Before you put it on the gear....forgotten anything?

[tonyjohnson]

I am about to put my 8A on the gear and install the engine.

I am testing the wiring and finalizing the firewall penetration points. I am also wondering if there is anything that I should do now, while it is still in the cradle and the interior is more easily accessable.

Any lessons learned out there from those of you who wish you had completed something prior to putting your project on its gear and installing the engine?

[Bryan Wood]

Discount this if it isn't the case for your situation, but having the gear on my 9A before installing the wings made the attach bolts for the wings almost impossible to install and tighten. If you are building at a place that allows the wings to go on first you will save hours and hours of frustration. Of course this may or may not be the case with an 8A.

Best,

[Jekyll]

Don't forget to match drill the gear legs to the mounts. Also get your axles drilled for the cotter pins. Get the wheels built up before you lift it.

Jekyll

[Shockwave]

We taped the shock mounts together before installing the engine. Just put the tape clear out on the edge so you don't catch it with the engine, and leave enough slack in the tape so the bolt can rise out (but not fall out).

I don't know if it was just us, but start with the bottom mounts, they're the hardest to get to and the 4th bolt was a real bear to get lined up.

[Pilottonny]

Bryan, how is that? Why was it harder to get the bolts in, than without the gearlegs on? Were the wing-bolt holes no longer alligning properly because of the weight of the plane on the gears? There should have been a lot of (smaller) bolts in the gearbrackets already though.

Regards, Tonny