Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Yep, castellated nuts and "cotter" pins (Rich, I not familiar with a carter pin....is this high vibration area--check AC43

You know Carter's got pills !

RB

Are you guys doing castellated nuts and cotter pins for the 6 AN4 bolts going into the ring too? I was planning on using undrilled bolts there with AN363 all-metal lock nuts...

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John Twigg N12055 SN.79 Pittsburgh, PA (KFWQ)

I use castle nuts and carter , oops sorry cotter pins on everything that I can FWF that is flight critical . Engine mount , carb/linkage attach points , exhaust ball joint , etc. Anything that if it fell off would cause me to enter high key and dead stick .

RB

I've had AN 363 all-metal nuts on the 4 bolts for my dynafocal mount for 27 years. I've only changed them once, when replacing the Lord mounts. They've remained tight and secure for roughly 1300 hours. The other T-18 in my hangar uses them too, for over 30 years. Same story. That being said, I'm using castle nuts and cotter keys on my "new" project. Either way is fine, in my opinion. Always use castle nuts on assemblies that can or may rotate in relation to each other.

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John Evens
Arvada, Colorado
T-18 N71JE (sold)
Kitfox 7 SS N27JE

John, like you I have self locking nuts on my engine mount for 23 years, but the preferred practice is castle and cotters, go figure

Some of the work done the week:
* More nuts and bolts arrived for assembling the engine mount
* Painted the A-frame attachment point at top of firewall
* Cleaned intake pipes and oil return lines
* Disassembled exhaust pipe hanger to replace rubber - Cubes - do you sell 8" long x 2" wide x 9/32" thick rubber strips or a better substitute?
That's about it for this week - got a tough business-related weekend ahead so N12055 has to wait a week

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John Twigg N12055 SN.79 Pittsburgh, PA (KFWQ)

Sorry John, I do not.
Cubes

I went to a hose supply house and they had conveyor belt material . Must be 6 ply/layer and very heavy duty . No need to double over . They sold me a strip for $1.00 . Enough for probably 4-6 hangars . It was stuff just sitting around taking up space .

RB

OK, no problem Cubes - it's one of those firewall-forward things anyways. Rich, thanks for the info about the 6 ply rubber. There are a ton of hose shops around here that have grown along with all the Marcellus Shale gas activities the past 10 years. I'll check with them but I don't think I'll get that kind of deal!

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John Twigg N12055 SN.79 Pittsburgh, PA (KFWQ)

Ask to look in their scrap pile. That's where I got mine.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Don't hold me to the 6 ply comment . I was shooting blank twinkies when I said that . It is a multi ply material that holds up very well . Number of plies will probably be based upon the type of belt material you find . I was using a material similar to what you have now and it didn't last long . The conveyor belt material has been in for several years and shows no sign of giving up .

RB

Auto stores sells flex straps for exhaust, ever try cutting the sidewall out of an old tire?

I've tried the "flex straps" for exhaust from the local Autozone . Cheap Commie Crap made in China . Did not last long at all ! If I could fit a tire on a band saw to cut it up that might work . Much easier to get a squared up conveyor strip and then cut it to the size you need using a band saw .

RB

Go talk to a farmer who has the equipment to make the big round hay bails. He will probably have some old straps from the bailer laying around. It would be a lot like the conveyor material Rich mentioned but likely easier to find close to Rostraver.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson