Good old number 29

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Everything posted by Good old number 29



  1. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bush gear topic reopened   

    It looks to me like the gear got the adjustments it needed. I’m looking forward to hearing the report on how it works. 
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  2. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bush gear topic reopened   

    Good to see that it’s safely supported on jack stands. OSHA stamp of approval. 
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  3. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Rotax 582 spark plug gaskets   

    Reviving this old thread. I had wondered about this, seeing that the extra thickness affects the depth of the spark plug. I’m running a 503, so no water temp. EGT and CHT. I figured that the spark plug washer was designed as a multiple layer deal so it allows for heat expansion. What are other people doing with CHT sensors on the spark plugs? Leave the washer or take it off?
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  4. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Cub landing gear changes   

    Here is the full article:
    https://www.univair.com/content/J3-Gross-Wt-Increase.pdf
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  5. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    Thanks, Jim. I have the article, and I did read it again. I didn’t think I’d get anywhere arguing those points with this particular guy. He said he didn’t care if everybody says the engine doesn’t need it, it does. And, if I don’t believe him, ask David Goode. Well, I don’t know him, so I looked up his name and found it in the database. Looks like he had two different Avids; an Avid Flyer Mk IV, listed as a Light Aero, and one listed as an Airdale, which has a Subaru. Here is the report on the destruction of the Mk. 4. No mention of icing or what engine was on it. This instructor said he has fifty years of experience. It might be worth putting the carb heat on, just to catch a bit of what he’s learned. He was highly recommended by an A&P friend with over 30k hours. 

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  6. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    Yes, I’m still waiting to get some flight time. I talked to one instructor who came highly recommended and has some Kitfox time. He required carb heat, which I haven’t done. I’m considering it. Not likely to fly until next week, between the weather and other things I have going on. 
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  7. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    Good old number 29 has come a long way since she was ordered on June 25, 1985, for $9,290.12, plus shipping. Now airworthy and legal for the first time since 2011. Here are the original purchase documents and some pictures with the builder. Notice the cog belt pulley instead of the gearbox. Yes, she’s come a long way. 






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  8. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    It was a beautiful day to pass the condition inspection. We just got the first snow of the season, yesterday. I love the fresh snow on the ground, but it did make a bit of a mess, towing the plane backwards. I still need bungee covers, so I taped a bag over them for travel. A friend introduced me to an A&P/IA in Kenai who did the inspection and also helped mount up those 25” Goodyears. Paul Buckel - 412-1505, if you are in the area. He gave me a good deal on the inspection, and was easy to work with. 




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  9. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Yeeehaaaa!!! New Gear is On!!!!   

    The notch in the early Cub bungee struts allowed 3.5 inches of travel, giving approximately 8" max vertical wheel travel with standard gear. I allowed for 10" travel on my cabane gear. As of yet, untested.
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  10. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Kitfox News Letters   

    Kitfox Pack News, May, 1986.pdf
    Kitfox Owner Newsletter, July 19, 1991.pdf
    Kitfox Owner Update, Nov:Dec 1991.pdf
    Kitfox Times, Nov:Dec 1991.pdf
    Kitfox Times, Jan:Feb 1992.pdf
    Kitfox Times, May 1992.pdf
    Early Kitfox Flier.pdf
    Kitfox Alaska Flier.pdf
    Kitfox Diagram.pdf
    Kitfox N84DD Specs.pdf
    Kitfox General Information.pdf
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  11. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    Before and after the wide gear. 


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  12. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    I might as well be the one to point out that these tires make it look like a cartoon dog with a giant head and a tiny body. 
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  13. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   



  14. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    The original wheels on this are the 8” atv wheels with a five lug bolt pattern on the bolt-on hub. The brake rotor is attached to the back of the hub, on the end, with allen screws, and it used the Air Heart calipers and Matco master cylinders. It’s not the disc that mounts to the lugs welded on the wheel. It might be possible to find another hub with 1-1/4 i.d. bearings, and that fits the bolt pattern on the wheels, but you’d still have to make torque plates for the calipers, trim the inside diameter of the disc so it would fit over the bearing stops, and drill and tap the hub to attach it. The biggest difficulty with my wide gear has been finding a good set of wheels, tires, and brakes that I’m happy with. Funny, because it’s the most common axle you’ll find this side of a 172. I’m just picky, I guess. It has to be huge, but it can’t weigh anything. The brakes have to stop it on a dime at double gross, and it has to bolt itself on. 
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  15. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    I wish I had some lightweight 8” wheels and the right brakes to make that happen. The Nancos are on the Kitfox wheels and hub that uses a 3/4” axle. The reason I planned on using the Goodyear tires is because both pairs will work with my 1-1/4” Piper axles and Grove brakes. I weighed each tire, wheel, and brake. Here is how that shook out:
    8.00-4 w/ Grove disc: 16.5 lb
    8.00-6 w/ McCauley disc: 19 lb
    21x12-8 with Kitfox disc: 18 lb
    26x11-4 with Goodrich drum: 29.5 lb
    I should note that the drum is clearly lighter than the Grove or McCauley discs, and that it’s on the same style wheels as the ones the Grove brakes are on. The Kitfox disc is probably close, but still heavier. Also, the expander brakes were useless to me. All of the tires are four ply, except the Nanco, which is two. 
    I’ve been leaning toward using the 8.00-4’s, which are the smallest, lightest ones. They definitely don’t offer much cushion, but the simple fact of being a bolt on solution, that is 25 pounds lighter than the bigger tires, makes it more palatable. The guy I bought it from had another, smaller pair of original tires. I forget the exact size and manufacturer. I did throw them away because I didn’t like the checking. The thing is, when I bought it, he told me that it handled better with the smaller tires. I don’t know if he was taking off on pavement. The three pounds of weight that I lose, switching down from the Nancos, might help balance out the added weight if the heavier landing gear. I’m giving the legs some polyester pants, then I’ll think about weighing it again. I could still use the 6” wheels, but those calipers are also heavier, plus it uses the axle adapters. 
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  16. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    Wheel and tire comparison. Note that the ground is uneven  
    Goodyear 8.00-4
    McCreary 8.00-6
    Nanco 21x12.00-8
    Goodyear 26x11-4
    I’ll be using one or both pairs of Goodyears.

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  17. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    Thank you, Sir. I’ve taken your advice, and have added some small gussets of .050”, that will help with the pull. 

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  18. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    I didn't like the idea of replacing a bolt every fifty hours because it might break, so I fixed the elevator idler bellcrank mount with a piece of 1/4" tubing and some .125" plate. Now the bolt is properly supported on both sides. I also gusseted the rudder pedals and shortened the master cylinder rods to get better brake pedal geometry. It's at 1-1/8" to 2-1/2", measured to the center of the brake pedal tube. Matco recommends a 1:2.5 ratio on the pedal. I'd say they got it right. The brakes lock up tight with finger pressure, and I'm not standing on the brakes when I turn the rudder. The pedals have 3/4" travel.







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  19. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    Thanks for the tip on the Grove brakes, Bucky. That helped me out with all of the issues I had with finding and fitting wheels and brakes for the cub axles. It’s light, and the brakes work great. He gave me a great tip on a guy selling a used Grove disc conversion on 4” Cub wheels with 8.00 x 4” tires. It was a great deal, and solved every problem I was facing with the McCauleys or the old Cub brakes. I haven’t put the 26” Air Wheels on these rims, yet, but it probably won’t be long. 
     

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  20. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic East TN Flyer   

    Triples were popular in the late ‘90’s, early 2000’s, but fell out of favor because they are heavier and have less torque than an equal displacement twin. They run smoother, but there are more parts to break. The twin is lighter and more compact, with bigger pistons and a longer stroke. In two stroke engines up to one liter, I’d go for a twin.
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  21. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    I could have had it up in the air, already. I better have it done this week. I’ve been realizing just how much time and money I’ve sunk into this. Just fly it, already. 
    The bungees got sent on a world tour, courtesy of the USPS. I hope they do end up here.
    I got a good deal on some 8.00 x 6 tires and tubes. Now I just need axle adapters to fit the 1-1/2 bearings to my 1-1/4 axles. Got the gear mounted, but no bungees. 
    I like the idea of the wide gear, but I could have been flying it instead of blowing more money on it, if I stuck with the stock gear. Wider really is better, right? It’s 70” between the torque plates.
     







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  22. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bush gear topic reopened   

    That gearbox sticks right out into the wind. Is that a 582? I was wondering if it’s a round cowl engine mount that made it lower and further forward?
    I like the look of that gear. It’s definitely lighter than mine. It looks longer legged, but I think that’s because of the smaller tubing and the mounting positions. Yours look steeper, too. My setup has the legs just under 45° from vertical at a rest. Pretty similar angle of attack. The taller gear definitely affects visibility on the ground. 
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  23. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    I never liked drum brakes anyway. It would have been easy to use them, and I liked the 4” wheel and 26” tire combination, but the brakes just aren’t working. The masters don’t have enough volume to fill the tubes and push the pads out. It strokes out. Grove said they don’t have the disc conversion in stock. 6-8 week lead time. So, I’m going with the McCrackleys. I’ll need the axle adapter and a set of tires, but I can get those. McCauley had serious problems with cracking and broken bolts. Since this is an experimental, I can drill and through bolt them, so it’s not a problem. Got epoxy on the gear legs. Looking good. 




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  24. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    I was overthinking things, putting a doubler on the shock strut. I got a chance to look at some J3 and J5 struts at Stoddard’s, today. They are straight 3/4 with ears welded just like mine, sliding in a 7/8 section, with a slot and bolt through it. Mine, I made with 5/8 inside 3/4, which would have been fine. The ears were all 3/4 on 3/4. I was pretty much right on with my initial design. It looked much like High Country’s shock strut with his Ridge Runner gear. I have some 1080 bungees on the way. I didn’t get the cold weather ones, just because I didn’t want to special order them. The 1080 and 1280 are the same pull weight, but with different diameters; 5/8 and 3/4, respectively. I’ll hold on to those 1080 hd cw sets, until I have a chance to try these out. They also had a set of Pacer hydrasorbs for $300, with bungees, but I passed on them.
    The brakes aren’t anything I want them to be, but I’m going to give them another chance. Too much travel and not enough brake. I looked at the Grove 4” disc conversions, which are probably the best way to go, but expensive. I have the McCauley wheels and brakes, but I’d need the 1-1/4 - 1-1/2 axles adapters and some tires and tubes. Heavier, but less expensive. It looks to me like these drums and shoes are just worn, meaning more travel is needed. It’s possible the Matco MC5 master cylinders I have don’t have the volume needed to expand the tubes. I’ll finish and cover the gear, and if the old tricks don’t work on the brakes, I’ll go to plan B. 
    On a side note, Airframes Alaska massively expanded their place since last spring. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in Anchorage. They had a tenant in the back half, and now the whole building is theirs. Pretty cool, if you’re into that kind of thing.





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  25. Good old number 29 added a post in a topic Dan Denney ground loop   

    I looked up the writer, Nigel Moll, and found that he completed the build, and was given the number N16EL... NIGEL! Ha!
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