Post season check on a 35% Extra 330 rudder revealed the two lowest Robart Hinge Points had a small amount of play when pulled on. Not the metal hinge pin but the hinge inself would pull slightly out of the glue pocket. The other hinges seemed tight under a pull test. Is there any trick to reanchor those 2 hinge points?
If not and it's necessary to remove the hinge points and start over has anyone had any experience and could respond with a good method. I heard somewhere that the hinge points can be removed/replaced but not sure what that involves. This Extra has a DA100 on cans has been flown a lot in the last 2 years but the airframe is still in excellant shape overall.
Thanks for your help!
davep

dmparri,

I have drilled a hole in a slight downward direction until you make contact with the hinge. Clean the wood out of the hole with an Xacto hook blade. Now your ready to apply the epoxy in the hole. Fill the hole with your favorite wood filler and recover. You could also drill a very small hole and use a needle and surenge and shoot CA in the hole around the hinge.

I like Zippi's method but what I do is cut all the hinges off and re-hinge the entire control surface, just to be sure.

You could always use a syringe to get glue down in there either Gorilla or epoxy.

I think I would do exactly that.

Bob

carlgrover

Thanks for replying first of all
What method do you use to remove the old hinges. I can imagine cutting off the knuckle portion of the hinge point by how do you get the rest of the hinge point out of the pocket? Or do you redrill at new locations?

Thank you
davep

I would go in new locations. Your drill bit will wander and I doubt you will get a good straight hole.

carlgrover,

Just the hinge that has play in it is the only one you'll need to do as I described about. That is the reason for doing this so you don't have to remove the control surface to replace the hinges.

Some good information regarding removing hinge points can be found at the link below. Starts near the bottom of this page and then continues on to the following page.

http://www.rcscalebuilder.com/forum/...9&PN=1&TPN=211

Thanks Chad!

No need to remove the hinges. Use Poly glue (Elmers or gorilla). Use a syringe and inject some around the hinge. Spray with some water and check it very few minutes for the first 30-45mins to clean up the expanding glue. When it is totally dry that glue will expand and fill up the area making the hinge tighter than when it was new.

Sweetpea01 is right on the money I have had to do this a few times now and this method works great and doesn't invovle much time.The Gorilla glue works best it will expand and fill the void around the hinge. There is no reason to replace the hinges if they are only loose in the wood and the pins are OK
jerrysu29 Call Sign Wild Man

Thanks to all who took the time to reply!!
Gorilla glue it is
dmparri
AMA# 12917