tail spring fit in weldment

tikicarver · #1 04-09-2015, 02:44 PM

My tail spring will not slide into the weldment. seems like the inside diameter of the weldment is just about .001 or .002 smaller than the OD of the tail spring.
I thought about borrowing a reamer to clean up the hole but someone pointed out since there are two bushings in the tube on opposite ends, if the reamer goes in at a slight angle it will not line up on the opposite side bushing.

I'm interested to hear how other people got a nice fit of the tail spring into the weldment.

KitfoxJoe · #2 04-09-2015, 04:04 PM

My tail spring was tight too. I just took some 150 grit sandpaper wrapped it around the tail spring where it came in contact with weldment and sanded lightly. I also put a little grease on it to help slide it in. A reamer may remove too much metal. Hope that helps you. Joe

vfrazier · #3 04-13-2015, 09:21 AM

Deburr it as others have said. If that works, great.

If it's still tight, put the tailspring in your freezer and keep the weldment as warm as is appropriate in your shop. You might warm it with an electric space heater for a few minutes. Doing this should get you about .0007" additional clearance... and you'll get a nice tight fit to boot once it cools/warms back to room temp.

It that doesn't work... get a 0.635" chucking reamer and clean out the weldment.

tikicarver · #4 04-15-2015, 01:03 PM

I deburred everything. then I ran a brake cylinder hone through it.
I have a real nice fit on the aft end, but as I slide it up to the forward end it
will not go in.
I can slide a 7/8" drill bit through it so I'm thinking the two bushings inside are slightly out of alignment.

I guess I need to find a .875 reamer on ebay, i can't think of any other way to make sure the two bushings are in alignment.

PS- I thought of the hot/cold trick, but then I would never be able to remove it when I need to drill the tailwheel end.

vfrazier · #5 04-15-2015, 02:21 PM

Oops.. 0.635" is the other end of the spring. Sorry.

How will you hold the reamer in alignment and not end up with a potentially egg shaped cut?

Have you tried to bevel the edge of the end of the tailspring just a bit so it will engage and possibly go on in?

tikicarver · #6 04-20-2015, 09:18 AM

ya i thought about that after I posted.
The reamer would probably cut into the aft bushing and ruin my nice fit in that end which sees most of the load.

Since it slides into the aft bushing cleanly, I think I need to relieve the edge on the forward bushing, that is what it seems to be catching on.