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What tools are needed for basic maintenance

Westerhuis

Active Member
Hi

I just wondered what tools are 'must haves' when it comes to conducting some basic maintenance on an RV8. Obviously I have the basics: spanners, socket kit, hex keys, screw drivers, electric screw driver, pliers, safety wire pliers e.g. the very bare basics.

But what else is worth it's weight in gold when it comes to tools? What tools may be used instead of the obvious making a certain job so much easier..?

Also, what torque wrench(-es) would one recommend?

Any suggestions on where to buy? I am happy to pay for use' e.g. no point in paying over the odds for something that's used only once a year, but happy to pay a bit more for something that I end up using a lot.

Thanks!

R
 
These are pretty sweet for some of the screws closest to the ground on wheel pants:

https://www.craftsman.com/products/craftsman-3-pc-screwdriver-set-finger-bit

I have those but I find this style works better on tight screws and in awkward locations. Pic of a typical one only, available from many manufacturers -

807sx.jpg
 
Purchase a 1/2" drive Beam torque wrench....... mine is a Craftsman. This is used to install spark plugs. The head is small and will fit the upper plugs with no problem. The reason I use a beam is it never needs to be calibrated and is plenty accurate for plugs.
 
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I have those but I find this style works better on tight screws and in awkward locations. Pic of a typical one only, available from many manufacturers -

807sx.jpg

+1 on this. I have replaced just about all of my #6 Philips head screws for torx head ones so I use a regular torx bit (T10?) with this little wrench. The torx bit is just a run of the mill one bought from Lowes and doesn't snap into place like the bits that came with the wrench do, so I just hold my finger over the back of the bit to keep it in the wrench. This thing is a godsend for the bottom main gear wheel pant screws on my RV-10.
 
Hi Rogier,

I second, third and fourth, the suggestion for a ratchet type, right angle, thin, screwdriver. Vitally important.

You may already have the following in your kit but I didn't see them on your list. But here is what I found very handy to have:

Does your -8 have spring loaded doors or pop out buttons that allow access to the tire inner tube valve stems? If not, you might get tired of removing the wheel pants to check the air and install some. In which case you will also want a means to reach in the air pump - like a wand with a gauge on it. And some sort of air pump. I also bought a dedicated, fixed hex driver with a screwdriver handle to get the valve stem caps off.

A small but very powerful flashlight. You probably already have this but I didn't see it on your list

A tape measure - sooner or later you will be taking measurements.

And a pad or notebook in the hangar on which to write those measurements, along with a spare pen and/or pencil.

I have a long necked funnel that makes adding oil very simple and keeps me from making a huge mess.

A tube of Fuel Lube and maybe one or two other thread sealants.

Couple of spare quick drains. Not a tool, per se, but handy to have. Plus a few spare O rings for them.

Spare gas cap - in case one breaks.

My upper cowling is attached to the lower cowling by the piano hinge/ piano wire method. I find a small hook with a screw driver handle is very handy for pulling them out.

A blanket to lay down on when on the floor doing work.

I built a small foldable work bench that, when folded, sits behind my toolbox, but when opened, provides me with a small but useful work bench.

paper towels.

Spray cleaner for the paint work

Different cleaner for the canopy.

That's all I can think of now. Other stuff to acquire will depend upon what you intend to do yourself and what you want to have done. If I think of anything else I'll add to it.'
 
Look at each system, then figure out if you have the right tools for it:

Engine
- Fuel system
- Oil system: oil filter torque wrench, large closed-end wrench to go on hex fitting on end
- Electrical: mag timing box; spark plug gap tools; spark plug cleaning tools; spark plug socket (and I carry one in my emergency kit in the plane, too)

Electrical system
- Crimpers for whatever you have
- Strippers (the wire kind :) )
- Heat gun for heat shrink

Oh, and don't forget oddball stuff like the very few *metric* items on your plane (e.g., starter lug, Andair fuel things, whatever), or the odd Torx screw (Slick mags have one).

Brakes
- Brake shoe replacement tools
- Bleeder

and so on down the line. Just putting together random lists of tools seems...haphazard. Figure out what you're going to work on, then what tools you need.
 
Hi

Also, what torque wrench(-es) would one recommend?

R

One 3/8" drive torque wrench 20-200 inch lb (click type), one 3/8" drive 10-100 foot lb and one 1/4" for smaller (AN3) hardware. Beam type are fine for some jobs but you cannot always see the gauge when, for instance, torquing the bottom plugs.

I survived 25 years without owning safety wire pliers but, if buying them, get good quality. I bought a used cheap set recently and they've already broken. Back to the old-fashioned method.

A set of stubby wrenches from 1/4 to 7/8 is also handy in tight spots.

Most jobs can be done with 1/4" ratchet/sockets but a set of deep well/reach will be needed, along with some "wobbly extensions."

Add one 3/8" x 3" wobbly extension too.
 
Every specific job requires it's own tools, so the best approach is to buy them as you go. You might buy a rivet squeezer and never use it, or you might have a job that requires one and then you get it.
I would have a 0-200 in/lb torque wrench and a 0-75lb one.
A pair of 8", 10" and 12" hemostats often come in handy.
 
Hi Rogier,

Congratulations on the RV-8! I look forward to seeing you and the -8 - maybe Oshkosh?

Most likely the first maintenance will be cowls off for the next oil change and general 50 hour check over. Best get some regular supplies in stock as well as tools.
Cowls off: Screwdrivers Philips #2 stubby etc and long nose pliers.
Spare crush gaskets for the oil gallery plug - AN900-16 on the O360
Lock wire .025 and .032, pliers - Milbar are best. Get the shorter ones, reversible not really necessary.
Torque wrench 1/4 drive 10 to 150/200 in.lb and 3/8 up to 400 in.lb. CDI are good, Harbor Freight $20 ones just about adequate. Sockets to match plus a long reach plug socket and 3/8 drive 1" socket for oil filter.
Spark plug gaskets - get a load and use a new one each time AN4027-1
General lubricant LPS2, Mouse milk
Spare oil & filter
For changing brake pads, spare pads and rivets 66-111, brake rivet tool - get the deluxe version with screw set.
Anti-seize grease .
Lots of spare #8 screws in various lengths and head types. Replace at the first sign of head damage.
Grease gun & aeroshell 6 for prop hub.
Grease and bearing greasing tool for wheel bearings.
Wheel jack.

That's a probably incomplete set to start and henceforth you'll be acquiring many more tools at the slightest excuse:D
 
the iron-clad absolutely infallible rule!

Hi

.....I just wondered what tools are 'must haves' when it comes to conducting some basic maintenance on an RV8. .....

R

This is pretty easy actually.

take every tool you own, put it in your truck. (borrow some if you have to, in order to achieve full max. GVW and/or the volumetric capacity of your vehicle.)

go to the airport 'just to wash the plane, and do a few circuits'

the tools you absolutely need, and can't even leave the ground without, are these:

a) the ones you left at home in your garden shed, other car, etc.
b) the ones you don't own yet, lost, haven't replaced/returned.
c) the ones unavailable to borrow, rent, buy on the field, at any price or day of the week

combine a) + b) + c) to produce your list.

...don't ask how I know this! :rolleyes:
 
So you, the OP, are getting lots of things conflated here, not that they're not all good bits of advice, but...again, organize your thinking.

There are
a) Consumables
b) Expendables
c) Tools
d) Spares

Consumables: Oil, filters, plugs, gaskets, greases, lubricants, safety wire, etc.
Expendables: Cleaning supplies, solvents, sprays
Tools: You know this category
Spares: Probes, fuses, connectors, batteries, etc.

You asked about tools, specifically, so again...think of your task (e.g., oil change) and figure out what tools you need for that task.

You can go nuts buying all sorts of tools which you never use if you just start randomly listing things and buying them. And that's coming from a total tool wh*re, who loves getting new tools and gizmos! :)
 
So for the last couple flights I was losing 200 rpm on the runup. So I did the lean and run at 2k trick and that solved it.

But I'm bothered by the fact that it happened twice so I have to pull the plugs.

Never having done that before on an airplane (just a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engine), I perused the VAF for information.

This is pertinent to the topic here because it means tool acquisition for the simplest of tasks. From what I gather one must have:

1) Proper sized extended socket for the plugs

2) Bag of new crush gaskets

3) solvent

4) anti-seize fluid

5) Some sort of torque wrench to torque the plugs back in at 30-35lbs.

...and the trickiest of all........

6) Some sort of sand blasting device

7) air hose to clean the sand out

8) dental pick to pick out the lead beads.

For pulling, cleaning and changing plugs that's quite a list.

According to posts in VAF the sand blaster can be a $40 item form Harbor Freight all the way up to a $900 gizmo that cleans, tests and lemon-freshens the plugs.


The one really useful bit of advice is to have spare plugs on hand so that the cleaning roadblock doesn't keep you from flying. Good idea that.

All this requires research (for a newbie):

is the torque really 30-35lbs for your engine?

some posts said it's tough to get a torque wrench on the plugs or see the dial.

Which crush gaskets?

Even which plugs?

This is one of the simpler maintenance chores but even so it seems like a lot of prep.
 
...Some sort of sand blasting device
I solved that problem by taking my plugs to the maintenance shop at the FBO. They blasted, cleaned, and gapped my 8 plugs at a minimal cost. It took them about 10 minutes. IIRC, I paid them $20 because I'm a nice guy.

Yes, for a Lycoming, the correct torque is 35 ft. lb. You'll have to look it up if you have some other engine. There's a torque spec on the spark plug wire nut, too. I think it's 110 in. lb. but don't hold me to that.

Those copper gaskets are supposed to be changed every time for good heat transfer, and they're cheap so I do. I just bought a box of 100 of them from ACS.

Good idea on keeping a couple spare plugs around.

I guess there's a controversy on the anti-sieze. I use to use the Champion graphite liquid, but switched to Permatex Nickel Anti-Sieze, which is good to 2,400F. You're on your own there...
 
So for the last couple flights I was losing 200 rpm on the runup. So I did the lean and run at 2k trick and that solved it.

But I'm bothered by the fact that it happened twice so I have to pull the plugs.

Never having done that before on an airplane (just a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engine), I perused the VAF for information.

I would strongly suggest you hire an A&P or an experienced RV builder to do this maintenance tasks for you the first time so you can watch and take notes on tools needed.

The questions you are asking are sorta spooking me (sorry) because these maintenance procedures could be life threatening if not performed correctly. An aircraft is not a forgiving machine on which to learn basic techniques. There are several bad things that can happen in the course of inspecting plugs:

Drop a plug
Cross thread a plug or torque it incorrectly (either can wipe out the threads in the cylinder...$$$$$$)
Fail to notice defects in the plug or harness
Damage a plug in the course of adjusting the gap or cleaning
Measure the gap incorrectly
Damage the harness due to improper handling

I'm sure I've omitted items but you get the thrust of what I'm saying. After seeing these tasks performed by someone with experience you may very well be ready to do them yourself...or you may not. That Briggs you worked on won't kill you if incorrectly maintained, but an aircraft sure can.

Get some help the first time around, use that experience to gather the correct tools, then enjoy maintaining your aircraft correctly and safely.
 
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I would strongly suggest you hire an A&P or an experienced RV builder to do this maintenance tasks for you the first time so you can watch and take notes on tools needed.

The questions you are asking are sorta spooking me (sorry) because these maintenance procedures could be life threatening if not performed correctly. An aircraft is not a forgiving machine on which to learn basic techniques. There are several bad things that can happen in the course of inspecting plugs:

Drop a plug
Cross thread a plug or torque it incorrectly (either can wipe out the threads in the cylinder...$$$$$$)
Fail to notice defects in the plug or harness
Damage a plug in the course of adjusting the gap or cleaning
Measure the gap incorrectly
Damage the harness due to improper handling

I'm sure I've omitted items but you get the thrust of what I'm saying. After seeing these tasks performed by someone with experience you may very well be ready to do them yourself...or you may not. That Briggs you worked on won't kill you if incorrectly maintained, but an aircraft sure can.

Get some help the first time around, use that experience to gather the correct tools, then enjoy maintaining your aircraft correctly and safely.



Sam I've already made arrangements with the FBO chief mechanic to bring the plane to his hangar next week so he can pull, check, clean re-install the plugs.

I already knew I don't know enough to do it myself. People who know me know I'm extremely...and I mean EXTREMELY careful and take no chances. The comment about the Briggs was to illustrate I have practically zero knowledge about this. But more importantly, that I KNOW I have practically zero knowledge about this.

I'm hoping I can get basic info from the mechanic as well as tips, and part numbers. Hopefully he will let me install one while he watches.

You should have noticed the questions I had - such as which plug and which crush gasket. That should tell you that I already know that I don't know the basics.

So you can relax. No need to be spooked.

But just remember that you have to start somewhere. And what my post was intended to to do was lay out the sorts of questions a newbie has to contend with in order to learn.
 
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Sam I've already made arrangements with the FBO chief mechanic to bring the plane to his hangar next week so he can pull, check, clean re-install the plugs.

I already knew I don't know enough to do it myself. People who know me know I'm extremely...and I mean EXTREMELY careful and take no chances. The comment about the Briggs was to illustrate I have practically zero knowledge about this. But more importantly, that I KNOW I have practically zero knowledge about this.

I'm hoping I can get basic info from the mechanic as well as tips, and part numbers. Hopefully he will let me install one while he watches.

You should have noticed the questions I had - such as which plug and which crush gasket. That should tell you that I already know that I don't know the basics.

So you can relax. No need to be spooked.

But just remember that you have to start somewhere. And what my post was intended to to do was lay out the sorts of questions a newbie has to contend with in order to learn.

Sounds like a good plan. Remember the old adage taught to new docs in med school: Watch one, Learn one, Do one.

And read and follow the manufacturer's published maintenance procedures!
 
Check out Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1042AE for approved spark plugs, installation guidelines, gaps, and torques values (assuming you're not using auto plugs):

https://www.lycoming.com/sites/default/files/SI1042AE Approved Spark Plugs.pdf


Already have. It seems fairly clear. The only unknowns to this newbie are:

1) the selection of the heat range. I do not know the ramifications of a 40 over a 38 (for example) and

2) selection rationale for E vs BY



A previous poster mentioned anti-seize. Note what Lycoming says on page 2:

3. Use a copper-based anti-seize compound or engine oil on spark plug threads starting two full threads from the electrode, but DO NOT use a graphite-based compound.


Noted that when I read the document yesterday morning.

Thanks for the info and the pointers.

I suppose that once one selects - or knows - which spark plugs to choose, then that leads to selecting the socket, correct?
 
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