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Securing Wheel Pants

A

Aggie78

Well Known Member
At the end of my last flight of my not-built-by-me RV-7, I noticed one wheel pant much looser than another...it could be very easily moved around by hand, whereas the other was pretty solid. When I disassembled the wheel pant to find out what was going on, missing was the AN4 bolt that goes thru the mounting bracket of the pant and secures it to the wheel's axle bolt. The pant was just being held on by the bolts on the brake plate and the screws and tinnerman washers holding the fiberglass halves together. Not good...

Examining the other side revealed a loosened bolt/lockwasher (internal)/washer combo in that area too, which I tightened.

Is this a recurring problem? Or, is my hardware (using the above mentioned internal lockwasher) wrong and I should use a different type of lockwasher?
(External?) Or, Should I use thread locker to keep the bolt from backing out?

Or....is the loosening of these bolts inevitable, and regular tightening just something I need to resign myself to putting on my action list of routine maintenance items?

I find the entire situation of what, which and when to use lockwashers in aircraft applications pretty unclear, so any help there is appreciated.

For that matter, as a non-builder owner, I'd appreciate any pointout as well to a decently equipped kit of basic AN hardware to have on hand for problems like this...Spruce has some, but are out of stock.

Does any other of the usual aviation suppliers put together such a kit?

Thanks for any advice,

Rob S.
 
Aggie78 said:
Or....is the loosening of these bolts inevitable, and regular tightening just something I need to resign myself to putting on my action list of routine maintenance items?
Click to expand...

This.

In addition, you want to check if the main bracket is loose where it mounts to the axle flange.
 
Do you have a set of plans?
I am pretty sure the plans call for bolts with drilled heads that get safety wired.
 
I lost a fairing bolt during my first year of flying. Asked here the same question, checked the plans, yep missed that drilled head for safety wire. :)
 
I have an RV8 that I did not build. I recently did a brake job, wheel bearing pack and put on new tires and tubes with the help of a more experienced RV6 driver.

My helper pointed out that the main bolts that hold the wheel pant bracket were not drilled or safety wired. I bought and installed the bolts and safety wired as directed.

All that said, I never had a problem with the bolts coming loose or falling out as you described.
 
Thank you folks, for the responses.

As I said, I bought this bird already built and am on a learning curve of what was and wasn't done according to the plans (a set of which I have, but are sitting at home while I'm on the road on an airline trip, trying to figger things out.) My kit was a QB, put together very well, and I had a pre-buy done by a very good mech, but...some things get missed. Obviously!

So...the upshot is, it appears neither one of the fairing bolts going into the big axle nut was safety-wired. Whether the ones on the other side of the fairing mount need (and have) bolts that are drilled and safety wired will have to wait until get back home, see what the aircraft looks like and then look at the plans call for.

Glad I came here to ask the question, as it has answered my main question AND has given me something else to look for and make sure was done as called for in the plans.

Just need to get an assortment of AN hardware coming my way now! Being the typical non-builder-owner, I have crates full of hardware and automotive store stuff-but nothing AN-so its time to build that inventory.

Looks like ACS, Chief and Wicks all have starter kits of the most commonly used pieces that I can order now, unless I should hold out for the gent running General Aircraft Hardware to turn back on access to his website? (he closes it on the weekend.) Worth the wait?

Thanks again, gang.

Rob S.
 
You might just call Vans on Monday and order the CD with the plans, parts lists , instructions, and drawings. This way you can have it all with you, and the sort the list for fasteners. With the fastener list, order a RV specific list.

I bought a kit in process and had to go go through packing lists and type them into a spreadsheet to order all the missing fasteners.

Never count on washers to keep bolts tight.
 
Bill,

That's a great idea. Better to have the hardware on hand that I'll need vs the pre-pack kits containing some items that will never be used.

Calling Van's Monday to get the CD heading my way...appreciate it!

Rob S.
 
The Rest of the Story...

So, back home from the airline trip and I pull the plans out. Drawing C2, according build instructions.

Locate the drawing, and right on there it says to use the drilled AN4 bolt and flat washer on the VA-106 axle nut and safety wire the bolt head to the cotter pin inserted the VA-106.

Significantly, NO MENTION of using the internal lockwasher that was also installed (improperly) on my rig.

The back side of the plate is correctly attached using the appropriate bolts and AN365 Nyloc nuts.

Thanks again all for the help!

Rob Schroer
 
By any chance dies this have the adapter for the Avery RV tire Jack? Because if you lose one of the screws because you didn't put a new lock washer on last time you jacked the plane up, the wheel pant will come lose even if the bolt is safety wired to the axle cotter pin.

I just learned this the hard way.
 
LettersFromFlyoverCountry said:
By any chance dies this have the adapter for the Avery RV tire Jack? Because if you lose one of the screws because you didn't put a new lock washer on last time you jacked the plane up, the wheel pant will come lose even if the bolt is safety wired to the axle cotter pin.

I just learned this the hard way.
Click to expand...


Don't think I do, 'cause mine looks exactly like the plans call for...don't see any adapter attached.

Oh, and I found out too, when doing the safety wire-it's nice to have the cotter pin head oriented the right way...like towards the nose of the aircraft.

The last time the tire/wheel came off, it was reinstalled with the pin head aft, and it's dang near impossible to safety wire the thing that way...so, then I got to flatten out the pin, pull it, and now it's back to the supply store for the MS24665 cotter pin called for in the plans.

Plenty of upslope on the old learning curve still....

Rob Schroer
 
confession is good for the soul!?

...okay, I know a guy, who knows a guy, who MAY have not lockwired his bolts, 'cause just sitting looking at the whole thing, POSSIBLY thought that putting a bolt into an axle cap resulted in it TURNING, so just used loctite, since, well, a wire would just go round and round and round and ....snap!!!!:eek:

lesson for me?
1. take photos before you take things apart.
2. keep the EXACT bolt with the part (drilled head likely means it was safetied!.....duh!)
3. don't rely on the the builder or mechanic who last touched it. there are many interpretations of 'the way'. Find out the right one, and stick to it.
4. consider you just got your money's worth for your donation! :D
 
timely thread for me, a non-builder owner. I noticed my right main gear making a squeaking noise yesterday when I was turning the airplane on the ground while backing it into the hangar. I decided to take off the wheel pant and see what was going on.

I found the U-810 bracket was rubbing slightly against the brake disc. I also noticed that there was no safety wire on the bolts holding the caliper on the wheel, even though the bolts were drilled. And the bolt holding the U-808 was not safety wired either... Not sure if that one was drilled or not.

Interesting that these items were not noticed on the condition inspection. So I have some work to do, no big deal. I love VAF.
 
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