Experimental Aircraft Models
- 24 -
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1) Retrieve the Nose Gear (#21) and secure the wires into the brass pivot barrel.
Check that the gear is set up as shown in the picture. I.e the flat side of the pivot
shaft on the brass barrel is to your right when the gear is laid on the bench, coils
away from you.
Position the brass pivot barrel square with the landing gear wires, and tighten the
setscrews.
Using a propane torch, acid flux and solder, evenly heat the area until the flux melts
and the solder flows into the joint when touched to the parts. (No cheating and
melting the solder with the flame!)
Allow cooling before handling.
2) Install the nose gear nylon steering bracket (#24) with four 4-40x3/4” socket head cap
screws & washers (#25) Be sure this is mounted with the extended center section facing
the bottom of the aircraft.
Cut off one side of two of the washers to allow the washers to fit alongside the center
section of the housing. (We like using a pair of Diagonal wire cutters for this.)
3) Mark the location for a hole in the bottom of the fuselage
directly beneath the hole in the housing and drill a 5/32
or ¼” pilot hole.
From the bottom of the model, gradually open the
hole and ‘move it’ as required so that the brass
barrel of the nose gear can be inserted into the nylon
housing through the bottom of the aircraft, in line
with the pivot hole in the bracket.
Note that the entire brass barrel will be inside the
fuselage, leaving only the wire portion extending
from the bottom. The hole needs to be no larger than
to fit the brass piece into the bottom. (Temporarily
remove the brass nut to allow it to fit in a minimal size hole -just under 5/8” dia.. The
extra clearance left after the barrel passes through allows for possible flexing and will
eliminate damage to the fiberglass during use.
Test fit the nose gear by inserting into the housing with the coils of the springs facing
forward (this is ‘backwards), then rotate to have them face aft. If the operation is stiff,
check that the fillet you made when reinforcing the nose bulkhead to fuselage joint
does not interfere with the brass barrel. Trim as necessary. Remove the nose gear.
.
4) Retrieve the nylon steering arm (part of #24) and
drill out the second hole on the starboard side to
5/64” and insert the Z bend end of the steering
pushrod exiting from the side with the hub flush with
the surface.
5) With the nut still removed, install the nose gear back
into the bottom of the fuselage, but this time:
As the barrel enters from the bottom, with the
coils pointed forward, slide the steering arm and
the nut over the threads (with the pushrod
pointed aft) before the shaft enters the bracket.
The steering arm is “V” shaped and the “V”
should point forward.
