CARF Rudder Repair
10-28-2021, 10:20 PM
#1
Thread Starter
CARF Rudder Repair
Just got my first CARF. Great flying airplane. However it appears that the wood spine that holds the hinges has come loose from the skin. There is rudder control, the rudder does work, but I believe it will fail if not repaired soon. Even though I can see the movement between the skin and the wood, I cannot see how one would get any epoxy in there to make the joints reliably solid again. Sure, I could get in through the little slots and drip it down, but there is no way to ensure the epoxy is getting where it needs to go.
Has anyone been through this that has a reliable, minimally invasive, cost effective method of repairing this?
Has anyone been through this that has a reliable, minimally invasive, cost effective method of repairing this?
10-29-2021, 03:58 AM
#2
The only way to get glue where it needs to be is to remove the rudder leading edge, glue what you need to but with a waxed piece of 5/32 music wire through the hinge to make sure everything stays aligned. After the repair is done you would just tape the leading edge back in place with some clear tape. Only other real option is order a new rudder but typically not a direct drop in.
10-29-2021, 09:35 AM
#3
Thread Starter
The only way to get glue where it needs to be is to remove the rudder leading edge, glue what you need to but with a waxed piece of 5/32 music wire through the hinge to make sure everything stays aligned. After the repair is done you would just tape the leading edge back in place with some clear tape. Only other real option is order a new rudder but typically not a direct drop in.
Thanks!
10-29-2021, 07:07 PM
#4
Depends on what you find. If the Rohacell has failed then I would suggest applying enough pressure to get it back together and slowly saturate with thin CA. If the wood has just pulled away then straight slow cure epoxy. If there was a manufacturing flaw and it didn’t get bonded in the area that failed then a mix of epoxy and cabosil.
10-29-2021, 07:32 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Depends on what you find. If the Rohacell has failed then I would suggest applying enough pressure to get it back together and slowly saturate with thin CA. If the wood has just pulled away then straight slow cure epoxy. If there was a manufacturing flaw and it didn’t get bonded in the area that failed then a mix of epoxy and cabosil.
11-01-2021, 04:11 AM
#7
Just cut the center 1/2 to 2/3 of the leading edge out, so it looks like an open shell taco. It only needs to be just just wide enough to get a hysol nozzle or an epoxy mixing stick inside the leading edge.
them once done, put the cut free piece back in and use some clear tape to hold it back in like Trixie said.
done properly, you’ll have no more open space for air to get inside than it did originally.
them once done, put the cut free piece back in and use some clear tape to hold it back in like Trixie said.
done properly, you’ll have no more open space for air to get inside than it did originally.
