How to Secure Strut to Retract Mount?
01-12-2004, 06:30 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Livermore,
CA
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How to Secure Strut to Retract Mount?
Hello,
I have a set of Spring Air Retracts and Robart struts. I am attaching the struts directly to the retract mount, i.e., the strut tube inside the retract mount hole where the wire coupler usually goes. I had to slightly increase the size of holes in the retract mount and made one too large. The result is that the strut will stay in the strut mount, but is not sufficiently tight. Basically I have an aluminum tube in a hole in a piece of aluminum and I want the fit to be tighter. Any suggestions from the more experienced modellers out there? I presume epoxy would work, but I am not sure I want such a permanent solution. Thanks for your help.
Regards,
Travis
I have a set of Spring Air Retracts and Robart struts. I am attaching the struts directly to the retract mount, i.e., the strut tube inside the retract mount hole where the wire coupler usually goes. I had to slightly increase the size of holes in the retract mount and made one too large. The result is that the strut will stay in the strut mount, but is not sufficiently tight. Basically I have an aluminum tube in a hole in a piece of aluminum and I want the fit to be tighter. Any suggestions from the more experienced modellers out there? I presume epoxy would work, but I am not sure I want such a permanent solution. Thanks for your help.
Regards,
Travis
01-14-2004, 04:54 PM
#2
RE: How to Secure Strut to Retract Mount?
How much bigger did you make it? that block has the allan screw to lock the strut in correct?
If you need, call Bill at SAir and maybe he can make a brass plg to fit int the block and inside the strut.He is a great guy.
If you need, call Bill at SAir and maybe he can make a brass plg to fit int the block and inside the strut.He is a great guy.
01-14-2004, 05:26 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Spring Hill,
FL
Posts: 4,734
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: How to Secure Strut to Retract Mount?
BlueMax - I'm not exactly sure what it is that you're talking about and I'm not a machinest so I can't help you anyway. But if you use epoxy, it won't be permanent. Some heat will soften it if you ever want to take it apart and the epoxy will mostly peel off. In fact, I doubt it would hold that well to begin with. You might want to use JB Weld instead.
01-14-2004, 07:30 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Livermore,
CA
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: How to Secure Strut to Retract Mount?
Beguine,
I made the hole just slightly larger and the strut fits in without being sloppy, but probably not tight enough for hard landings. You are right that the block has an allen screw on it, but I can't seem to get it to close the gap and tighten down on the strut. The screw gets tight and I can't turn it anymore. I have tried using pliers to squeeze the block and tighten the allen screw at the same time, but that doesn't seem to help. Any suggestions on how to tighten that more? Perhaps an allen wrench with a big handle?
I wish I could have used the brass insert that goes in the retract block, but I can't with my GSP Spitfire because I can't cut the Robart strut short enough without cutting into the spring retainer inside the strut. Thus, my only apparent choice was to not use the brass insert in the retract block and fit the end of the strut directly into the block.
CafeenMan,
What is JB Weld?
Regards,
Travis
I made the hole just slightly larger and the strut fits in without being sloppy, but probably not tight enough for hard landings. You are right that the block has an allen screw on it, but I can't seem to get it to close the gap and tighten down on the strut. The screw gets tight and I can't turn it anymore. I have tried using pliers to squeeze the block and tighten the allen screw at the same time, but that doesn't seem to help. Any suggestions on how to tighten that more? Perhaps an allen wrench with a big handle?
I wish I could have used the brass insert that goes in the retract block, but I can't with my GSP Spitfire because I can't cut the Robart strut short enough without cutting into the spring retainer inside the strut. Thus, my only apparent choice was to not use the brass insert in the retract block and fit the end of the strut directly into the block.
CafeenMan,
What is JB Weld?
Regards,
Travis
