What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

U-01401 main gear leg

R

Ron B.

Well Known Member
Anyone have trouble installing there main gear legs? Tackled the right one first and it just doesn't slide in the last couple inches. It stops just as the removed powdercoat passes the bottom skin. I tried some Boelube and still no luck. I have my fuselage in a rotisserie and upside down to get gravity to help. I did manage to get the left one in with a little wiggling. I'll give Van's a holler.
 
I had a little bit of an issue sliding the both main gear legs up into place. But after looking at it closely, the taper of the leg going up into the receiver was just a hair too wide. Maybe I should say from fore to aft. I just took a sander and took about .0020 off and it slid up in there nicely. Be careful not take to take too much off and allow any slop. Also be careful not to heat up the gear leg when you sand. Good luck.
 
I figure that is what I will have to due, but I want to confirm this with Van's first. I did send them an e-mail and I will post the answer when I receive it for others to come.
 
So, I am at this point and would like to move forward but Vans Support is out until Thursday due to Oshkosh.

What did others do with this? Did Vans agree that we can sand a little off the U-1401 leg to make it fit or do they suggest other methods to get this in far enough to line up the holes?

Also, I know this is a close tolerance bolt, but wow, it will need a lot of force to get it through the holes. Is this normal?


Thanks,
 
DougZetting said:
So, I am at this point and would like to move forward but Vans Support is out until Thursday due to Oshkosh.

What did others do with this? Did Vans agree that we can sand a little off the U-1401 leg to make it fit or do they suggest other methods to get this in far enough to line up the holes?

Also, I know this is a close tolerance bolt, but wow, it will need a lot of force to get it through the holes. Is this normal?
Click to expand...

All I did was sand the powder coating back further down the part until it fit. It needs to be a tight fit. I wouldn't remove any material beyond the powder coating. Definitely don't widen the bolt hole.

Does the bolt fit through the hole with the leg out? I would start there. Should go in and out with a little help from a rubber mallet.
 
Thanks for the reply.

I did try removing some of the powder coating but that did not seem to make to much difference with getting the let in. I will try taking a little more off.

As far as getting the bolts through the legs uninstalled, the right side I can get in part way with a rubber mallet with some pretty good swings. I am afraid to hit it much harder. The left will not go through the hole past the threads even with some pretty hard hits with the rubber mallet.


Once the holes are lined up, how would you get a rubber mallet into that tight space to pound on the bolts?
 
DougZetting said:
Thanks for the reply.

I did try removing some of the powder coating but that did not seem to make to much difference with getting the let in. I will try taking a little more off.

As far as getting the bolts through the legs uninstalled, the right side I can get in part way with a rubber mallet with some pretty good swings. I am afraid to hit it much harder. The left will not go through the hole past the threads even with some pretty hard hits with the rubber mallet.

Once the holes are lined up, how would you get a rubber mallet into that tight space to pound on the bolts?
Click to expand...

Looking back at my build videos it's apparent I'm going at the area with some scotchbrite so I likely did take off some of the material for fit.

If you go that route just take of a little at a time, you can't put it back and you don't want those parts wearing.
 
I ran a reamer through the holes after everything was fit and lined up. The bolts will tap in with a rubber mallet then. What you don't want to do is leave the holes slightly mismatched and then distort the threads trying to get the bolt through all of the parts. The reamer still leaves the close tolerance bolts a tight fit
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top