on it if you really want it. I had to straighten a lot of tubes on mine. A chunk of oak with the face routered out to the same diameter of the tube I was working and a 3 pound hammer work wonders to straighten tubes.

I am pretty sure that John did most of the upgrades to the plane that could be done from what he has said.....

hmm, I have Avid parts, you have ezflap handles, I have a 180 I want to get in the air soon... how you feel about horse trades

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1avidflyer added a post in a topic Another FNG... Los Angeles Avid B 19 Nov 2014

Welcome to the group Bill, hope I was of some help in our discussion. I forgot about it in our phone call the other night, but I did talk to a guy once who had a Kitfox 2 with a 65 HP Lycoming engine on it. He said it performed good. Never heard of anyone else doing it though. Jim Chuk

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cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures 19 Nov 2014

akflyer, It will be easier to paint your 180 with the wings off, you made the right choice. I always end up with a better finished product when I paint a plane piece by peice. All the extra work will be worth it in the end.

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tcj added a post in a topic Doe's anyone make a transport kit for Avid's 19 Nov 2014

Ed, yes I cut the threads off some bolts to make the pins. I trailer for each flight. I don't want to use threaded bolts for the hardware and be inserting and removing threads and waller out the wing fittings.

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EZFlap added a post in a topic Another FNG... Los Angeles Avid B 19 Nov 2014

My understanding is that the Franklin weighs 128 to 133 pounds depending on options, starter, etc. For safety, I am definitely planning on doing an actual weight and balance on the finished airplane, rather than trying to extrapolate and compute the change on paper.

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herman pahls added a post in a topic Another FNG... Los Angeles Avid B 19 Nov 2014

How heavy will the complete Franklin installed weigh be in comparison to the Jabiru that powered that airplane.
That airplane previously was powered by a 582 with a E gearbox which places the starter on the gearbox.
I have flown a model 2 Kitfox for 19 years with both a Rotax 582 and a Jabiru 2200.
The added 20 pounds of the Jabiru over the 582 needed to be balanced with weight in the tail to maintain the flight characteristics of my Kitfox even though the C of G was in the envelope
The Avid my not be as weight and balance sensitive as my Kitfox.
Kitfox's and possibly Avids fly best with the CG near the rear of the envelope.

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EZFlap added a topic in Introduce yourself 19 Nov 2014

Another FNG... Los Angeles Avid B

Greetings form Los Angeles, KWHP Whiteman Airport.

I just purchased the salvaged airframe of Avid S/N 234, that belonged to "Lil John" from Corona. The aircraft had been damaged at a fly-in out in Nevada recently.

It is my understanding that this is the highest time avid or Kitfox in existence... John put over 4200 hours on it!

My plan is to repair the (minor) airframe damage, install a Franklin 2A-120 4 stroke engine on it, and get it back in the air ASAP. I have already located a replacement set of landing gear for it. A friend of mine owns an auto body shop, and has the hydraulic machinery to gently straighten the (slight) twist in the fuselage structure.

I am interested in any and all opinions on what the commonly accepted "recommended upgrades" are for an Avid B model... I have zero experience with this type of aircraft. Jim Chuk was kind enough to speak with me at length and gave me some good advice and information. I'd like to hear from the members of this forum on any other important upgradea, known maintenance issues, etc. Essentially I want to get "up to speed" as fast as I can. I'm not going to waste any time getting this airplane back in the air.

I am specifically interested in hearing from anyone who has experience with the 2 cylinder Franklin engine on this type of aircraft. Engine mounting options, baffling, exhaust, etc.

Thanks in advance,

Bill in Los Angeles