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  #1  
Old 10-12-2009, 03:42 AM
Paul Austin's Avatar
Paul Austin Paul Austin is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Tasmania Australia
Posts: 77
Default Nose gear taper pin

Hi all
Today i was installing the taper pin in my nose gear were the bolt normally goes. To start with i couldnt get the taper reamer to cut and when i did i some how stupidy let the reamer cut to deepso now the head of the taper pin actually goes below the surface of the mount when tightend. Does any one have ay ideas how to fix this or can i get an oversize taper pin or did i just stuff my engine frame and nose gear
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  #2  
Old 10-12-2009, 04:46 AM
Pilottonny Pilottonny is offline
 
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Location: Belgium
Posts: 645
Default Have one made!

Paul, I don't know about an oversize taper pin, but if all else fails you could have a slightly larger one made by a machine shop. It will not be cheap, but sure cheaper than a new engine mount and gear leg (especially because it needs to be shipped down under).

Regards, Tonny.
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  #3  
Old 10-12-2009, 07:22 AM
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Jim Ellis Jim Ellis is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Flower Mound, Texas
Posts: 122
Default Taper Pins

Hi Paul,

Taper pins come in various grip lengths just like bolts. The answer to your problem may be as simple as purchasing a longer taper pin. Here is a specification for AN386 Pins (Thanks to Aircraft Spruce). You can always purchase a pin with a grip length longer than you need and shorten it by cutting off the excess large end of the taper.

If the shoulder on the small threaded end of the taper pin extends more than 1/16 inch beyond the tubing you may need to go to the next larger pin size (AN386-5).

Hope this helps.
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RV-7A, N23VC, Slider, Garmin G3X Touch Panel,
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  #4  
Old 10-12-2009, 08:38 AM
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carguy614 carguy614 is offline
 
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Location: Shallotte NC
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Default taper pin??

Hmmmmmm...taper pin. I seem to remember an AN bolt in my 9A nosegear leg.
Is this a design change??

Thanks,
Chris
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  #5  
Old 10-12-2009, 08:48 AM
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LifeofReiley LifeofReiley is offline
 
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Location: Round Rock, TX
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Default

Hi Chris,

No... not a design change, just a fix for loose bolt fit.


Quote:
Originally Posted by carguy614 View Post
Hmmmmmm...taper pin. I seem to remember an AN bolt in my 9A nosegear leg.
Is this a design change??

Thanks,
Chris
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  #6  
Old 10-12-2009, 09:46 AM
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Jim Ellis Jim Ellis is offline
 
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Location: Flower Mound, Texas
Posts: 122
Default Nose Gear Taper Pin Mod

Hi Chris,

Several years ago I wrote a brief article on replacing the nose gear bolt with a taper pin. You can find the article on the Matronics Wiki here.

A number of people that have tried this have had great difficulty reaming the tapered hole. The strut is very hard metal and does not ream easily. Unless you are really motivated I think you might be better off to use a close tolerance bolt rather than a taper pin. Do a search for nose gear bolts on this Forum and you will find sizes and sources for the bolt you need.
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RV-7A, N23VC, Slider, Garmin G3X Touch Panel,
Barrett Precision Engines Superior XPIO-360,
Dual P-Mags, Airflow Performance FM200A,
Classic Aero Designs Interior,
GLO Custom Aircraft Paint,
Flying

RV-9A N155T, Sold
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  #7  
Old 10-12-2009, 10:57 AM
sandifer sandifer is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 664
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Ellis View Post
Hi Chris,

Several years ago I wrote a brief article on replacing the nose gear bolt with a taper pin. You can find the article on the Matronics Wiki here.

A number of people that have tried this have had great difficulty reaming the tapered hole. The strut is very hard metal and does not ream easily. Unless you are really motivated I think you might be better off to use a close tolerance bolt rather than a taper pin. Do a search for nose gear bolts on this Forum and you will find sizes and sources for the bolt you need.
Is the nosegear material different from the 6150 steel used for RV-3/4/6/7 gear legs? I used a taper pin on my RV-3 gear legs and drilling the hole took a lot more effort than reaming the taper. With a new reamer and adequate pressure, it cuts very easily and quickly. You would need a larger diameter pin, since a longer one would still fall through the hole. Sounds like a taper pin is a deviation from the plans, so in theory you could use whatever size pin you'd like...it's experimental I've heard of RV-4 drivers having to enlarge the gear retainer bolt to 3/8" because the original wallowed out after several hundred hrs. The only negative to the Wittman gear, it seems to me.

Last edited by sandifer : 10-13-2009 at 09:51 AM.
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  #8  
Old 10-12-2009, 12:09 PM
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carguy614 carguy614 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Shallotte NC
Posts: 594
Default Thanks guys...

Informative. I knew nothing about that modification.

Regards,
Chris
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RV9A 90970 N614RV
Sold to nice folks in Texas and badly missed.
RV9 in progress
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  #9  
Old 10-13-2009, 12:16 AM
Neil Neil is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hong Kong/Tasmania
Posts: 30
Default Shipment from Vans

Hi Paul
We are having a shipment of FWF and Finish Kit from Vans to Hobart sometime early next month for a 9A. You are welcome to piggy-back anything you need to ship from Vans.. It may help if you wish..
Thanks
-Neil
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  #10  
Old 10-13-2009, 09:36 AM
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Fred.Stucklen Fred.Stucklen is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brooksville, FL
Posts: 356
Default Nose Gear Bolt hole wear issue

Hi All,

I've seen this issue with a lot of Van's nose gear planes. The motor mount front gear bolt hole wears oblong when the bolt loosens. Taper pins and larger bolts are only a short term solution to a re-occuring problem. Once a taper pin hole or larger bolt hole wears again, fixing the problem will require a new mount and new gear leg.
What I have found is that by using permanent lock tight on the upper gear leg fitting eliminates the re-occuring problem.




Quote:
Originally Posted by sandifer View Post
Is the nosegear material different from the 6150 steel used for RV-3/4/6/7 gear legs? I used a taper pin on my RV-3 gear legs and drilling the hole took a lot more effort than reaming the taper. With a new reamer and adequate pressure, it cuts very easily and quickly. You would need a larger diameter pin, since a longer one would still fall through the hole. Sounds like a taper pin is a deviation from the plans, so in theory you could use whatever size pin you'd like...it's experimental I've heard of RV-4 drivers having to enlarge the gear retainer bolt to 3/8" because the original wallowed out after several hundered hrs. The only negative to the Wittman gear, it seems to me.
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Last edited by Fred.Stucklen : 10-13-2009 at 09:48 AM.
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