Prepping for my 1st Condition Inspection

tkatc · #1 02-14-2012, 10:10 AM

My condition inspection is due next month. I am not the builder nor do I have an A&P rating. I want to document my progress here for any other buyer's who are experiencing this steep learning curve. I hope this will also serve to put my A&P at ease when he can see the work I've perfromed.

I will go further into my condition inspection but for now I am prepping and taking care of all the things I can BEFORE I get my A&P involved. Hopefully this will make things go a bit smoother.

I made my jacks last week. Not essential but I like them.

I removed the wheel pants so I could replace the main tires and brakes as well as grease the bearings. These tasks are easy enough but time consuming when you have never done it before. The EAA website has instructional videos that help immensely.

Old pads and new.

If you look closely you can see how much thicker the new pads are vs. the old.

One set complete!!

Old vs. New!! (As a rookie RV driver I was hard on my brakes!)

Brakes complete! Nice rounded rivets with no cracks.

tkatc · #2 02-14-2012, 10:18 AM

The tires we just about done.

Desser monster retreads!!

The bearings were pretty gunked up too!

Split the wheels and cleaned everything up. Now I'm ready to repack the bearings and assemble.

Satisfaction!! Now I just have to install. Not really looking forward to saftey wiring but it goes with the territory.

gasman · #3 02-14-2012, 11:19 AM

If you decide not to replace the tubes with the tires, at least inspect the stem for corrosion on the back side. This can cause a slow leak.

tkatc · #4 02-14-2012, 12:43 PM

Good tip Gasman. I did re-use the tubes and the valve stems looked great. I have a rubber grommet on my wheels that keeps water/debris out of the inside of the wheel. I was cursing them during the disassembly/assembly because it was very hard to get the stem out of the wheel but they do work.

Bob Axsom · #5 02-14-2012, 01:11 PM

It is tailored for N710BJ but it is easy to edit if you have Excel on your computer. It has 158 items on it divided up into sections of the airplane and organized logically within the sections. I admit I was going to post it earlier but I worry that someone could use it and claim that I was responsible for them missing a critical check that lead to an accident. I believe that you work for the FAA and that is another cause for pause. When I started mine I did the research to find the specified lubricants, gaps, torque values, etc. and included them along with spaces for the actual names, numbers and values into the checksheet. You probably should consider doing something similar, even though you will not be doing the actual inspection, to make sure it is done right. Remember all of these airplanes are unique in some way and your average authorized inspector is not going to be familiar with them.

Bob Axsom

tkatc · #6 02-14-2012, 01:23 PM

Thanks Bob. My inspector has built an RV-8A so he I familiar. I do have a checklist similar to what you describe. It might even be yours because that tail number seems familiar. It would be funny if I was already following your list. I hate that we live in a society where we are always conscious of being liable. And don't fret about my FAA employment, I'm a controller at work but an aviator when I leave the workplace!! ; )

pierre smith · #7 02-14-2012, 03:02 PM

FWIW, Tony, it's recommended that you change tubes when changing tires, because the old ones stretch and may have a wrinkle or two inside the new tires, that could cause a failure and a leak.

Just keep your eye on the inflation and change them next time.

Best,

tkatc · #8 02-14-2012, 07:13 PM

Thanks Pierre. I thought about changing them out but they held perfect pressure before. I've also discovered many disagree about wether it's necessary or not...

Anyway, anybody have any examples of how I should log this maintanence in my book? And do I need to retain the FAA form I got from Desser reference the tires?

LifeofReiley · #9 02-14-2012, 07:29 PM

Pull the valve stems and inflate and deflate a couple of time and the tubes should be fine... going on the third set of tires with no issues doing it this way.

Walt · #10 02-14-2012, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pierre smith

FWIW, Tony, it's recommended that you change tubes when changing tires, because the old ones stretch and may have a wrinkle or two inside the new tires, that could cause a failure and a leak.

Best,

Pierre is correct, the tubes are the weak link in the tire chain and all tire manufacturers recommend you replace them when you replace the tires. The first time you get flat away from home you will wish you had not been so frugal.

I will not re-use tubes, New tires = new tubes.