Landing gear mount

Please provide me some clues how to get the main landing gear mount into place. I have just about had it

Landing gear

I had a rough time also. Used nail punches to help line it up. Seemed the welds where out of plane. After many expletives was finally able to get them in.

Dennis,

Photos or a better description of your issues would help us help you better.

bob

It looks like the landing gear mount is intended to rest flush against the forward aspect of the Fwd center section bulkhead assembly. On the left it nearly does so. On the right it rests flush on the upper aspect of the fwd center section bulkhead, but on the lower aspect of the fwd center section bulkhead it rests about 3/16 away from flush. The forward brace of the landing gear mount is intended to rest on the fwd cabin floor and fasten through it into the underlying fwd fuselage floor rib. If the forward brace were angled a degree or two upward, I believe it would allow the landing gear mount to rest flush with the forward aspect of the fwd center section bulkhead. I am suspicious the forward brace may not have been welded onto the landing gear mount at quite the correct angle, placing the landing gear mount slightly away from the forward aspect of the fwd center section bulkhead. However I freely admit I may have overlooked an error on my part also. I am looking for any suggestions others have entertained when faced with what I suspect is not an uncommon event during construction.

Main gear binding

I found the same issue. Neither would pull up flush to the spar. I noticed the weldment was binding where the gear tube exited the the hole in the bottom skins. I marked where the skin touched, removed the weldment then ran the dremel with a scotchbrite wheel around the hole until skin was not touching the mount. When I replaced the mount they went in flush against the spar.

Make a guide pin

I had a ton-o-trouble doing this. In the end I made a guide-pin out of an AN bolt and that did the trick. In short, I took an AN3 bolt and put it in the chuck of my drill press (a poor man's lathe). Then I held a file against the end of the bolt to taper the end. Then I rounded the tip with a wheel.

I put the gear mount in place with one bolt (a little loose), then in another spot used the homemade guide pin to align the rest of the holes. I put a bunch more bolts in place. Finally, I removed the guide pin and put in its place an unmodified bolt.

I'm not at the end of section 29 yet, but when I get there I'll be using this method again to permanently install the gear mounts.

Here's a link to my build log.
http://airplane.athomeinthewilburness.com/2013/12/08/fwd-ribs-bulkheads-bottom-skins/

Thank you. I studied your web site. My concern is a small part of the gear mount won't touch the spar. I was told somewhat rudely and condescending from ... at Van's to use hardware bolts to see if the mount won't draw up to the spar. Then remove and attach with the designated bolts. I will soon try that. My concern is I want to have the mount rest on all points next to the spar. THis is the first bugger I have encountered.

Me, too.

I had similar problems with the gear mounts. One of mine was pretty warped and I had to remove a fair amount of material from the bottom skin to get it to fit. Even afterwards it was not fun.

Hang in there, it will go eventually.

David

jwilbur said:

I had a ton-o-trouble doing this. In the end I made a guide-pin out of an AN bolt and that did the trick. In short, I took an AN3 bolt and put it in the chuck of my drill press (a poor man's lathe). Then I held a file against the end of the bolt to taper the end. Then I rounded the tip with a wheel.

I put the gear mount in place with one bolt (a little loose), then in another spot used the homemade guide pin to align the rest of the holes. I put a bunch more bolts in place. Finally, I removed the guide pin and put in its place an unmodified bolt.

I'm not at the end of section 29 yet, but when I get there I'll be using this method again to permanently install the gear mounts.

Here's a link to my build log.
http://airplane.athomeinthewilburness.com/2013/12/08/fwd-ribs-bulkheads-bottom-skins/

Click to expand...

Just an added tip: you can cut the bolt head off completely (making a "drift pin") and then pass several of these into the hole to align the weldment. Once aligned, take a new bolt and use it to push the drift pins THROUGH the hole. New bolt in, drift pin out. That's much easier then trying to pull the modified bolt out again.

That makes good sense

dhmoose said:

Just an added tip: you can cut the bolt head off completely (making a "drift pin") and then pass several of these into the hole to align the weldment. Once aligned, take a new bolt and use it to push the drift pins THROUGH the hole. New bolt in, drift pin out. That's much easier then trying to pull the modified bolt out again.

Click to expand...

Ooooo. That's a great idea. Thanks!

Big Hammer

No kidding,
My landing gear weldment seemed to be distorted as well and all of the suggestions mentioned were employed in my build.
A couple of blows with a big hammer finally aligned most of the holes.
You do want the weldment flush with the spar face and persuade only the forward facing brace with the hammer. That worked for me and as a side note I have no shimmy in the landing gear.

No Sweat

I have to say I had no real issues......

I filed off the edges to get rid of the powder coat, lightly greased the top of the gear leg and in it went. Getting the bolt in took just a little "persuasion" with a soft hammer.

I finally got the mount fitted into the fuselage. This took over 10 hours. Had to pound on the forward support arm. Purchased some hardware bolts to tighten against the spar. Finally everything fit. Felt like quitting, but I knew that was not the right thing to do. Finally I can move on to the fuselage skins.