tileroofer

well lets see if this works.  I had to break the manual into several different parts to get the file size down to an uploadable level....

This manual is posted for educational purposes only..

great stuff well worth the ink and paper

More from Jax. Florida.

I think it is doable, but my concern would be getting the bottom fabric the correct tension after you try and hodgepodge it back together. You should be able to wrap the fabric back around and hit it with a heat gun ( I know the manual tells you not to, but you are about out of options the way you are trying to do it). I am certain that the fabric was not fully tensioned per the polyfiber specs as you cant shrink it at full temp on the under cambered wing so you do have a little left to play with.

If you cut the fabric on the rib, you will have 1" of fabric overlap right on the rib, then use a 3" minimum tape on the seam to give you the required 2" overlap on the seam. If I am loosing you on that one let me know and I will try to draw something up for you and post it so you can get a visual on where I am going with this.

Thank,s yes I,m with you on all that, especialy the hodge-podge part. Thank,s again for your help, I haven't had a chance to do any work on it the last couple of day's , had a solo student do a hard nose landing in the 172 the other day. firewall got wrinkled.

I picked up the ss nicropress and some couples. Tomorow I,ll splice it together.

It had a good bitof tension the bottom skin is still on and the fabric was left long to bring it up and around the wire it was pretty tight . I,ll get pix in the A.M.

The trailing edge wire is pretty much cosmetic so you should be able to just pull it tight and clamp it with a nicopress. My worry is why the cable popped with only a little bit of tension put on it.

Any chance of posting apicture so we can really see what you talking about?

It had a good bitof tension the bottom skin is still on and the fabric was left long to bring it up and around the wire it was pretty tight . I,ll get pix in the A.M.

I put some new rib extensions on and just before I was ready to start the fabric I decided the wire needed to move up about an eighth inch . So I drilled a little hole just above the cable and tried to wiggle the bit up and down a tad-tad too much,pop went the cable!! It,s the last rib out just before the tip. Can some type of clamp connector fix this ?

Not a dumb question...

You can use a hypodermic needle filled with poly tack and stick the fabric back down. You can also get an oven bag and lay it out of the rib, then get out the Iron and go over the fabric. You may want to get what they call a hot mitt used for model aircraft covering. You can iron the fabric back down, then rub over the area with the hot mit. Do not pull the Oven bag off the fabric till it cools.

You can also put some acetone on a cloth and remove all the paint down to bare fabric in the areas you need to fix, then use thinned poly tak and go over the cap strip area and push the glue back in. Using heavy Nitrile gloves, you can work over the area with your fingers and really get the fabric back down good! What is the wing painted with" If it is poly tone the acetone will take it right off. If it is areothane, you have more issues and it is a pain in the ass to fix properly. I knew that with my style of flying, I will be out in the brush and getting holes poked in the covering on a regular basis, so I went with Poly tone becuase filed repairs are so easy to do with it!

Im not sure of paint type buy MEK took it right off

Sorry, man. I missed the question and had to go back to find it.

How far away from the rib has the fabric pulled, just a small span of the under-camber or quite a bit? I heard of people re-gluing using an equine hypodermic needle with glue in it to put the glue under the fabric. This is most likely just a bandaid fix, though.

It is the under side. It,s the right wing every thing is tight,except the outter two ribs. One is totaly detached and the other just half way glued.

The left wing the one I have open I can get to everything. I noticed four of my inner ribes are laced no other,s on the plane are, and it,s different tape over the stiching. Im wondering if this was a datached fabric repair with stiching. Can that be done ?

Is this how a topic end,s. You ask one too many dumb question,s and it,s all over ?

Ok I guess that lst question was a dumb one. I got my polyfiber how-to book in the mail today. Lot,s of good stuff in there. I also got the practice kit two play with.

I also have a rib on the other wing bottom side where the fabric has detached from the rib. Is there any wy to get in there and reglue it ?

Thank you for the info, how can I get the avid directions ?

You also need to go by the Avid directions. You cant shrink the fabric as tight as polyfiber tells you to or it will pull away from the underside of the ribs and really pull your trailing edge in. I think the MAX I went was 275. I would not go up the center. You will need to cut it on the inside of the rib on each panel so the old covering has the full 1" bonded to the cap strip. You can lay the new fabric over to the outside of the rib so it fully covers the cap strip also. Then use 4" wide tape for the seam on each side and your golden. No need to do any sewing.

I also have a rib on the other wing bottom side where the fabric has detached from the rib. Is there any wy to get in there and reglue it ?

I doubt the cub guys are running the ultralight fabric.. We use medium and heavy when building the cubs, and the mauls are go fast machines that have the heavier fabric also.

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I just ordered a how-to book for polyfiber and a practice kit along with inspection plate stuff, my plane doesn,t have any. Is that normal ? [the inspection plate,s that is] I cut my fabric right up the center of the two outer rib-end,s I replaced. Will this go back together ok with some creative sewing and taping ?

I will look it up the instruction,s said 10-12#

Ididn,t realize these pix,s would load up like this.

What's the significance of 12 lbs? The supercub guys look for 40-50lbs when testing fabric with a Maule Tester. AC 43-13 covers the FAA approved test procedure.

I will look it up the instruction,s said 10-12#

Well, I got the outer rib epoxied in, to support the flaperor/jig. Did two night,s ago . Getting ready to put the last two in tonight. A friend let me borrow a fabric tester, I got 12# easy everywhere.

When Hang the flaperon on your wing, and use it for a guide in getting the new rib tails lined up. I did not do that on my first wing. I pulled measurements 100 ways from sunday and was sure I had it right.. but then had to get creative when it was time to hang teh flaperon on it. The second wing, I hung the flaperon and used it as a guide to line up the rib tails with lots of clamps and aluminum agle for a straight edge to lock everything in tight while glue cured. I used gorrila glue to put the cap strips on, and the structural epoxy to glue it to the spar. I ran several tests with some spare rib tails and cap strips I had and the gorrila glue held the best and did the most damage to the wood when I pulled it to failure.

The CFI can give instruction, he just need X time as PIC in your plane before he can instruct. I think it is 5 hrs but I could be wrong. I went through this on mine 2 yrs ago. If the seller is a CFI, he had give you official "instruction" if he is just a PPL then he can take you for a ride, let you control the plane and give you an "un-official" check out, but it wont be worth anything for insurance or a tail wheel endorcement.

That sound,s like good advice, the damn thing,s laying right there why not use it for a jig. Nex I,ll be asking about fabric stuff. But I,ll order the book first to keep the dumb questions to a min.

I was coming off a fresh tail wheel endorsement (in a Citabria) when I got my Kitfox IV.

I got transition training from a friend of mine who built a Kitfox IV and is a CFI. We spent nearly 10 hours of transition training in order for me to feel proficient in the plane. Some have done with less and some more. My insurance required 10 hours of duel and I needed nearly that.

These little planes are a ton of fun and are not dangerous if you know what you are doing and what to expect. They do NOT fly like a 172 or a Citabria or a Cub. I've been told they handle more like a Pits (but I've never flown a Pits). I would not advise getting your tailwheel then jumping into a plane like this without a little more training from someone who knows how to teach.

Just my opinion.

Thank,s guy,s. I,ll do that. I am a little unclear on who can give instruction. cant the seller do that, a CFI told me he couldnt do it in experementel. I canceled the tennessee trip due to weather so I got the old rib peices out . I,m getting ready to epoxy the new ones in any advice ?

Do you have any time in an Avid or Kitfox? If not, the first time you fly one, you will be throwing rocks at that 172. I like flying all planes, but the avids or kitfoxes are really just that much more fun to fly!

I have 0 time in avid or tail dragger endorsment. I know plenty of CFI,s so that wont be a problem. I also have a freind with an avid, I plan on going up with him for a check out. Any advice ?

Just got my wing rib extensions today. Cant wait to start cuting out the old ones.Flying to tenn. this weekend in a 172 I,ll be thinking about them damn rib,s there and back .

I thought that is what you were talking about but wanted to make sure.. Easy easy fix and us dont need brass! Just use a piece of safety wire and heat it up and burn a hole in the tubing side to side and top to bottom in the center of the tubing. It just help to equalize the pressure in the float bowl. This is what the rotax repair manual shows to do. When I get back to my other computer I will see if I can find a good shot of what I am talking about.

I was looking in the manual I downloaded {thank,s] and they show a newer hose without the coupler, and hole,s like your talking about.

Just checked you right there bings . the small hose come,s from one side of the carb to the the other just above float bowl.

Is there anyway you could post a picture of what your missing from the other carb? Nothing should lean it at altitude, unless you have a HACMAN or something of that sort. If you have Mikunies, you may be running a snogo engine. The 582 came with Bings.

I asked about wingrib/flaperon attachmet. I have the part,s on order. I got spark ,and now im redoing the fuel lines. One of the mikunies is missing the little brass couple with the little hole in it. I think this lean,s it at high altitude. any way is this an easy part to get or easier to make.Im just getting started and im sure I will have lots more questions for THIS OLD PLANE. thanks for all your help,you guy,s are better than CAR-TALK.