NorthIdahoAvidflyer

I agree with TJay. I have two products I use. One is lemon pledge and the other is a motorcycle all in one cleaning product. Both work great. I will get the name of the bike product for you but Lemon pledge is easier to find and work great!

I will. I live close to Machinist so if it works out maybe we can do it all in one shot. Thanks Leo.

I would like two of them for my Mark IV if you have enough to go around. 

Last Friday I flew the Magnum for the first time. I took a friend with me who is well versed in these type of airplanes which proved to be a great Idea. I naturalized all the trim tabs before the first flight and it took a little bit to figure out the trim controls and that two of them were marked wrong on the panel. Having another person to fly the plane made this a much easier task. Once we got the plane trimmed out the rest was pretty easy. We did slow flight, stalls in all configurations and tested speed and flap ranges. We made 8 approaches and 6 landings before calling it a day. Over the next two days I flew 4 hours. I really hope this ends up being my airplane because I really like the power and room it has over the Mark IV. 

Maybe you could use the space between your ears..........happy now?? 

Damn I'd like to have these but $500 seems a little steep. I have a sister in that town too. To bad there was not a option to make an offer. 

I'll have to check mine but I would think any two structural pieces of metal that are subject to water/dirt would be welded between the two plates to seal them and add strength. I would clean the paint off and have someone weld it up. Pretty easy fix.  

Brake update: After correcting the peddle geometry a flying/mechanic friend of mine met me at the hangar and we went through the brakes system. We started by pushing fluid up the lines to make sure the lines were clear to the bottom of the master cylinders. With the peddles unhooked from the master cylinders we were able to push fluid easily clear to the reservoir. We bled the system and hooked up the peddles. After some taxi testing and adjustment its amazing how much better it's working. 

I have always had master cylinders with self contained reservoirs. I learned that you have to bleed the two types differently. 

You are correct and when the brake locked up the second time unhooking the peddle relieved the pressure. This tells me that I still have issues with my adjustment or geometry. I am going to do some measuring this evening. My dad had changed the upper arms and I have a sneaking suspicion they are not placed in the correct orientation.

I remove the cap when bleeding, have checked the small vent hole and make sure the washer is under the mount when re-installed. All seems good.  Thanks for the input.

I have been through every part of these brakes and the right brake will still not release after some taxi testing. I have figured out a few things.

1. My father had re-welded the upper Master Cylinder attachment point and they are setting at different lengths and angles. I will correct this geometry.

2. I have been hooking the system up and then bleeding from the Calipers up to the firewall mounted reservoir. At some point during the bleeding one side or the other will pressurize and stop taking fluid before fluid reaches the reservoir. I have been bleeding both sides back and forth until fluid fills the reservoir. After the system is filled I adjust the peddle clevises for a firm peddle. Here is where the problem starts. After taxiing the plane the brakes get warm, The fluid expands and the brakes lock up because I have the peddles adjusted to tight to start which does not allow the fluid to return to the reservoir thus compounding the problem as the fluid gets warm and expands. 

What's going wrong???? I have always had master cylinders with self contained reservoirs. You hook them up and pump fluid to them until it comes out he top. I believe I may be causing the problem by having the master cylinders hooked to the peddled during initial bleeding. If the peddles are depressing the master cylinder shafts even slightly this could be the reason why the system is pressurizing during bleeding. There is also a possibility that there is a restriction in the lines. I have a friend coming over to help me this week so hopefully we can get this taken care of once and for all. 

I hate the seating in the Magnum. They installed aluminum pans and have cushions. What are you guys doing for seating. I see pictures and it looks like lost other planes have nice seats?

I'm going to warn you......I've flown both and the Mark IV is a great airplane. You should not pass this one up. 

Thank you for the info. That brake option sounds great. I could use the Cleveland wheel cylinders that are on this plane already.

What?? Don't tell me you are ready to sell that already?? 

Boy you are not kidding!  The first time I flew my Mark IV I flew out to a friends local grass strip. The wind had picked up and a rotor off of some trees about put a wing into the ground. It scared the crap out of me. That's when I knew something was not right. The aileron roll control was very heavy. It is amazing what a small adjustment did for that plane. It went from very heavy to light and nimble. 

I kept getting air in the left line going up to the reservoir. I would bleed it out but after a few pumps it was back. The shaft in that M/C was scratched up like someone had grabbed it with a vice. I tried to clean it up but I think it had already ruined the o-rings in the top cap. I installed a new shaft, top cap and o-rings last night so I should have it all back together and working this evening. 

Yeah those have to be the best looking gear I've seen on a Magnum. As soon as my Dad decides to sell this Magnum to me I'll start looking for gear options. Was he able to build them from a jig or did he have to have the airplane on site? Do you remember what he charged you to make them up?

Thank you for the information Barry. That sure a good looking airplane. I hope to get my hands on this one of my Dads. 

I had the same issue with my Mark IV flaperons. Mine were 3 degrees off. Setting them right made all the difference in he world. I should have my Magnum ready this weekend. I had to rebuild the left master cylinder because it was pulling air into the system. 

I love your landing gear. Did you built it?

That's a good looking engine. I have always wondered what kind of power plant it would make for an Avid.

Damn Boys that's a good deal on a great looking plane. I wouldn't sell mine for that. 

Willja67, Yes, i took the advice of the guy on here and added another bolt forward of the two regular mounting bolts . I have attached a picture marking the location of the added bolt. 

Several of us Zenith Builders did the same thing when lengthening the wings. The ones that flew them both ways said they noticed little to no difference. After talking to a few of the guys I opted to not lengthen my ailerons. I have not flown mine yet but do not anticipate a problem based on others reports. 

Dean Wilson repaired the aileron hangers on my Dads A model using a fiber overlay method. Its been a few years ago but I believe he used carbon fiber

You have probably ran onto my last repair using Aluminum and scotchweld. A re-coat of spar varnish will be required every couple of years or when a person see it's needed during a preflight. A light sanding and coating takes no time at all and gives me a reason to give them all a good look over. 

I guessing Dean understood the difference between hauling one across the country and towing one locally to the airport. 

I towed mine from California backwards. Longest trip of my life. 

Here is a couple of pictures of what happens when one wing comes open on a trailer while being hauled backwards. 

I was down in Lewiston visiting Dean Wilson many years ago. We walked outside and there an Avid setting on a trailer backwards. He looked at me and said “I never figured out why people would haul these things backwards. I told him that I figured it must be easier to convert a small trailer for it. He agreed and said he didn’t like it. The reason I remember it so well is I had thought the same thing myself. 

I have a backwards hauling Avid trailer and I’ve hauled them nose first. I prefer nose first. The things I like about hauling nose first is the wings move/flutter less at higher highway speeds, the plane takes gusts from big vehicles better and if for some reason a wing was to come loose it’s not going to open.  As far as the open end of the wings, I cut up some of those silver car window shades and tape them over the ends of the wings with 2” wide painters tape. Support the tail good and it’s a pretty good ride.

Id still rather try making love to a bobcat in a phone booth as haul another airplane anywhere.  

I forgot to ask you what gear ratio you are looking for?

Check Barnstormers and Ebay. If I run across one I will let you know.