Installing Bearings in Composite Arf Phenolic Hinges (Rudder/Elevator Hinges)...

[JagerBomb]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Cataldo
	Mark, Ok, thanks for the info. Can you please go one step further and explain to me WHICH of these panel busings I will need for a 2.6m Extra 260? Do I need the thin ones or the thick ones, or both??? Not sure why you have TWO different thicknesses listed???? Does one need to use BOTH?? I think many of you are saying that it is NOT best to use metal bearings. ONLY panel bushings, correct? Thanks.

You're correct, the bushings are the way to go. I'm not familiar with the 2.6. It all depends on the thickness of the posts coming out of the fuse. Do you have a micrometer or a dial caliper?

[Dan J]

After you install the snap bearing do you have to trim the stab & rudder? Do you put the bushings on all the hinges or just the outer hinges? It would seem to be better to put them on all hinges, but I've heard people say you only need to do the outer hinges. Thanks guys, I need to do this to my plane and I don't want to do too much or not enough.
Dan J

[Paul Cataldo]

	Quote: Originally Posted by JagerBomb
	You're correct, the bushings are the way to go. I'm not familiar with the 2.6. It all depends on the thickness of the posts coming out of the fuse. Do you have a micrometer or a dial caliper?

Mark,Yes, I have mics and dial calipers. I think you are saying that I need to measure the thickness of the phenolic hinge/post that is epoxied in the fuse, correct? I THINK that they are the same size as the larger 3m planes, but I will not assume anything.I will get this thickness measurement and report back. I actually JUST got back from picking up my new 2.6m Yellow Kiwi Extra 260 guys. Comp Arf did NOT use Conway Trucking Co. this time around. Instead, they used FedEx Ground, and it worked out great. I had tracking info the entire way, and even though FedEx did NOT deliver it yesterday as they originally had stated, I was able to go pick it up at the FedEx hub about 15 minutes away from my house. I am assuming everyone here knows that Comp Arf is applying a 6%-8% pricing increase on most (if not all?) of their planes, which will take affect on Monday. What a bummer. Anyhow Mark, I thank you for helping me/us with this hinge upgrade mod, and I will soon report back the thickness of the phenolic hinges that are epoxied into the fuse. Maybe you can remember YOUR thickness measurement on your Comp Arf plane, so we can compare the two dimensions???? (not sure which plane you have?)

[Kiwi]

Dan, Paul.

You should do all the phenolics and not just the outer ones. For a kick off the inner ones are the easy ones to do and if you use a stepped drill it self centers and you get them all in the same line anyway. If you can get a 12 inch drill like Mark then thats even better and a darn site easier on the fingers too.

But do them all, the weight is so minimal you would be weighing ants nuts to get a comparison. Those panel bearings would hardly even weigh out on a jewelers scale.

[Dan J]

Thanks Kiwi, That's what I thought. Do you have to modify the elevators and rudder in anyway?

[Kiwi]

Not at all. I used the ball bearings for the upper and lower phenolics but from what Mark says, the wider panel bearing means you dont have to grind any material away in the rudder to fit them.

Plus the panel bearing is likely a better deal as I have had the rod get stuck in the bearings on my Extra and it was a proper poofter to get that rod out I promise you.

With the Nylon it wont get stuck like it can in steel.

[JagerBomb]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Kiwi
	Not at all. I used the ball bearings for the upper and lower phenolics but from what Mark says, the wider panel bearing means you dont have to grind any material away in the rudder to fit them. Plus the panel bearing is likely a better deal as I have had the rod get stuck in the bearings on my Extra and it was a proper poofter to get that rod out I promise you. With the Nylon it wont get stuck like it can in steel.

You still need to take a file to the rudder and elevator slots for clearance. But you don't need to grind the posts thinner. I perfomed the mod in less than 30 minutes on 2 planes. I will do all my future planes this way.

Mark

[pfact]

Paul,

On our 2.6 Yak I used the narrower bearings, I imagine the same applies to the 2.6M Extra. On the larger planes (3M 260 and 3.3M Yak) I used the wider ones.

Phil

[reyn3545]

So, I haven't tried this yet, but I do have a question. I got the bearings in this week, just waiting on the CF rods to arrive.

I have an Xtreme Composites 2.6 Edge, so the elevator setup might be a little different than a Comp ARF. The elevator has phenolic hinges, and I can understand how putting the bearing in there can make the rod-to-bearing connection very nice and tight. However, how does this have any impact on the conection between the elevator and the stab? Am I missing something here?

On my Edge, the phenolic arm extends into slots in the stab, and a metal rod goes through the hings halves to create the hinge. I think the Comp ARF's use some type of tube instead of a rod for the hinge, but still, how will the addition of bearings have any impact on the elevator-to-stab connection?

[Dan J]

Good stuff guys, thank you so much!!!! I'll Get-R-Done.

[BIG STEVE]

Hi boys just following this bush fitting you mentioned the part no of the plastic bushes but what is the brand so i can check them out over here in assie

[tmac48]

	Quote: Originally Posted by BIG STEVE
	Hi boys just following this bush fitting you mentioned the part no of the plastic bushes but what is the brand so i can check them out over here in assie

Steve, Howe has them, give Richo a ring.

[BIG STEVE]

Hi there Macca thanks for info i am going home tomorrow so i will catch up went home from Canberra to the comp for a couple of days then back here to finish off .

[DesertHucker]

	Quote: Originally Posted by BIG STEVE
	Hi there Macca thanks for info i am going home tomorrow so i will catch up went home from Canberra to the comp for a couple of days then back here to finish off .

Hi Steve i tried to get them from Macmasters Car in the states but they will not ship down under.

Howie and mick got some from the states when they were over there last year.
Give DA oz a call

[KrisW]

An alternative to the brass tubes is to use a 3mm or 1/8" CF rod, then epoxy 3/4" sections of the 4mm OD brass tubing in the appropriate places on the rod to align with the hingeing areas, and smooth the edges of the brass tubes to easily slide through the guide tubes in the surfaces. It's a little lighter, compared to a brass tube, and substantially lighter than the solid Stainless Steel rod a lot of guys have been using to replace the pivot tube with. You only need enough length to reach the last hinge, so you do not need to keep the rod the length of the entire surface, as a lot of people like to do, which can save you a few grams.

I've used the McMaster Carr bearings on every Comp Arf I've ever owned. They work fabulously. I use a 13/64 drill bit for the holes. It's about .007" larger in diameter than the OD of the snap bearings, making installation easier. A dab of slow cure epoxy on the phenolic, with the pivot pin in the bearings, will allow the snap bearings to center up along the axis of the hingeline as the epoxy cures, and hold them in place if you need to trim the edges to clear the slots in the surface.