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  #1  
Old 01-12-2009, 07:18 PM
jscottpilot jscottpilot is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: san angelo texas
Posts: 70
Default Landing gear bolts

I am trying to tighten the landing gear bolts with the special nuts inside the bulkheads in my RV8. The clearances are so tight you cant get a socket on them and the wrench slips when I try to tighten them. Any ideas on how to tighten them?
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  #2  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:03 PM
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Ironflight Ironflight is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
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The same way you get to Carnegie Hall......

Actually, consider taking a grinder to you socket so that it fits down inside the little well. Universal joints also help, and I have even used one of those flexible extensions. If I were building again, I'd modify the gear towers to have a big opening with close-out panels, as many have done - really improves the access!

Paul
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Paul F. Dye
Editor at Large - KITPLANES Magazine
RV-8 - N188PD - "Valkyrie"
RV-6 (By Marriage) - N164MS - "Mikey"
RV-3B - N13PL - "Tsamsiyu"
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  #3  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:20 PM
Wiley Wiley is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Brownwood TX
Posts: 87
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Not that I plan on it, but is it possible to put the bolts in from the top and torque the nut on the bottom? I'm sure if it was acceptable, we would of heard of it by now.
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Eric Wiley
RV-8 finished 9/15
Flying S Air Ranch (10XS)
Brownwood TX
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  #4  
Old 01-13-2009, 05:58 AM
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vansrv8 vansrv8 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 116
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I put the bolt heads inside the towers and the nut on the outside. Still a lot of cursing, but after grinding a few tools it all worked out, barely!
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Ken Tattersall
Kens RV8
RV8, Pitts S1C,J5 Hybrid,AcroSport II
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  #5  
Old 01-13-2009, 07:13 AM
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flyingbeaver26 flyingbeaver26 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 86
Default I feel your pain

I just went through this about 2 months ago. I feel your pain. I ended up removing several of the #8 screws and a couple AN-3's that where interfering with where my wrench wanted to go. I held the nut steady and had a trustworthy person torque the bolt head on the outside. I called Van's about this and they said that would be alright given the difficulty. After hours of dealing with feeling around for threaded studs to get the nuts onto I finally got it finished and replace the #8 screws I removed earlier. Things are really tight. If your fuse in inverted like mine during this time, you'll be dropping washers and nuts a lot and they fall to the top of the gear tower. Have a couple of neodime (aka rare earth/ really strong) magnets handy to suck those puppies back out. That was really handy for me.
Brad Vier
RV-8 FWF

Last edited by flyingbeaver26 : 01-13-2009 at 07:15 AM.
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  #6  
Old 01-13-2009, 07:34 AM
gkimbrough gkimbrough is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Katy, Texas
Posts: 31
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We went to a pawn shop and bought a several box end wrenches (don't remember the size - I'm at the office now). We cut them about 2 or 3 inches up from the box end and then used a torch, vise and hammer to bend them 90 degrees as close to the box end as possible. We then cut a slot in the box end so that we could get it past the #8 ends and on the nuts.
Then the fun starts - You, or the smallest friend you have, crawls in and puts the wrend on the nut and your buddy torques the bolt from the bottom.
Haang in there.

Geoff Kimbrough
RV-8 N6978C Flying
Stearman N1707M for sale
Katy
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  #7  
Old 01-13-2009, 07:56 AM
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Kahuna Kahuna is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Gold Hill, NC25
Posts: 2,400
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Even with the cutout its a bear and I never seem to do it the same way twice. I grab every modified wrench, crow bar, swivel joint, extention, flathead screwdriver, and socket I can find..... and anything else I can jamn in there to get that darn nut to stop turning. Its brutal and a terrible design for maint.. Its without a doubt the worst part of working on the 8 and there is no close 2nd. I find it takes 3 people. Me, the bolt turner, and one person to calm me down from cursing it.

Im afriad there is no good answer. Its just plain brutal. When Im asked to come help someone. I bring a creeper and a pillow and I get to turn the bolt and listen to the cursing form the cockpit. There is something theraputic about listening to someone else who is suisidal from the cockpit trying to get those darn nuts to stop turning. Misery loves company I suppose. I know its evil.
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  #8  
Old 01-13-2009, 04:00 PM
jscottpilot jscottpilot is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: san angelo texas
Posts: 70
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I managed to get them all tightened. I had to grind down a socket to get one of them tightened. I had to use various brands and lengths of wrenches to tighten the others.
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  #9  
Old 01-13-2009, 07:53 PM
lancef53 lancef53 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Portland, ND
Posts: 424
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I was able to get them tightened after loosening one of the an3 bolts in the front, then was able to get a flex socket on the nut. The back one I was able to jam a screwdriver in to stop it from turning.

Not a very well thought-out area.
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  #10  
Old 01-13-2009, 09:00 PM
B737NG B737NG is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 64
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I took two sockets and welded a (90 degree) rod off the top of each of them. I slipped a tube on one of the rods. Once I put both sockets in place, I then slide the tube across both of the rods that were welded to each socket.

The tube connects the two sockets together and prevents the nuts from turning. When I was certain this would work I put a dab of PRC on them and the whole setup will stay in the airplane.

Just another idea.

Paul
RV-6 Flying
RV-8 Finishing
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