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Activity Stream



  1. EDMO added a post in a topic Go Kart to Matco Brakes   

    Mike,
    Please elaborate about the "maligned internal caliper w62". I had not heard any thing about them.
    I have a set of 6" - w60 or w600? - 3 piece Matcos, internal calipers, I am planning to use with 600 tires - Look like w62s, and 1420 lbs static. What can I expect with MC-4Ds, and is there a problem with the calipers?
    Thanks,
    ED in MO
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  2. saskavid added a post in a topic Go Kart to Matco Brakes   

    At 80000 plus hits and climbing I hereby declare this thread viral...That's a lot of eyeballin, I'm thinking a lot coming from outside the avid community.
    The 2 piece brake pedal design started out in my head with a simple enough idea, but they didn't come to life after a weekend afternoon spent in the shop with a case of beer how I normally like to do things...the end result bolted to other flyers with over sized tires and the much maligned internal caliper w62 bottom end speaks for itself.
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  3. C5Engineer added a post in a topic Spark Plug Torque   

    NGK plugs have a crush washer on them. You can feel it snug when it crushes down. I always back mine back out after this occurs and then torque them. Has anybody else noticed that their 582 get's hard to start when it's time to replace them? I landed the other day to hit a restroom and my damn plane wouldn't fire back up. I swapped out one plug on the front that I can get to without pulling the cowling and it fired right up. I've had this before and after new plugs it fires right off again with one revolution of the prop. Seems 30-35 hrs is about what a set of BR8ES's last for me.....unless I'm running on 100LL that number goes down.
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  4. C5Engineer added a post in a topic Tachometer   

    The best way to make it work correctly is to pitch it in the trashcan. I have yet to see a needle tach that read accurately. Many people have dealt with frustrating tuning and prop pitching including myself due to a false tach reading. As an alternative get a tiny tach. It's dead accurate, digital, small, light, cheap, and doubles as an hour meter. You wrap one wire around a plug wire and ground it. Done deal.

    http://tinytach.com/

    Back to your original issue I have also seen the stator put out bad signals to the grey wire. That is where the innaccuracies come from and sometimes the signal is totally unusable.

    Here is a good example of how far off mine was. I never even knew this for a long time. I had my prop pitched to read 6500 rpm on the ground on the needle tach. In reality I was barely make 6000. 500rpm on takeoff with a 582 makes a HUGE difference!!


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  5. Russ. added a post in a topic Tachometer   


    Jeff the yellow wire om my tach is at the #3 hole. I am attaching a instruction from westach. Russ.

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  6. bowfish added a topic in Technical tasks   

    fuselage stretch
    I just purchased a project Avid C, it’s basically a frame and few extra parts so this gives me the chance to make upgrades, improvements and mods. One mod I can’t seem to find much info is the fuselage stretch; I’ve performed searches but come up lacking enough info to feel comfortable with doing this mod. What is the best approach, when adding lengths of tubing, larger tubing size to slide over existing tubes or insert rod inside and keep tubing same size? And the subject of welding, gas torch or wire feed machine? Your opinion and sharing of knowledge is greatly appreciated.
    • 13 replies
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  7. EDMO added a post in a topic Wing tank clearance issues   

    This has been done on some factory-built planes - I think the aluminum could be lighter, maybe .030 or .025.
    My favorite attachment would be aluminum riv-nuts, with a washer or aluminum strip under the capstrip.
    Havent had much time to think about this - Just figured on cutting fabric and repairing if need be, but mine is not covered with plywood.
    But since you have to cut yours anyway, this might be the time for a modification that could help you in the future.
    I would like to hear others thoughts on this - for or against, and why.
    ED in MO
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  8. 6320012s added a post in a topic Wing tank clearance issues   


    Anybody considered replacing the plywood with .040 aluminum? I have a wing tank that appears to have sprung a leak somewhere on the top, and I would like to manufacture a cover plate that will allow access to the tank for future repairs if necessary. Anybody see any reason why such a cover could not be screwed or riveted to the rib cap strips? I am thinking I will leave enough plywood at the leading edge to fasten the aluminum to and then use a couple strips of the plywood cut-out to stiffen the aluminum. Any ideas?
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  9. lv2plyguitar added a post in a topic Tachometer   


    Hi Russ,

    I have the Westach 2AT8A-2 688 tach. It is hooked to a ducatti dual ignition on a rotax 582. There is a single grey wire from engine through firewall into cock pit. There is a #2 pin and a #5 pin. I do not see a yellow wire. Only the black ground wire from tach to frame ground and the grey wire from magneto housing are going to the tach. I am puzzled about how to make it work correctly.

    THanks

    Jeff
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  10. BryceKat added a post in a topic Welded a hole closed !   

    Hey Treetop,
    My concern would be with the quality of weld, was the correct weld penetration achieved? The fuselages were not heat treated. My fuse and I'm guessing every other fuse was mig welded- nothing special weld wise. Good luck, Bryce
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  11. Tree top pilot added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Welded a hole closed !
    I had my fuselage inverted scotch-briting and cleaning and found a very poorly welded over hole in the headrack tube out near the tube where the wing bolt goes through. It had signs of contamination in the weld and was what appears to be a poor cover up of a cut-off wheel getting into the tube....so out with the weld by grinding and re-welded the tube area with my TIG. The question is have I done any damage ? The area in question was about the size of a dime or a bit largere when all the pitting was gone and re-welded. I will check to make sure of the wing fitment this week. I guess that they thought it was out of sight- out of mind thing. Just worried that welding the tube with just filler {ER70-S2} added may have weakened it somehow? It would be a real PITA to replace the tube end as the wings have been fitted to the fuse and the four magic holes drilled.....
    What do you guys think? Have not found anything other than tube repair methods like splice/cap over methods approved in the "Book of accepted methods". On that note...should I have applied a half sleeve?
    • 7 replies
    • 1,101 views


  12. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Sport Aviation   

    Good riddance to bad rubbish, IMO.
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  13. EDMO added a post in a topic Wing tank clearance issues   

    Since the added material over the original capstrips is not "structural" and only to ensure that the fabric clears the tank, I think the plain wood strips that Spruce sells would be fine. I had some veneer plywood left over from my kitchen, so I cut some one inch strips from that and used it. Anything cheap and easy should work - as long as glue will stick the fabric to it. Blend it into the original at front and behind the rear spar so you do not change the trailing edge.
    ED in MO
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  14. dholly added a post in a topic Wing tank clearance issues   

    I put a few pics of my prob fitting Skystar tanks in my Avid Mk-IV. If that is similar to your issue, I don't see how camfering the front or rear tank edge (like the tank install on the Just forums) will allow the tank to set lower below the ribs. The coves are molded in, can't change that. I still wonder why one tank was ok, the other not? Does the 'bad' tank wobble more on the spars than the good one? Ie. the KF tank should have 1/2" twist built in, the Avid 1-1/2", so the KF tank will not set on both Avid spars without quite a bit of wobble due to the different twist specs.

    I remember thinking it seemed like a lot at the time I fit mine. If the coves don't follow along and fit flat on your spars I would question it. If it does, and the tanks sets above the capstrips on adjacent ribs, I guess it is a personal judgement call whether to build up the capstrips or see if Brett has/can get you another to try. Yes, if you build up the transitional rib capstrips, you will need to raise the butt rib capstrips too, or reposition the butt rib on the standoffs to match.

    I believe both Avid and KF used Aviation grade Mahogany ply w/90*degree ply layup for rib webs, and either Aviation grade Spruce or Birch 5-ply for cap strip material. If you opt out of the mail order Aviation grade cap strip material, seek out Grade 1 or AA Marine birch ply as it will have 90*degree ply orientation, higher quality sanded face veneer, no core voids and a fully waterproof structural adhesive. Birch is also stronger than mahogany or spruce, but dunno if you can get that in the thickness you need at the big box stores. I used a 1/8" Marine grade birch 5-ply for my floorboards sourced from a local specialty lumber yard, it would probably work fine as cap strip material too.



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  15. Torch added a post in a topic Sport Aviation   

    Looks like they are rearranging the deck chairs in Oshkosh. Avweb is reporting Rod Hightower is stepping down as head honcho of the EAA. Wonder if they will run off some of the other deadwood?
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  16. lv2plyguitar added a post in a topic Spark Plug Torque   

    Excellent, I knew I had my info crossed somewhere. Thank you.
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  17. High Country added a post in a topic Spark Plug Torque   

    I can't confirm the number but many people are used to Ft/Lbs not IN/Lbs. 240 IN/Lbs is only 20 ft/Lbs maybe this is why it seems so high.
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  18. Russ. added a post in a topic Tachometer   

    If you are using the Westac #2AT8A-2-6, there is a yellow wire on the back that needs to be cut if reading about 3 time actual rpm.
    Russ.
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  19. Russ. added a post in a topic Spark Plug Torque   

    My manual also states 240 in.lb Russ.
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  20. lv2plyguitar added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Spark Plug Torque
    Need advice on spark plug torque. I noticed in the 582 manual that it calls for 240 in/lb for the spark plugs. That seems awfully high. Is that setting correct?

    Thanks
    • 5 replies
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  21. High Country added a post in a topic Wing tank clearance issues   

    Thanks for the reply's,
    Doug- I had considered these may have been the KF tanks they seem to fit pretty good other than being to high though, and its mostly just on the one tank. I did find this- http://www.wingsforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=218&t=20563 I'm wondering if I can just trim them down a bit to set in lower then still use thin wood strips if necessary. Seems if I do add the wood strips I will have to raise up my butt ribs too hope this doesn't interfere with the skylight fitting, If so I guess I will replace it now with the smoke lexan rather than later. What would be the best wood to use if I wind up going this route. prefer something I can get local like Home Depot or Lowes.

    -Robert-
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  22. lv2plyguitar added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Tachometer
    Need help with a tachometer issue. I have the rotax 582. The gray wiring coming from the stator is for the tachometer. Hooked it up and the needle flys over to 8000 rpm when the motor is running at 2000 rpm. Any thought on this? Do I need a resistor in the line?

    Thanks
    • 6 replies
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  23. dholly added a post in a topic Wing tank clearance issues   

    Robert-

    I called Brett on the tanks you bought a while back and found they are made by the same place making the 'new' Ethanol resistant tanks for Kitfox today. After your post here, I wonder if they goofed and the profile is actually for a KF? Is the tank ~1/8" above the capstrip for the entire length of the rib front to back, or just the rear half? Reason I ask is this is what happened when I used Skystar slip-in wing tanks in my Avid Mk-IV HH. The rear spar hole in the KF rib is positioned lower in the web than in the Avid rib, result is Skystar tank sat above the entire length of the top capstrip of standard Avid HH ribs but most pronounced along back half of tank. No prob on the underside.

    In your case, easy fix to glue one or two extra lengths of capstrips material onto the rib to raise the capstrip height if necessary. Just be aware that too much height to the rear will cause interference with wing fold clearance so test fit before covering. Dont ask how I know this! Why not sand a side to side root to tip taper on the outboard transitional rib capstrip to help ease the fabric transition down to the adjoining standard speed rib. Yes, also glue some capstrip material right to the tank and glue your fabric to that. Will look much better than gluing fabric directly to the tank top, IMHO. Might consider adding some thin polyfiber batt padding over the tank between those 'false' capstrips to provide a smooth chaffe free tank top surface.

    I too am using a second 'transitional' root rib outboard of the wing tanks on my Avid+ project with custom hybrid long spar 'speed hauler' wings. Might even use another between two smaller poly tanks ala the Rocky Mountain tanks for Ridge Runner. I like the big single tank but wonder if I'd be more comfortable with E-proof poly and an extra rib for greater wing strength. BTW, these special transitional ribs were used on Avids with speed or aerobat wings so an owner could interchange to STOL or Heavy Hauler wings and have the wing roots meet up to the standard butt rib (same for all wing options), not sure it had anything to do with the old Avid 'glassed in' wing tanks. At least, that's what my build manual said IIRC.
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  24. C5Engineer added a topic in Avid fox flyers pics and vids   

    Where did you fly today?
    Instead of a bunch of trip report threads if you just flew to one or two places on a day post it up here. I flew to a couple of short private strips today about an hour away. Saw some neat stuff to check out later.

    Sporty approach






    • 57 replies
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  25. EDMO added a post in a topic Wing tank clearance issues   

    You can do whatever it takes to make you happy - Dont think it will affect the performance or looks.
    BUT, I would make both wings the same.
    ED in MO
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