Sig 4*40 Landing Gear Bolts
06-03-2006, 06:26 PM
#1
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Sig 4*40 Landing Gear Bolts
I am building a Sig 4*40. I am reluctant to use the 6*32 metal bolts as the first clumsy landing will tear the bottom of the fuselage off. Who used Nylon bolts and what size?
Francis
Francis
06-03-2006, 07:56 PM
#3
RE: Sig 4*40 Landing Gear Bolts
ORIGINAL: FrancisPerson
I am building a Sig 4*40. I am reluctant to use the 6*32 metal bolts as the first clumsy landing will tear the bottom of the fuselage off. Who used Nylon bolts and what size?
Francis
I am building a Sig 4*40. I am reluctant to use the 6*32 metal bolts as the first clumsy landing will tear the bottom of the fuselage off. Who used Nylon bolts and what size?
Francis
Bill, AMA 4720
06-03-2006, 08:54 PM
#4
RE: Sig 4*40 Landing Gear Bolts
I suggest the 1/4 x 20 nylon bolts. They will protect the bottom of your fuselage if you have a rough landing, or lose one wheel like a buddy did a while back. Actually, make that quite a few buddies losing wheels. Anyway, it is a good system to mount main gears and probably much better than little wood screws.
06-03-2006, 10:36 PM
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RE: Sig 4*40 Landing Gear Bolts
1/4-20 is too large and will not shear off when you want them to. I'd use 4 10-24. They will pop off on a hard landing and save your plane's fuselage.
Drill and tap the LG mount. Soak the threads with thin CA. Re-tap. Do this twice more. You'll have threads in the ply that will never strip out. I've used this method on all my planes, even a giant Stinger (with appropriately-sized bolts). It works great!
Dr.1
Drill and tap the LG mount. Soak the threads with thin CA. Re-tap. Do this twice more. You'll have threads in the ply that will never strip out. I've used this method on all my planes, even a giant Stinger (with appropriately-sized bolts). It works great!
Dr.1
06-04-2006, 09:44 AM
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RE: Sig 4*40 Landing Gear Bolts
Bill,
I practice touch and go's endlessly but once and a while???
I practice touch and go's endlessly but once and a while???
ORIGINAL: Stickbuilder
Why not make up a couple of ply gussets, and install them on the gear plate and to the adjacent upright. Use epoxy, and you won't believe how much abuse they will take. I would not change over to nylon bolts. If you are that prone to rupping your gear off, maybe you should take a few more landing lessons. (no offense intended)
Bill, AMA 4720
ORIGINAL: FrancisPerson
I am building a Sig 4*40. I am reluctant to use the 6*32 metal bolts as the first clumsy landing will tear the bottom of the fuselage off. Who used Nylon bolts and what size?
Francis
I am building a Sig 4*40. I am reluctant to use the 6*32 metal bolts as the first clumsy landing will tear the bottom of the fuselage off. Who used Nylon bolts and what size?
Francis
Bill, AMA 4720
06-04-2006, 09:40 PM
#7
RE: Sig 4*40 Landing Gear Bolts
They have broken off enough times for me, but I won't argue the size part of it. Maybe you are right, but it isn't worth hassling over. I have both balsa and small pieces of pine blocks tapped pretty much as you stated. I tapped, CA'ed, and retapped only once on mine. I wouldn't do this thru only ply. Even a hardened balsa block would be better. A think piece of ply could act as a blade to shear the bolts unnecessarily.......
