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.
.
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.
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.
.
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.
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