If you can get the tubes out again, easier said than do probably, I would
suggest a shrink fit, if you are happy
the insert tubes are the same size as the ID of the tubes after reaming then
throwing the tubes in the freezer
and GENTLY heating the UC frame should give you the clearance you need long
enough to get them home
mine took about 4 decent taps and they were home, mind you i did use a lathe
and skimmed the tubes till they
were within .01mm, the heating/cooling dropped the tube size to about .2mm
smaller than the UC frame. I believe
quite a few have opted for this method with good results
craig
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com]On Behalf Of Rob Housman
Sent: Tuesday, 30 September 2008 12:52 AM
To: europa-list@matronics.com
Subject: Europa-List: Mod 72 - Undercarriage mounting frame strengthening
Having been working mostly on those factory mandated or recommended
modifications of late, I now realize that it is much easier to build an
airplane than it is to repair one. Mod 70 (Mass balance arm) was merely
tedious, working deep in the tailcone, one handed, through small access
holes, but Mod 73 (Tailplane retention) and Mod 59 (Shimmy damper) did not
go well when following the written procedures, and now with Mod 72 there is
more of that wonderful English understatement: Insert the tubes - they will
probably need a light tap to fit them it says in the procedure. English
hammers must be considerably larger and heavier than American hammers (or
16.5 mm reamers must be a bit larger) because a light tap does nothing.
After pounding away for entirely too long, and peening the ends of the tubes
where the hammer repeatedly struck, I finally fabricated a steel spud to put
between the offending pin and the hammer. This made it easier to keep
pounding with less damage to the pins, or to the adjacent smaller diameter
tubes to which the engine mounts attach if I were to miss the target. The
steel spud is starting to look like a mushroom from all of those light
taps.
I should have retained my initial skepticism regarding the fit of painted
tubes, which after painting with etch primer are larger than 16.5mm, but no,
I foolishly believed that the factory had actually tried this procedure.
Well folks, the paint makes the pin almost impossible to fit.
Fearing complaints from my neighbors about so much hammering on a peaceful
Sunday afternoon I finally quit pounding with the intention of resuming
mid-day today when most of my neighbors will be away at work. As of
yesterday afternoon one pin was snug against the bolt attaching the frame to
the fuselage and the other was still barely halfway home.
Now, if I could find one of those English hammers at Home Depot.
Best regards,
Rob Housman
Irvine, CA
Europa XS Tri-Gear
A070
Airframe complete
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