What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Inserting washers and spacers in tight spaces

Cessnadog

Cessnadog

Active Member
Sponsor
Maybe everyone knows this but it was new to me and worked really well.

I was rigging the pushrods for my aileron tonight and dropped a washer… and it disappeared. You know how this goes, right? Screw through a bearing, then a washer and then a spacer and oh, by the way… there really isn’t room there for all of it. So use your favorite technique to get he washer in, then figure out how to wedge the spacer in without knocking off the wash... damn.

It only took 20 minutes to find the washer stuck in a crevasse in the wing. I used a magnetic retrieval tool and got it out. It then dawned on me that if I used a small piece of the 3m double sided tape to tape these two together I could at least insert them as a unit. Then it occurred to me that the magnet would hold the washer (and now connected spacer) while I stuck it into the small space it needed to go. Took 10 second.

Will definatly use this again.
 
Here is a trick I use often, and I don't remember anyone else mentioning it.

Trim a piece of the correct diameter wood dowel to the perfect length where it is a snug fit into the fork or yoke or whatever space you are trying to insert an assembly of spacers, bearing, etc. Then, put that piece of dowel in the rod bearing (or whatever is going into the slot) with the intended stack of spacers, washers, etc on the dowel. slide the assembly into the fork, or yoke or whatever. The slight pressure of the dowel ends against the inside of the fork will prevent the washers from going astray. Move the assembly as needed so that the dowel is completely visible through the bolt hole in the fork, and then push the bolt through from one side, allowing the dowel to be pushed out the other side.

I can not keep track of how much frustration this trick has saved.
 
Spruce sells a set of tools that clip onto the edge of a washer that allow you to hold it in place while you insert a bolt. The set is kinda pricey, but every time I use it I think it was a good investment.
 
Cessnadog said:
Maybe everyone knows this but it was new to me and worked really well.

I was rigging the pushrods for my aileron tonight and dropped a washer… and it disappeared. You know how this goes, right? Screw through a bearing, then a washer and then a spacer and oh, by the way… there really isn’t room there for all of it. So use your favorite technique to get he washer in, then figure out how to wedge the spacer in without knocking off the wash... damn.

It only took 20 minutes to find the washer stuck in a crevasse in the wing. I used a magnetic retrieval tool and got it out. It then dawned on me that if I used a small piece of the 3m double sided tape to tape these two together I could at least insert them as a unit. Then it occurred to me that the magnet would hold the washer (and now connected spacer) while I stuck it into the small space it needed to go. Took 10 second.

Will definatly use this again.
Click to expand...
These work well for me: Washer Wrench Set.
 
For us greybeard aircraft mechanics, we all use a stuff I refer to as "Gookemputty" , though I cant directly point you in a direction of where to find it ( I have a ball of it from 1980 that still works) . Its a non-hardening auto body seam filler with clay-like properties that sticks to most anything. Every mechanic had a spot on their toolbox where a blob resided, and you just put a smidge between nut,washer and your finger, screwdriver tip or whatever and reach into never never land. Leave behind what you cant smear back off. I use it all the time.
 
There are a million different tricks for something like this and over the years I think I'v tried them all.

Some good techniques for washer insertion (situationally dependent)

1- Washer wrenches
2- Popsicle sticks with a notch cut in the end
3- superglue a stack of washers together before insertion.
4- use vaseline to temporarily stick something together to get a bolt on it.
5- hold stuff with a magnet.

Note; the effectiveness of the above techniques may be enhanced by concurrently vocalizing how incompetent the design engineer was and how the world would be a better place if he died in a barn fire.
 
scsmith said:
Here is a trick I use often, and I don't remember anyone else mentioning it.

Trim a piece of the correct diameter wood dowel to the perfect length where it is a snug fit into the fork or yoke or whatever space you are trying to insert an assembly of spacers, bearing, etc. Then, put that piece of dowel in the rod bearing (or whatever is going into the slot) with the intended stack of spacers, washers, etc on the dowel. slide the assembly into the fork, or yoke or whatever. The slight pressure of the dowel ends against the inside of the fork will prevent the washers from going astray. Move the assembly as needed so that the dowel is completely visible through the bolt hole in the fork, and then push the bolt through from one side, allowing the dowel to be pushed out the other side.

I can not keep track of how much frustration this trick has saved.
Click to expand...
I use this dowel method often as well as the washer wrenches mentioned above. I use the magnet trick to hold the brake caliper behind the rotor as getting the bolt started usually takes two hands.
My washer issues comes from adel clamps in tight places. True frustration is trying to get a washer under the nut on a double adel clamp between the engine and firewall.
 
dental floss works well to keep a stack of washers together. Put the bolt through the washers then pull out the floss
 
plehrke said:
...True frustration is trying to get a washer under the nut on a double adel clamp between the engine and firewall...
Click to expand...
you can squeeze the adel clamp together on an awl, then safety wire it shut, stack everything up, get a nut on it, and then cut the safety wire.
 
I can't remember where I got it, either Harbor Freight or Craftsman, I think, that is a finger cot with a magnet at the end. SO: you stick the washer on the end of your (now magnetized!) finger and put it up on the bolt. Doesn't work for everything but has its place and is a handy thing to have!
 
plehrke said:
I use this dowel method often as well as the washer wrenches mentioned above. I use the magnet trick to hold the brake caliper behind the rotor as getting the bolt started usually takes two hands.
My washer issues comes from adel clamps in tight places. True frustration is trying to get a washer under the nut on a double adel clamp between the engine and firewall.
Click to expand...
For Adel Clamps, AKA "nut launchers", I make a lasso out of fine safety wire and put it around the tabs of the clamp. While the clamp is where I want it, I twist the lasso tight with safety wire pliers. That holds the tabs together and aligned so you can put the bolt, washer, nut, stand-offs, other clamps, whatever, onto the clamp, get the nut started, then I clip the safety wire with some fine cutters and pull the wire out. For a double Adel clamp, lasso each clamp closed individually, then put the bolt through.
 
I think you need to have a couple-three solutions to this problem. Sometimes some things work and others don’t. I have the washer wrenches, and I’ve used the dowel method too, but occasionally you find an application where neither work that well. I haven’t tried, but I like the “gookemputty” idea and I think I know where you can get it. I bought some rope caulk from my Ace hardware store, and it is like clay, stays somewhat pliable and sticks to most things. As a caulk on your house it’s OK as long as it’s not cosmetic and doesn’t need to be painted, but for holding things together temporarily during assembly, it sounds like a good idea. I also like the finger condom with a magnet in it. I didn’t know there was such a thing.
 
For the Adel clams I made these little retainers to keep them under control
425CDDFF-2ABA-4217-81E7-F6872D983EA5.jpeg
91615385-6052-4CFF-946B-6E2DCF175EE5.jpeg
4FBD1011-2057-4671-B2A5-DB065245D97B.jpeg
Click to expand...
 
Yikes. There's a reason I call them nut launchers. If that little keeper slips off, it is going somewhere with some velocity. I'd blunt the end a bit I think.
Often you are mating the Adel clamp up to something else (maybe even another clamp) so you need that surface to be flat. The retainer would be in the way. And if rotating the clamp allows the keeper to hang up on the other part, it will likely dislodge it.
 
Roadjunkie1 said:
I can't remember where I got it, either Harbor Freight or Craftsman, I think, that is a finger cot with a magnet at the end. SO: you stick the washer on the end of your (now magnetized!) finger and put it up on the bolt. Doesn't work for everything but has its place and is a handy thing to have!
Click to expand...
You can save yourself a trip to the store by just dropping a small cylindrical magnet in the appropriate finger of a nitrile glove.
 
Wow, what a treasure trove of accumulated wisdom! I am making a set of Adel clamp retainers this morning. Next challenge: Where to put them so I can find them when I need them. Steve
 
Desert Rat said:
My dad taught me to use "Ackempucky" back on the farm. But It wasn't until I got to the experimental shop at Cessna that I learned about "Butt Butter"...
Click to expand...
I guess it depends on what part of the country you are from. Montana and Dakotas: Gookumpuckie! 😆 Butt Butter? I use that when I race bicycles! But it doesn't go on my finger......;)
 
For Adels, you can take a chip chaser and cut the hook off and grind a tight to the screw thread slot in the end. Close the clamps down, the slide the end of the chaser over the threads and then install the nut.
 
TS Flightlines said:
these worked well for me.View attachment 55844
Click to expand...
I have used these for 20 plus years, work great.
Fuel Lube for sure in areas you can't fit these washer tools
Adel clamp pliers or just use safety wire. Clamp the Adel closed with needle nose vise grips with the bolt or screw keeping things aligned and then use 020 safety wire. After you get the nut started cut the safety wire. This work great when you have multiple Adel Clamps on one bolt.
 
Hemostats or hemostatic clamps were extremely helpful in installing single or double adel/cushion clamps. They used to be hard to find, but now you can get them on ebay, amazon, probably at harbor freight, aliexpress, and my favorite place, the Oshkosh flea mart. I have found them to be very useful in a lot of other places as well.

1707633275081.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top