handed. To spray inside the channels above and below the gear leg I needed a dog leg spray gun. I took the nozzle and tube off a can of brake cleaner and added a rubber band. I was able to spray all the hidden areas after a couple tries and checks with an inspection mirror. I love cheap solutions that work.
While cleaning and inspecting the gear box area I could see rust on the float attach fittings in the belly. You really find out how much 2 hands are needed trying to get those bolts out but I got there. The parts cleaned up nicely and are primed and painted ready to reinstall when all the bolts arrive. The aluminum was mostly dirty and cleaned up well. After I primed it the weather turned back cold so I wrapped the area with rugs strapped to the belly and left a 60 watt bulb burning all night in the gear box. It stayed 59 degrees despite the freezing temps. outside and the epoxy was nicely set by morning.
To get the fittings out I had to remove the control column and push tube to the elevator cable bellcrank. The column and tube looked good but there was a tiny bit of flaking in the last coat of paint. I decided to clean them and repaint. Boy am I glad I did. It appears someone long ago sanded them and painted them gray. Unfortunately they did not re-prime them first and simply covered a lot of rust. They're cleaning up and I will probably replace the push tube.
I've also found, anything that should move is generally stuck. Fortunately I've also found the best unsticker in the world. Faith Olen-Glick (I'm flying her Champ) loaned me a can of Corrosion X. It is amazing. Not only did if free up the trim indicator in minutes and the universal joints in about an hour, I have a rudder bar for my WACO NINE project which has spent years being soaked with every known penetrating oil to no affect. I even checked it with a board for leverage before trying the Corrosion X, not a wiggle. Just 2 hours after spraying with Corrosion X it wiggled for the first time in decades and after a couple minutes was a free as new. It's the most expensive spray ($15.25) I've tried but it's worked perfectly. It is actually cleaning the rust off the rudder bar.
The result of all this is I'm removing everything related to the controls and cleaning and lubing everything. I don't want any rust or sticking in the controls. The bolts and other parts to start putting this all back together should be here tomorrow. Unlike building new parts I only discover what I need once things are apart.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Cleaning Fuselage Cabin Area
Between breaking a bone in my arm at Christmas, waiting for parts, and work, I feel like I'm going in slow motion. I have got the gear box area all cleaned and primed, very hard one 
handed. To spray inside the channels above and below the gear leg I needed a dog leg spray gun. I took the nozzle and tube off a can of brake cleaner and added a rubber band. I was able to spray all the hidden areas after a couple tries and checks with an inspection mirror. I love cheap solutions that work.
While cleaning and inspecting the gear box area I could see rust on the float attach fittings in the belly. You really find out how much 2 hands are needed trying to get those bolts out but I got there. The parts cleaned up nicely and are primed and painted ready to reinstall when all the bolts arrive. The aluminum was mostly dirty and cleaned up well. After I primed it the weather turned back cold so I wrapped the area with rugs strapped to the belly and left a 60 watt bulb burning all night in the gear box. It stayed 59 degrees despite the freezing temps. outside and the epoxy was nicely set by morning.
To get the fittings out I had to remove the control column and push tube to the elevator cable bellcrank. The column and tube looked good but there was a tiny bit of flaking in the last coat of paint. I decided to clean them and repaint. Boy am I glad I did. It appears someone long ago sanded them and painted them gray. Unfortunately they did not re-prime them first and simply covered a lot of rust. They're cleaning up and I will probably replace the push tube.
I've also found, anything that should move is generally stuck. Fortunately I've also found the best unsticker in the world. Faith Olen-Glick (I'm flying her Champ) loaned me a can of Corrosion X. It is amazing. Not only did if free up the trim indicator in minutes and the universal joints in about an hour, I have a rudder bar for my WACO NINE project which has spent years being soaked with every known penetrating oil to no affect. I even checked it with a board for leverage before trying the Corrosion X, not a wiggle. Just 2 hours after spraying with Corrosion X it wiggled for the first time in decades and after a couple minutes was a free as new. It's the most expensive spray ($15.25) I've tried but it's worked perfectly. It is actually cleaning the rust off the rudder bar.
The result of all this is I'm removing everything related to the controls and cleaning and lubing everything. I don't want any rust or sticking in the controls. The bolts and other parts to start putting this all back together should be here tomorrow. Unlike building new parts I only discover what I need once things are apart.
handed. To spray inside the channels above and below the gear leg I needed a dog leg spray gun. I took the nozzle and tube off a can of brake cleaner and added a rubber band. I was able to spray all the hidden areas after a couple tries and checks with an inspection mirror. I love cheap solutions that work.
While cleaning and inspecting the gear box area I could see rust on the float attach fittings in the belly. You really find out how much 2 hands are needed trying to get those bolts out but I got there. The parts cleaned up nicely and are primed and painted ready to reinstall when all the bolts arrive. The aluminum was mostly dirty and cleaned up well. After I primed it the weather turned back cold so I wrapped the area with rugs strapped to the belly and left a 60 watt bulb burning all night in the gear box. It stayed 59 degrees despite the freezing temps. outside and the epoxy was nicely set by morning.
To get the fittings out I had to remove the control column and push tube to the elevator cable bellcrank. The column and tube looked good but there was a tiny bit of flaking in the last coat of paint. I decided to clean them and repaint. Boy am I glad I did. It appears someone long ago sanded them and painted them gray. Unfortunately they did not re-prime them first and simply covered a lot of rust. They're cleaning up and I will probably replace the push tube.
I've also found, anything that should move is generally stuck. Fortunately I've also found the best unsticker in the world. Faith Olen-Glick (I'm flying her Champ) loaned me a can of Corrosion X. It is amazing. Not only did if free up the trim indicator in minutes and the universal joints in about an hour, I have a rudder bar for my WACO NINE project which has spent years being soaked with every known penetrating oil to no affect. I even checked it with a board for leverage before trying the Corrosion X, not a wiggle. Just 2 hours after spraying with Corrosion X it wiggled for the first time in decades and after a couple minutes was a free as new. It's the most expensive spray ($15.25) I've tried but it's worked perfectly. It is actually cleaning the rust off the rudder bar.
The result of all this is I'm removing everything related to the controls and cleaning and lubing everything. I don't want any rust or sticking in the controls. The bolts and other parts to start putting this all back together should be here tomorrow. Unlike building new parts I only discover what I need once things are apart.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Landing Gear Wedge Bolt Nut Plates
While removing the landing gear legs I had a problem removing the 2 bolts holding the wedges tight on the left side. The nut plates and bolts had rusted enough to bind the bolts and shear the rivets holding the nut plates. The bolts came loose enough to get the wedges out before I realized there was a problem. I should have gotten some oil on them before I started removing them. I had no problem on the right side but they were also rusty.
The nut plates are riveted into the steel channel which is the upper gear support. I needed to get in enough to replace the nutplates on both the right and left gear. It also seemed a good chance to clean up any light rust and re-prime as needed. I thought about trying to remove the floor above the supports but removing the skin piece (0411611) covering the area was easier. I'll also replace the short piece of brake line which looks like it gets wet from water around the gear leg. Most of what looks rusty there is really primer sprayed in through the leg hole in the past. The bolts were easily cut off with a Dremel tool with a cut off disk. Now I know what to use to cut off a lock. It really went quickly through the 1/4" AN bolt.
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The next step is to clean things up, epoxy prime and put in new nut plates. It looks like the skin can be riveted with the gear leg installed, but I'll probably rivet first.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Brake Master Cylinders Complete
The brake master cylinders are reassembled and ready to install when I get the missing bearing block. Cessna sells new blocks for $2.27 per half but you need to order $25 minimum. I've been looking to see if there is anything else I need first.
The cylinders have new o-rings and the parking brake cables work now.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Parking Brake Cables
Cleaning up the brake master cylinders was a simple enough matter. The housings had to be grit blasted to clean up the rust on the outside before epoxy priming. A lot of care was taken to seal them so no grit would get inside. New o-rings will be installed on the plunger. The biggest problem was the 2 bowden type cables attached to the cylinders to operate the parking brake locks on the plunger shafts.
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The cables were both stuck and I thought they were rusted up. I
started inspecting them by carefully bending the housing to look between the coils for the rusty area. None were found on either cable. What I did find was the cables had been painted some time while the plane was in service. The paint had gotten in the coils and bound up the cable core. It took a couple hours of careful work to brush the paint from the housing using a file card (file brush) while carefully bending the housing to open the coils. Once that was done graphite was worked into the housing and the cables work fine.When the o-rings get here I'll reassemble all of this.
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