It Was Much Worse Than I Thought: Rebuilding My Nose Gear From Scratch

Рет қаралды 3,567

Күн бұрын

The nosegear on my Cozy looked terrible - the cover had delaminated from the strut, and while not structurally a problem, it didn't look great - and I really didn't want it coming off one day and going through the prop! I decided that while I had the plane down for maintenance during the winter, that I would take a couple of weeks and rebuild the cover - make it look nice again.
Unfortunately, once I got it off and inspected, I found some serious problems - which meant that what was originally a refresh project turned into a complete build-new-from-scratch project. In this video I take you through the process of building my brand new nosegear, explain what I'm doing at each step and why.
0:00 Intro
0:21 The Problems
2:27 Lots More Problems Found
2:55 New Strut and Void
4:37 First BID Layup
5:24 Peeling Peel Ply
6:16 Trimming First Layup
7:06 Second BID Layup
7:40 Trimming Second Layup
8:14 Preparing for Pivot
10:48 Layup to Fit Pivot
11:26 Finished Result of End
11:56 Fitting Pivot
13:51 Pivot is Cured
14:32 Trim and Drill For Clamp
15:21 Prepping Actuator Brackets
17:06 Bonding Actuator Brackets to Strut
18:04 Build Up Locking Layers of BID
19:47 Locking Layers Finishing
20:27 Trim Strut for Pivot
21:16 Lay Up Finish Layer
21:46 Trim Finish Layer
22:07 Bond Clamp and Foot
23:25 Pivot And Foot Trim
23:50 Torque Fasteners
24:05 Problem With Forks
27:03 Drilling Actuator Brackets
29:01 First Test Fitting
30:39 Problems Found
33:00 Identifying the Problems
35:49 Trimming the Actuator And Well
36:20 Second Test Fitting
37:23 Fixing Wheel Bearing Spacers
38:59 Removing Old Cover
40:14 Fitting Spacing Foam
40:50 Third Test Fitting
41:37 Cover Explanation
43:28 Bonding Cover to Strut
44:32 Micro the Radius and First Layup
45:25 Second Layup
45:50 Final Sanding and Finishing
47:10 Paint Prep
47:31 Primer & Top Coats
48:46 Final Installation & Testing
50:31 Where Are We Now?
No content in this video should be taken as flight instruction or advice. Refer to your aircraft POH and consult your CFI. This video has been edited for time and content, and context may be lost or distorted. This video is for entertainment purposes only.
#Canard #Cozy #Nosegear

Пікірлер: 63

@glenns6923 2 ай бұрын

I'm not a flyer, but love watching all the processes and building. Thanks Doc.

@jimhunter4999 2 ай бұрын

I appreciate your positive approach to correcting the previous owner's problems.

@TF242 2 ай бұрын

Great job improving the entire nose gear assembly! That was just the right amount of sped up time and normal time so the documentary never got boring, well done Sir! 👌

@FasterLower 2 ай бұрын

This just empasises the importance of building it right in the first place.

@terke1230 Ай бұрын

any time you want to keep something from sticking to your work, put some packing tape on it. Dirt cheap and very effective. Glad to see you seem to be positive about this all. You could consider wetting out a single piece of bid between a couple of pieces of plastic, then cut the strips out while between the plastic layers. The bid will stay nicely organized while you cut and handle it. It's like using pre-preg.

@billwilliams9527 2 ай бұрын

Oh my, thank the Canard Gods that you the talent, expertise, and patience to fix these problems. Well alright, gonna watch you fly this Canard Cozy, gotta be a blast. Sun N Fun, man you gonna love it. When Millie and I lived in Lakeland, we couldn't resist going, everything was so exciting.

@valleyken 2 ай бұрын

- Wow. That was kind of stressful to watch. I thought "That's never gonna work, too many things that can go wrong". But here we are, perfectly new nose gear. Great job, Scott !

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

It was kind of stressful to do!! I had to really take things one step at a time and pay very close attention to the process.

@alanm8932 2 ай бұрын

17:01 tip of the day, that might really be useful to me one day! _some tap fluid in there to keep it cool & lubricated, otherwise the stainless steel will heat up and work harden and in that case it's almost impossible to drill._ Well, I've been there & didn't realise that was why!

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

Yup. And even though I had my drill press set to its lowest speed, it was really still too fast for drilling stainless. For stainless you want lots of pressure and dead slow bit speed. Friction is your enemy.

@zeitlinm 2 ай бұрын

At about 19:00 you start talking about the buildups around the NG-3/4 brackets for retention, and state that _I_ recommended that. While I DO recommend that, I just want to be clear that it wasn't MY idea - On the COZY mailing list, it was Joe Polenek that first described the technique (and it's very possible that others had done it previously).

@JJMedusa 2 ай бұрын

-- Wow! So thorough and informative, as per usual. 😊👍🛩️

@dimaclipse25 2 ай бұрын

Great job, at the age I'm at, looking at you climbing up and down off the floor was kinda painful and reminiscent of my restoration project on my Long Eze. Hope to catch up with you at Sun$Fun. Happy Landings.

@stevenjandron767 2 ай бұрын

Nice work , patience truly is a virtue ,blue skies.

@forresta65 2 ай бұрын

It'll only be a couple of days.......Famous last words. slow but steady wins the race.

@dwightherkness8117 2 ай бұрын

Just a great video! I know how much work that was..

@matiasmerono 2 ай бұрын

Quite remarkable to take the care, time, money and effort on every detail. Unbelievable to add the annoying process to record it, edit it and to take us into consideration.

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

I will admit, filming/editing everything makes everything take twice as long!!!

@flysport_tedder 2 ай бұрын

I love your work because it inspires accessible experimental aviation- and composite work. Hope you had a good time at SnF! 27:40 this blind drill is sort of a perfectionist's nightmare. Love your digikey PCB ruler too.

@larrynoe6162 2 ай бұрын

Scott great series. I like that you did all the maintenance that needed to be done. Ready to see her back in the air.

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

You and me both!!

@larrynoe6162 2 ай бұрын

@@CanardBoulevard Scott I would like to see you fly back to Sweetwater for another look around.

@jeffkutz4917 2 ай бұрын

Your attention to detail is impressive. I really enjoyed the process. I don't know that I could do that sort of job myself, but I actually enjoy watching someone else do this level of workmanship. When the day comes to sell the aircraft, these videos will be a great sales tool.

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

Most people can do this if they have the support and knowledge.

@jeffkutz4917 2 ай бұрын

It's the mental part that is the most difficult. The sticking to the job, the attention to detail, etc.@@CanardBoulevard

@jamesharkness1058 2 ай бұрын

That work was definitely needed

@moonmullins8227 2 ай бұрын

Very nice detail, thanks.

@stvcolwill 2 ай бұрын

Great video, this one! thanks, Scott!

@600torque 2 ай бұрын

its called peace of mind. well done.

@mobsquad8500 2 ай бұрын

Love the content!!! Thank you! Amazing work Scott. Absolutely love the process!!, Well done (A&P)…prefect. Would sign that off all day long.

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

No you wouldn't. Lots of details never made it into the video, simply because I was busy and couldn't film, or they were too minor - things like the packing of the wheel and pivot bearings with grease, how I put the cotter pins in, torque values, etc...but if you HAD seen them, hopefully then you would have been happy to sign it off. :) :)

@EllipsisAircraft 2 ай бұрын

You do nice work. This is a good voiceover, also.

@nevsmate8663 2 ай бұрын

great video, thanks Scott.

@frankwhite9267 2 ай бұрын

Great job, thanks for sharing your work!

@berniebrown9115 2 ай бұрын

Good job enjoyed it all I must be crazy

@carlos76c 2 ай бұрын

Great job Scott !!

@ITSFUNZ 2 ай бұрын

Awesome content as usual ! It’s a little late to mention now ! However if you’re working fiber glass I highly suggest using baby powder on all your exposed skin ! This will prevent the itching after you wash off ! Also I probably would have recommended epoxying a fiberglass rod in the hole in the landing gear strut ! Job well done 👍 thanks again !

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

That strut is built a little different - it has long strands of unidirectional glass, that is formed in a mold. It is tremendously strong in tension, but requires a retention layer around the perimeter to coerce that tensile strength into flex. Otherwise it could split lengthwise under severe flexion. The small 1mm void I found is not a problem as long as fibers can't fracture within it - which is why I filled it with epoxy. The fibers can't fracture away from the internal walls of the void, so the strength is maintained. That said, the position of the void is in an area which comes under almost zero stress, because it is surrounded by the nosewheel clamp - so filling that void was probably not even necessary. As I mentioned in the video, if the void had been farther up the strut in the stressed area, I would have rejected it.

@ITSFUNZ 2 ай бұрын

@@CanardBoulevard not criticizing at all ! I know that the fiber glass rod is just a filler as is the epoxy ! In the perfect world that all us observers seem to live in lol that’s the choice I might have made lol We all love your content it gives us all some great perspectives ! Thanks again 😊👍 Happy Easter !

@FlyMeAirplane Ай бұрын

Wow, that was crazy. Looks nice now tho.

@mkepler5861 2 ай бұрын

luckily for you, and me, I like airplanes, flying, canards (they're just cool), and airplanes in general!!! my one question is bid, why are you calling fiberglass "bid"? is bid something different than fiberglass? mike

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

Ah, I should have explained that. BID is short for bidirectional - it's the specific type of weaved fiberglass fabric that you see me using in this video. It has tensile strength in two directions, 90 degrees from one another. Most of the airplane is constructed of BID.

@EllipsisAircraft 2 ай бұрын

"BID" is the colloquial term among EAAers for Hexcel Hexforce Style 7725. Which is a 2x2 Twill Fiberglass Cloth of 8.8oz/sqyd or 300gsm density. It is always cut on the 45 and lay ups are +/-45 to the primary load path. UNI is the same informal language used for Hexcel 7715. UNI/7715 is used both in the 0 direction, crossing as +/-30 and also +/-45 degrees. It can take the place of BID (7725) by using two crossing at 45. But it will be thicker, heavier, but also much stronger than single layer of BID. Rutan-Lingo does not include made up terms for 7781, 6781, or anything else, except UNI "Tape" which is in fact UNI fibers stitched together, and the thread is removed, leaving 100% fibers in the 0 direction. Typically layed-up in troughs for wing spars.

@mkepler5861 2 ай бұрын

@@EllipsisAircraft thank you I didn't know that. mike

@carlbeaver7112 2 ай бұрын

👍👍

@zeitlinm 2 ай бұрын

Scott, it looks like you didn't completely follow the instructions for the NG-2B install, at least as shown in Revision 2 of the instructions - you misses step 7 (and to some extent, 8). You can still go back, loosen the four bolts, re-apply the flox that's missing and snug up the bolts, then re-torque after cure.

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

Definitely not in my revision of instructions. I'll look it up.

@Caphalea 2 ай бұрын

Where did you get the replacement NG strut from?

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

From Aerocomposites: aerocomposites.aero/the-hangar-price-lists/

@lib747 2 ай бұрын

No gloves? ...that's going to itch. It might be worth adding a longitudinal strip of carbon fiber, and maybe some kevlar reinforcements. I used to build windsurfer boards, and recall that carbon fibers are easy to work with, kevlar less so.

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

The strut is already much stronger than it needs to be - and in decades of use in this application, there has never been a strut failure, apart from when the airplane was already crashing, and in that case there are some pretty abnormal loads being applied! There are other parts of the airframe that will fail before the strut does. Keep in mind most of the weight of the airplane is on the main gear. You can easily lift the nose of the airplane yourself, so there's not much load on that strut.

@MegaDada1995 2 ай бұрын

Mixing carbon fiber and glass fiber is generally not a good idea. The problem is their vastly different stress-strain curves. Basically, the carbon fiber will be very stiff when the part begins loading up, and will take up the vast majority of the load. By the time the carbon fibers reach their maximum deflection, the glass fibers will only be loaded up to around 25% of their capacity. Any more load, and the carbon fibers will snap, suddenly transferring all of the load to the glass fibers. Therefore, the only time when this actually works is when the part is built with such large safety margins that the maximum deflection of the carbon fibers will never be reached, at which point you really built a part far heavier and more expensive than it needed to be had it been properly engineered with a single material in the first place. Composite materials don't act like metals would do and what seems like an intuitively good idea ("carbon fiber is stiffer and stronger than steel" as the common adage goes) isn't actually a good idea to a person with some engineering knowledge of the materials he's working with.

@EllipsisAircraft 2 ай бұрын

@@MegaDada1995 ^Facts. Carbon Fiber, depending on Modulus, often ruptures around 0.006-0.012 strain. (600-1200 microstrain). Glass Fiber alone stretches around 4.5% or 4500 microstrain before breaking. Carbon Fibers will almost always rupture before fiberglass. And even lower strains than most Epoxy. But this rarely happens, because Carbon Fibers do not bond as well with Epoxy, and therefore suffer from a sort of disintegration of the matrix which loses its ability to bind the fibers together under extreme loads. Structural Epoxy typically fails in tension between 0.015 and 0.03 strain, depending on state of cure or post-cure performed. The chosen Epoxy matrix and its failure strain will always be the limit strain of the composite. It may hold together slightly beyond that strain, once. But not repeatedly. For fatigue considerations, microstrains far lower than the limit are specified for ordinary everyday loads. Because epoxy cannot be stretched to its limit repeatedly. Although it can survive indefinitely at very low strains. It's plastic, after all. For this reason, a well designed composite aircraft will often have an ultimate load more than double the limit load. Which is often 400% higher than normal service loads. Giving a large margin of strength. Far more extra strength than any aluminum or wood aircraft will provide. But at the cost of extra weight and expense.

@aaronhammond7297 2 ай бұрын

Bad design for the NG3/4 pair, if the holes were on the outside bracket then match drilling the inside bracket would be simple.

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

Agreed - except the distance required for the hole is from the rear surface of the strut, which can only be located by the internal bracket. The strut dimensions can vary depending on manufacturer and individual layups, which would alter the position of the hole in relation to the rear strut surface if the hole was drilled in the outer strut - so it HAS to be done this way, unfortunately.

@AlanMydland-fq2vs 2 ай бұрын

u must of had a bad shimmy

@dwightherkness8117 2 ай бұрын

Why not fill the void with epoxy?

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

I did...didn't you watch the video?

@alanm8932 2 ай бұрын

At 13:23 the void is filled with epoxy from a syringe. I thought the question was why not use epoxy, rather than flox, which was the earlier stated intention. I guess you'd be pushing flox down the void with a wire & the result might still not be totally free of voids.

@dwightherkness8117 2 ай бұрын

@CanardBoulevard yes, all of it, just made the comment at the front end of the viedo

@dwightherkness8117 2 ай бұрын

Why not just replace the whole assembly

@CanardBoulevard 2 ай бұрын

Umm...again, I did. Did you not watch the video?

@dwightherkness8117 2 ай бұрын

@CanardBoulevard again I commented at the very beginning