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  #1  
Old 07-03-2015, 05:18 PM
RGaines RGaines is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Novato, CA
Posts: 151
Default Canopy gas strut attachment

The attach point of the gas strut to the longeron is loose. It is the F-1202y and there is a K1000-4 nut plate behind it. One part of the nutplate is cracked, and when the canopy is all the way up, the bolt that the strut attaches to wobbles when the canopy is moved. Both sides are the same. I checked one other -12 and it is the same. Is this common and not a problem?

Rich
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  #2  
Old 07-03-2015, 05:36 PM
RFSchaller RFSchaller is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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I loosened up my gas strut rod end attach bolts to prevent shear stress on the plastic rod ends. Can't speak to any other RV-12s.
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  #3  
Old 07-03-2015, 09:21 PM
DHeal DHeal is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Windsor, California
Posts: 924
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I believe that Van's offers an upgraded bushing for the lower canopy strut attachment pivot that has a larger diameter base -- that might spread out the stress a bit.
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  #4  
Old 07-04-2015, 09:57 AM
Ex Bonanza Bucko Ex Bonanza Bucko is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 291
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I have had three gas strut failures on my RV12 SLSA in 101 Hours TTSN. All three have been in the top rod end and all three rod ends broke on the upper side. I think that when you open the canopy while you are sitting in the airplane and you let go of it as it opens the last few inches the plastic rod end takes all the load and then breaks. I think the plastic rod ends are the problem and I think the problem could be solved by metal rod ends.

The strut attachments were not over torqued and I oiled them regularly to prevent chafing.

I am amazed that there have not been more failures reported. I have had three and I did not abuse the struts.

EBB
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  #5  
Old 07-04-2015, 10:18 AM
mrt890 mrt890 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Friday Harbor, Wa
Posts: 300
Default Modification

https://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/rev...V-12/34-02.pdf
https://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/rev...V-12/34-03.pdf

Take a look at these 2 pages. You'll notice that there is a change to the strut attachement, the C-00002 bushing, that makes it considerably stronger. The early -12s didn't have this bushing.
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  #6  
Old 07-04-2015, 10:27 AM
Ex Bonanza Bucko Ex Bonanza Bucko is offline
 
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Location: San Diego, California
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My airplane was manufactured by Synergy Air in March to June 2014 so those changes were included. The failures still happened.

EBB
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  #7  
Old 07-04-2015, 10:43 AM
mrt890 mrt890 is offline
 
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Location: Friday Harbor, Wa
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I was replying to the OP
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  #8  
Old 07-04-2015, 07:56 PM
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Dgamble Dgamble is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex Bonanza Bucko View Post
when you open the canopy while you are sitting in the airplane and you let go of it as it opens the last few inches the plastic rod end takes all the load and then breaks.
That's how one of mine broke, so I stopped doing it. I hold the canopy all the way up now.
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  #9  
Old 07-04-2015, 09:17 PM
RFSchaller RFSchaller is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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I've always held the canopy until the struts are fully extended. I also keep a hand on it in windy conditions and try to park into the wind. That practice slammed it down once causing a trim deformation because I had something across the longeron. I am considering fabricating a strut to attach to the crash arch and canopy bow to take the stress off the struts in windy conditions.
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  #10  
Old 07-05-2015, 08:09 AM
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Bill_H Bill_H is offline
 
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Location: Marshall TX (KASL)
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RFS - see this post - http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...7&postcount=12
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