LettersFromFlyoverCountry
Well Known Member
When I was building my RV-7A, one of the things that nagged me consistently in its later stages was disorganization, both with my approach and my workspace organization. It seemed for every one hour I spent actually building, I spent one hour looking for stuff.
I'm reminded of this as I started my annual condition inspection a few weeks ago, which is made a little more difficult by my choice to concede territory to the Minnesota winter and shuttle some things between the cold (kerosene heaters can only do so much) hangar and the warmer home front.
Here's a sample of my routine so far, just with one aspect of this.
1. Remove left wheel to repack bearing.
2. Figure, "what the heck" as long as the wheel is off I might as well flip the tire for even wear. Take wheel home.
3. Remove brake pads. Watch stuck-on disc noise stopper goo pull the "puck" out, sending brake fluid to the floor, of course.
4. Order new brake pads. Pay ridiculous shipping charges and wait.
5. A day later, let online pals convince me that as long as the wheel is off, might as well replace the O-rings on the puck. Order O-rings. Pay ridiculous shipping charges and wait. Same supplier (Van's).
6. Brake pads arrive. Take two hours looking for Rapco rivet remove tool which I could swear was at home. It was at the hangar.
7. Remove rivets at home but accidentally enlarge a hole (or two) , causing a burr.
8. Take parts back to the hangar to debur (grinder wheel is there). Use wife's car because she wants her tires filled and the compressor is at the hangar.
9. Try to take wheels apart to flip tire. Let online pals convince me to go buy a Harbor Freight Bead Breaker. HF store is too far away to drive so check local Northern Tool. They're out.
10. Drive to Harbor Freight, which is closer to hangar. As long as I'm near, stop in to deburr brake pad holders. When finished place them in baggie on passenger seat of wife's car. Fill her tires with air; spend time marveling how she married up.
11. Spend a day and a half trying to get wheel apart. finally, she's free. uncomfortable with how much abuse it tire/tube have to take. Order new tubes just in case. Pay ridiculous shipping fee.
12. A day later, say 'what the heck' maybe things aren't so bad. Reinstall tube, tire, and fill with air. Spend two days making sure it holds pressure.
13. Look at wheel bearings and decide maybe those felt seals could be replaced. Order new felt seals. Pay ridiculous shipping charges.
14. Find Rapco Tool at hangar. Bring home. Ready to go. Whoops, wife took her car to work. Guess what's still in the car?
15. Back to work after a one week vacation in which nothing much actually got done. But at least I remembered to grab the brake pad holders from wife's car. Congratulate myself.
16. Ready to rivet the brake pads. What did I do with the brake pads?
17. No, seriously, where are the (**@*&%)( brake pads? I just had them yesterday. Maybe they're at the hangar.
18. Consider ordering new brake pads if they're not at the hangar.
Will stop at the hangar on the way to work.
I'm reminded of this as I started my annual condition inspection a few weeks ago, which is made a little more difficult by my choice to concede territory to the Minnesota winter and shuttle some things between the cold (kerosene heaters can only do so much) hangar and the warmer home front.
Here's a sample of my routine so far, just with one aspect of this.
1. Remove left wheel to repack bearing.
2. Figure, "what the heck" as long as the wheel is off I might as well flip the tire for even wear. Take wheel home.
3. Remove brake pads. Watch stuck-on disc noise stopper goo pull the "puck" out, sending brake fluid to the floor, of course.
4. Order new brake pads. Pay ridiculous shipping charges and wait.
5. A day later, let online pals convince me that as long as the wheel is off, might as well replace the O-rings on the puck. Order O-rings. Pay ridiculous shipping charges and wait. Same supplier (Van's).
6. Brake pads arrive. Take two hours looking for Rapco rivet remove tool which I could swear was at home. It was at the hangar.
7. Remove rivets at home but accidentally enlarge a hole (or two) , causing a burr.
8. Take parts back to the hangar to debur (grinder wheel is there). Use wife's car because she wants her tires filled and the compressor is at the hangar.
9. Try to take wheels apart to flip tire. Let online pals convince me to go buy a Harbor Freight Bead Breaker. HF store is too far away to drive so check local Northern Tool. They're out.
10. Drive to Harbor Freight, which is closer to hangar. As long as I'm near, stop in to deburr brake pad holders. When finished place them in baggie on passenger seat of wife's car. Fill her tires with air; spend time marveling how she married up.
11. Spend a day and a half trying to get wheel apart. finally, she's free. uncomfortable with how much abuse it tire/tube have to take. Order new tubes just in case. Pay ridiculous shipping fee.
12. A day later, say 'what the heck' maybe things aren't so bad. Reinstall tube, tire, and fill with air. Spend two days making sure it holds pressure.
13. Look at wheel bearings and decide maybe those felt seals could be replaced. Order new felt seals. Pay ridiculous shipping charges.
14. Find Rapco Tool at hangar. Bring home. Ready to go. Whoops, wife took her car to work. Guess what's still in the car?
15. Back to work after a one week vacation in which nothing much actually got done. But at least I remembered to grab the brake pad holders from wife's car. Congratulate myself.
16. Ready to rivet the brake pads. What did I do with the brake pads?
17. No, seriously, where are the (**@*&%)( brake pads? I just had them yesterday. Maybe they're at the hangar.
18. Consider ordering new brake pads if they're not at the hangar.
Will stop at the hangar on the way to work.