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Old 05-23-2013 | 05:55 AM
  #672  
clockguypete
 
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Rochester, NY
Default RE: Seagull Gee Bee Z

Yeah, I can understand that about those screws. I completely disassembled my oleo's just to see for myself how they were put together. I ended up drilling and installing a second pressed in steel pin in each one at the fork assembly, since the factory pin was a little loose in the hole, not pressed in tight. I also had removed the set screws one at a time, and marked and filed flats, so the set screws had a more secure bite instead of trying to hold on just the fork's center socket head screw threads. I also did the same for the three set screws up at the top of the oleo where the Z shaped wire is held in place. It is important to dry fit everything in the plane and check for proper alignment first , before marking and filing anything. I replaced the socket screw that rides up and down in the oleo channel (the anti rotation one you were referring to) with a longer one that threads in further, and can accommodate a flat washer between the screw head and channel. I stoned the rough edges of the channel cut out to remove any burrs before reassembling with loctite on the threads. I also sprayed some corrosion X lube/ rust inhibitor inside the oleo to coat the steel spring, in hopes to prevent future rust and failure. I noticed during taxing, a knock, knock ,knock sound coming from the plane. Figured out that every time the oleo compresses a little to absorb shock, the anti rotation, or travel limiting screw returns to the end of the channel and hits metal on metal. Hence, knock knock noise even when just towing my plane to the pit area by the tail via a soft rope. I can live with that since the plane does not taxi very much before getting airborne! I have ordered another ARF and will transfer everything salvaged into the new one. Luckily, I was able to salvage most of the added equipment, so my loss on a total 1500.00 investment only came to 500.00 for a new ARF, Slimline pitts muffler, Throttle servo, carbon fiber prop, Dubro anti-vibration motor mount, and some miscellaneous items. Ok and 90 hours of build time.... yeah I kept track :-) I just have to do another one of these because it was such a nice plane to look at and flew great! I plan to run redundant power with two batteries, and two switches on the next one, and you can bet I will be inspecting every connector to make sure they were assembled correctly by the manufacturer.