hi...can anyone send some pics of there bandit arf tail section with pipe instaled? mine seams to touch the top of the fuse with the former instaled at 3 inch. at 4 inch the former wont even touch the fuse sides or top. not sure if it matters but im using the bypas for the p-80.

thanks...mike

I just measured mine a 3 1/4". My tailpipe former would not fit at 4" either with a P-70.

Al

hey...thanks for the info. but does yours hit the top of the fuse at the end? the former is all ready glued in at 3inch.

thanks again...mike

Mine is a snug fit at all 4 corners at 3 1/4". Should not be a problem for you.

Al

My Bandit did not come with the tailpipe former and doesn't have one. 30+ flights no problem.

pics of pipe.........

Is the concern that the pipe is touching the fuse?

hi...yeah just dont want any problems with heat even though its the outer pipe.


thanks...mike

Just keep the following in mind:

A good rule of thumb is that anything under 120 F you can keep your hand on, and while it might be hot, if you can keep your hand on it, it is under 120. Anything over 120, you might be able to touch it, but you will have to take your hand off of it.

I have seen many people do the "feel the fuse" test for checking if temps were good between the pipe and the fuse. This is not an accurate way to determine if your install is good. The reason is, fiberglass fuse's do not begin to soften until around 150 degrees F sustained. So there is a 30 degree gap there that no one can feel to see if they are still within a sound installation.

What I do is use an infrared T stat to check the fuse all over the ass end. Typically I have seen as high as 145, and blessed the airplane as a sound installation and many flights afterward, and never a temp problem. There was an installation that had 155 and sure enough within a minute of running the turbine, you could press in on the fuse and deform it if you kept pressing.

Hate to tell you all to go out and buy another device, but it truly is the only for sure way to know if you are in the clear from an academic standpoint.

As regards your install, I might go ahead and leave the install the way it is, and check it in the real world. Sometimes in this hobby, building something correctly might be outside the checkboxes shown in a manual.

FWIW,

Sean

I took a look at what I did on my Barfie. I epoxied three hardwood roundels to the fuselage at the end of the pipe to keep it centered, and covered the whole area with BVM Heatshield. The heatshield may not be necessary, but like Sean said if you don't know how hot it gets it's better to prepare for the worse.

David

hey guys....thanks again for all the help as im vary new to turbines and really need all the help one can give and you guys have help me.

i think im going to do the old school bandit instal with the four wood blocks and use some heat sheald like the manual and you guys have said. hope to see all at florida jets with the new bandit.

thanks again....mike

My outer skin of pipe touches the top of the fuse and i have not had any problems. Keep in mind that it is the outer skin of the pipe and although it gets hot....It does not get as hot as the inner pipe.

My set up is not modified and looks the same as your photos - I've had no problems.

The outer pipe touches the skin at the exit point exactly the same as your photos.

Get ready to add some tail weight!

2 BARFs, 40 flights on one, 25 on the other with outer pipe on skin. No sign at all of heating the skin. I've got a 120 in one and a titan in the other. No former just wood blocks.

I figure that if the skin gets hot I've got more serious problems.

Raf