Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf

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japan3d · 09-29-2009, 02:40 AM

Had a little boo-boo this past saturday. Did a full throttle touch and go with my 3m Comp-Arf Extra 330s. ripped the landing gear mount out, and cracked the fuselage around where the gear goes in the side. Standard repair there. But I just got the plane in the house and discovered that 3 of the rudder hinge posts are broke off. Has anybody replaced these? Any tips or tricks on how to get them lined up? Also the bottom of the rudder has a big hole where the tail gear went thru, how have you guys been fixing the bottom of the rudders?

japan3d · 10-08-2009, 03:26 AM

Added some pics to show the damage. Anybody have any experience in removing the hinge posts and repairing the bottom of the rudder?

Andrew Bird · 10-08-2009, 05:06 PM

The hinges are reasonably simple as you can order new ones from comp arf and cut and dremel the old ones out. To re align you can use something like Hysol to glue them, get them approximately in place and put the rudder on (supported) to get alignment. The rudder can even be left on and taped in position to ensure it all stays there. The base of the hinge is far enough into the plane there should be lots of room between the bit with glue on and the rudder itself.

Not sure of the best way to fix the base of the rudder - looks a bit fiddly!

craig77 · 10-08-2009, 05:46 PM

Yup Andy sumd it up with regards to the hinges.I repaired my rudder once with a very light weight glass cloth and wicked some thin CA into it!be careful with it though!this will give a lightweight skin to work with??

gotsky · 10-08-2009, 06:35 PM

For the bottom of the rudder, just remove the areas that are crushed, lay in some balsa sand it flush and apply some light glass. Fill, sand and paint. I had this same thing happen on my Extreme 540 but it was the top due to a nose over. It worked very well and is strong as ever. I had to replace 2 rudder guides as well. It you can't find them at comp just go to the local Radio Shack and pick up some computer PC board . Cut your own out and then Hysol in place. I put them in the rough location let the glue start to set and then put the rudder back on with the wire guide to make sure it was all straight.

-- Good Luck

2walla · 10-08-2009, 09:13 PM

On the rudder be careful with the CA or use foam safe. Regular CA will eat the foam sandwich. It really sucks when the you learn that the hard way.... I made a plug roughly the right shape, covered in in wax paper and used some epoxy on a a piece of 1/4 oz cloth to make a single layer patch, then I layed the patch over the area, cut it to slightly oversize the hole. I marked its dimensions out on the part then I then took a dremel and sanded through the slighlty into the glass to provide some relief. I stuck it on with CA and and built it up with another layer of cloth. I then block sanded it down primed and painted. The key to not getting a lump is to sand down the area where the patch overlaps the skin.

MikeC3D · 10-08-2009, 10:08 PM

Mike, Bob and I have been using med ca for repairs on my compy, 1/2oz cloth, works like a charm and doesnt add anyweight after its all sanded down.

pepatrick · 10-08-2009, 11:00 PM

actually that part of the rudder will not have any of the foam sandwich in it. I did something similar with my 3.0 Compy Yak. I cut out the bad parts..and took balsa and glued in place. I sanded it down and put a very fine layer of bondo on it. Sanded it..smoothed it out and it turned out perfect.

JAS · 10-09-2009, 02:15 AM

I was expecting something like this MUCH sooner...lol. Doesn't look too bad. I fixed the bottom of my rudder with tape

... but I don't share that secret with many. Hinges are easy. Mount the hinges in the rudder on the tube, tape rudder in plane and let dry. Don't push the rudder in too far though. Maybe you can measure how far the hinge(s) are sticking out and put lil balsa stops onthe new ones.... Get it flying again! I hope to be back there in 2010 and my brother even asked about coming over with a jet...

japan3d · 10-09-2009, 02:26 AM

Yeah, you were here when I took the rubber off the tail wheel in a high speed low pass. Looking forward to seeing you again.

JAS · 10-09-2009, 02:35 AM

I remember that... I swear the tailwheel was in front of the plane for about a hundred feet...lol.

japan3d · 10-15-2009, 10:38 AM

I got the new landing gear plate today. I threw away the original, because I was pissed, how does the 3 main pieces go together? It's the three with the 6 holes in them. Do the smaller pieces go on opposite sides or both on the same side?

JAS · 10-15-2009, 11:11 AM

Huh

japan3d · 10-15-2009, 11:21 AM

These pieces.

JAS · 10-15-2009, 01:15 PM

ok... Big on top of medium on top of little one. Or...

(looking at your pic) Take the top one, slide it on top of the middle one, then slide both on top of the bottom one.

I thought there were only 2 screws per gear. Oh well. Since the gear gets mounted on top of the mount (right?), it should go in that order.

09-29-2009, 02:40 AM	#1
japan3d Mr. Cessna Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Sagamihara Posts: 783 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	Help repair a 3m Comp-Arf Had a little boo-boo this past saturday. Did a full throttle touch and go with my 3m Comp-Arf Extra 330s. ripped the landing gear mount out, and cracked the fuselage around where the gear goes in the side. Standard repair there. But I just got the plane in the house and discovered that 3 of the rudder hinge posts are broke off. Has anybody replaced these? Any tips or tricks on how to get them lined up? Also the bottom of the rudder has a big hole where the tail gear went thru, how have you guys been fixing the bottom of the rudders? __________________ DA=The Harley Davidson of model airplane engines. Last edited by japan3d; 10-08-2009 at 04:12 AM. Reason: title change

10-08-2009, 03:26 AM	#2
japan3d Mr. Cessna Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Sagamihara Posts: 783 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf Added some pics to show the damage. Anybody have any experience in removing the hinge posts and repairing the bottom of the rudder? Attached Thumbnails 34.3 KB · Views: 34 40.9 KB · Views: 59 48.5 KB · Views: 34 56.6 KB · Views: 14 51.4 KB · Views: 37 __________________ DA=The Harley Davidson of model airplane engines. Last edited by japan3d; 10-08-2009 at 10:24 AM. Reason: spelling

10-08-2009, 05:06 PM	#3
Andrew Bird Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New York Posts: 567	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf The hinges are reasonably simple as you can order new ones from comp arf and cut and dremel the old ones out. To re align you can use something like Hysol to glue them, get them approximately in place and put the rudder on (supported) to get alignment. The rudder can even be left on and taped in position to ensure it all stays there. The base of the hinge is far enough into the plane there should be lots of room between the bit with glue on and the rudder itself. Not sure of the best way to fix the base of the rudder - looks a bit fiddly!

10-08-2009, 05:46 PM	#4
craig77 Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Age: 30 Posts: 343	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf Yup Andy sumd it up with regards to the hinges.I repaired my rudder once with a very light weight glass cloth and wicked some thin CA into it!be careful with it though!this will give a lightweight skin to work with??

10-08-2009, 06:35 PM	#5
gotsky Super Contributer Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Castaic, CA USA Age: 38 Posts: 128 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf For the bottom of the rudder, just remove the areas that are crushed, lay in some balsa sand it flush and apply some light glass. Fill, sand and paint. I had this same thing happen on my Extreme 540 but it was the top due to a nose over. It worked very well and is strong as ever. I had to replace 2 rudder guides as well. It you can't find them at comp just go to the local Radio Shack and pick up some computer PC board . Cut your own out and then Hysol in place. I put them in the rough location let the glue start to set and then put the rudder back on with the wire guide to make sure it was all straight. -- Good Luck

10-08-2009, 09:13 PM	#6
2walla Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Walla Walla Wa Posts: 1,163	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf On the rudder be careful with the CA or use foam safe. Regular CA will eat the foam sandwich. It really sucks when the you learn that the hard way.... I made a plug roughly the right shape, covered in in wax paper and used some epoxy on a a piece of 1/4 oz cloth to make a single layer patch, then I layed the patch over the area, cut it to slightly oversize the hole. I marked its dimensions out on the part then I then took a dremel and sanded through the slighlty into the glass to provide some relief. I stuck it on with CA and and built it up with another layer of cloth. I then block sanded it down primed and painted. The key to not getting a lump is to sand down the area where the patch overlaps the skin.

10-08-2009, 10:08 PM	#7
MikeC3D 3D JUNKIE Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: SanAntonio,TX Age: 40 Posts: 3,386	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf Mike, Bob and I have been using med ca for repairs on my compy, 1/2oz cloth, works like a charm and doesnt add anyweight after its all sanded down.

10-08-2009, 11:00 PM	#8
pepatrick Yak - Extra - Yak...yakity yak Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Cumming, GA Age: 46 Posts: 2,216 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf actually that part of the rudder will not have any of the foam sandwich in it. I did something similar with my 3.0 Compy Yak. I cut out the bad parts..and took balsa and glued in place. I sanded it down and put a very fine layer of bondo on it. Sanded it..smoothed it out and it turned out perfect.

10-09-2009, 02:15 AM	#9
JAS Uncle Jas x 2 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Around the USA Posts: 710	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf I was expecting something like this MUCH sooner...lol. Doesn't look too bad. I fixed the bottom of my rudder with tape ... but I don't share that secret with many. Hinges are easy. Mount the hinges in the rudder on the tube, tape rudder in plane and let dry. Don't push the rudder in too far though. Maybe you can measure how far the hinge(s) are sticking out and put lil balsa stops onthe new ones.... Get it flying again! I hope to be back there in 2010 and my brother even asked about coming over with a jet... __________________ Uncle JAS x2

10-09-2009, 02:26 AM	#10
japan3d Mr. Cessna Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Sagamihara Posts: 783 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf Yeah, you were here when I took the rubber off the tail wheel in a high speed low pass. Looking forward to seeing you again. __________________ DA=The Harley Davidson of model airplane engines.

10-09-2009, 02:35 AM	#11
JAS Uncle Jas x 2 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Around the USA Posts: 710	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf I remember that... I swear the tailwheel was in front of the plane for about a hundred feet...lol. __________________ Uncle JAS x2

10-15-2009, 10:38 AM	#12
japan3d Mr. Cessna Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Sagamihara Posts: 783 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf I got the new landing gear plate today. I threw away the original, because I was pissed, how does the 3 main pieces go together? It's the three with the 6 holes in them. Do the smaller pieces go on opposite sides or both on the same side? __________________ DA=The Harley Davidson of model airplane engines.

10-15-2009, 11:11 AM	#13
JAS Uncle Jas x 2 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Around the USA Posts: 710	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf Huh __________________ Uncle JAS x2

10-15-2009, 11:21 AM	#14
japan3d Mr. Cessna Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Sagamihara Posts: 783 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf These pieces. Attached Thumbnails 29.7 KB · Views: 9 __________________ DA=The Harley Davidson of model airplane engines.

10-15-2009, 01:15 PM	#15
JAS Uncle Jas x 2 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Around the USA Posts: 710	Re: Repairing a 3m Comp-Arf ok... Big on top of medium on top of little one. Or... (looking at your pic) Take the top one, slide it on top of the middle one, then slide both on top of the bottom one. I thought there were only 2 screws per gear. Oh well. Since the gear gets mounted on top of the mount (right?), it should go in that order. __________________ Uncle JAS x2 Last edited by JAS; 10-15-2009 at 03:25 PM.

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