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help needed... who has that skybolt tool?

KayS

Well Known Member
Hi Together,

half a year ago i posted this thread: https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=188218

meanwhile it came out that for my specific skybolt setup a special tool is needed. there's no other way to adjust the in-depth of the receptacles. problem is that this tool (that came with the fasteners kit ordered in 2010) was lost in the chaos of past 11 years.

with that kind of problems you usually just contact the supplier and let them send you a new tool. but skybolt tells me that it's not available anymore. they say just order a new set and install it. for several reasons i don't want to go that route.

so my last hope is that someone here with the same setup would borrow that tool to me. the idea is to try to copy the thing.

i would cover all costs and return the tool asap with a gift basket from bavaria. any help is really, really, really appreciated.

Kay
 

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Hi Together,

half a year ago i posted this thread: https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=188218

meanwhile it came out that for my specific skybolt setup a special tool is needed. there's no other way to adjust the in-depth of the receptacles. problem is that this tool (that came with the fasteners kit ordered in 2010) was lost in the chaos of past 11 years.

with that kind of problems you usually just contact the supplier and let them send you a new tool. but skybolt tells me that it's not available anymore. they say just order a new set and install it. for several reasons i don't want to go that route.

so my last hope is that someone here with the same setup would borrow that tool to me. the idea is to try to copy the thing.

i would cover all costs and return the tool asap with a gift basket from bavaria. any help is really, really, really appreciated.

Kay
Hi Kay, I think I have one - let me check in the coming days. Do you need it urgently? I'm about 30 mins from the hangar so can go during my "lunch break" if it's urgent.
 
Mickey, that would be great!!! But no need to hurry. It flies with gorilla tape as spacers for months now. But it should be done sometimes because the tape is already disintegrating.

Sprichst Du deutsch? Du bist doch irgendwo in der Ostschweiz... Bin fast jedes Wochenende in CH.
 
Hi Kay, here are the pictures of the two tools I have - let me know if you think these will help and I'll get them in the mail to you tomorrow.

I live near Lausanne, and my RV-8 is based in LSGY. My German-speaking friends all tell me that my German hurts their ears, so I usually stick with French or English! :D

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Mickey: thank you! will send you a PM.

Charles: that's a very interesting input. maybe skybolt didn't reinvent the wheel and used the same tool as other designs...?
 
Mickey: thank you! will send you a PM.

Charles: that's a very interesting input. maybe skybolt didn't reinvent the wheel and used the same tool as other designs...?

I cannot tell from the picture if the measurements are the same but it looks the same.
 
I only have the newer style tools but if they work as well I could also send them to you or you fly to LFSB (Basel) and pick it up :)
Und ja ich würde deutsch sprechen 🤪
Cheers Yves
 
tools sent

I just sent the two tools in the photo, but not 100% sure yet if those are what Kay needs.

BTW, what are the landing fees in Basel for visitors? Just curious, now that I'm finished with my test period. :cool:
 
I just sent the two tools in the photo, but not 100% sure yet if those are what Kay needs.

Nope. The older style has two small pins that extend out of the sides at the business end, and are used to engage and turn the receptacle to adjust its height.

It seems that someone with a decent set of skills should be able to mill one out, given the dimensions (maybe get them from SkyBolt?). Or, at this point, it might just be easier to drill out the flush rivets for the old style and replace them with the new one and be done with it.
 
i asked skybolt for the dimensions/drawings of the tool but they weren't super helpful. all i got was a blurry picture of the thing. they just say "buy a new set".

placing an aviation product on the market and stop providing service several years later is not the greatest supplier performance ever. it was 500 USD and a lot of work and for sure i wouldn't do it again. Van's solution is cleaner, works great and is 5 bucks or so. definitely Vans engineering is not stupid.
 
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