Category: Undercarriage

Brake Pad Replacement

About two years ago I discovered one of the brake linings arrived from the factory damaged (see this post). At some point I ordered a set of replacement pads plus a tool to install it, but just never got around to doing the repair. Before hanging the heavy engine...

On Wheels

With everything attached for the front and main landing gear, and all of the fuselage riveted together, I decided it was time to drop the fuselage onto its wheels, and free up my workbench. I’ve been working on the fuselage for a little over a year now, so I...

Nose Gear Installed

In between activities over the long holiday weekend, I spent some time working on the nose gear. I found the nose gear difficult to rotate once assembled. It appeared to be binding on the split bushings used in the lower mount. I think the split bushings are created from...

Attaching Right Main Tire

Continuing with the installation of the landing gear. To install the wheel, the brake assembly needs to be partially disassembled. Unfortunately I discovered that one of the brake pads was cracked and will have to be replaced. Spruce sells a Matco brake relining kit and a tool to squeeze...

Main Gear Leg

Attaching the main gear leg proved to be a difficult task, as other builders have reported. I experienced a lot of the same difficulties, resulting in the need to file the legs in a few spots, both spread it and squeeze it, and then finally I was able to...

Starting Main Landing Gear

On Sunday I finished riveting the port side fuselage skin, so now the fuselage is finally a structure that can carry some load. My next goal is to get the fuselage on wheels, so I started looking into the work required for the main landing gear assembly. The main...

Fuselage Showcase

I have friends over today for a summer BBQ so I decided to set up the plane for a little showcase. Some of the interior bits are installed, and I hastily attached the nose wheel (temporarily of course). I’m quite pleased with how the interior is looking, and very...

Nose Gear Work

Today I worked on the nose gear a bit as well as continuing to rivet on the fuselage side skin. A recent Kitplanes article recommended using JB Weld with rivnuts, so I did exactly that for the towbar brackets that attach to the nose gear fork. In addition, I...

Nose Wheel Valve Stem

For my first task after coming back from a week of vacation up at Lake Winnipesauke, I had to fix a problem with my nose wheel. Thanks to a tip from fellow Sling builder Rod, I found out I had not assembled the valve stem correctly. A visit to...

Nose Gear Assembly

I assembled the fork and wheel for the nose gear. The parts went together easily. I had to clean up the threads on the top of the gear leg, I was not able to get an AN4 bolt to thread in smoothly, and didn’t want to chew out the...