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Thread: Alignment or What??

  1. #11
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    Quote Originally Posted by KFfan View Post
    Here is a good tutorial on alignment

    http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/sho...ighlight=align
    Excellent Posting on how to do the alignments. Even if you know what you are doing this is a great refresher.
    Paul Zimmermann
    LSRM-A
    Garland, Texas

  2. #12
    KFfan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    This is from a posting relevant to automobiles but is applicable to the situation at hand. IMHO


    "Caster is the tilting of the uppermost point of the steering axis either forward or backward (when viewed from the side of the vehicle). A backward tilt is positive (+) and a forward tilt is negative (-). Caster influences directional control of the steering but does not affect the tire wear. Caster is affected by the vehicle height, therefore it is important to keep the body at its designed height. Overloading the vehicle or a weak or sagging rear spring will affect caster. When the rear of the vehicle is lower than its designated trim height, the front suspension moves to a more positive caster. If the rear of the vehicle is higher than its designated trim height, the front suspension moves to a less positive caster. With too little positive caster. If one wheel has more positive caster than the other, that wheel will pull toward the center of the vehicle. This condition will cause the vehicle to pull or lead to the side with the least amount of positive caster."


    The picture in my brain indicates the mains moving one direction, moving backwards, and the opposite direction, moving forward.


    My wife would probably have said, "You're wrong".
    Lou
    KitFox II
    582

  3. #13
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    You are making my head hurt.

  4. #14
    KFfan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    Caster(oil) may help
    Lou
    KitFox II
    582

  5. #15
    Senior Member PapuaPilot's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    That's strange. I posted to the original thread the other night.

    Anyways, I just did it again at:

    http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/sho...ighlight=align
    Phil Nelson
    A&P-IA, Maintenance Instructor
    KF 5 Outback, Cont. IO-240
    Flying since 2016

  6. #16

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    Zephyrhills, FL and Houghton Lake, MI
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    OK, I am convinced that I need to do a good check of the alignment. I am sure that it is out, and needs "adjusting".

    My access to equipment is very limited, and I am not even sure I can do the alignment check properly.

    I am not anxious to put a 6' cheater on the axle and bending (hopefully) the axle. I can envision terrible things happening if it bends the wrong component. But I am equally reluctant to put the axle in a vice (if I had one that was stout enough to withstand the rigors of this task) and beat on it with a sledge hammer. I worry about figuring out where to bend it, how much to bend it and in what direction.

    I have searched this site and youtube looking for videos on how to do it, but can't find any (where is Dave when you need him).

    I have been thinking about making a lever that I can attach to the gear leg to take the torque being applied by the cheater on the axle. Hopefully, the axle will bend before something else distorts.

    Does anyone have a good photos, videos or other ideas??

    Louie

  7. #17
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    Hi Louie,
    As I posted earlier my Dad's Baby Great Lakes had a pretty good toe in problem. It's been a while, but as I recall here's how he did it. He propped the tail up level. Then using a plumb bob marked the center line of the aircraft nose and tail. He marked the hangar floor then he connected the dots out the front far past the tires. Then he took a long strait edge and placed it horizontally across each tire on the outside. Marking the floor again he connected those dots. He then had an idea of how far off center each tire was pointing. As I remember the gear looked like a cut down Aeronca Champ gear. My older brother in law is an ex-olympic discus thrower. Not small by any means. My dad had him put a long steel rod into the hollow axle and "gently" pry the axle aft to twist out the toe-in. Using the plumb bob and the strait edge against the tire, he could see how far he needed to twist the gear. It sure did tame that tiger. If you happened to land too hard on one side, it would really toss you the other way. That airplane was a real trip to land as it had zero forward visibility on landing. It did have a locking tail wheel which did help a bunch. The best method was to come across the numbers at 70mph with the tail wheel locked, throttle at idle, and stare at the gas cap in front of you. When you saw the runway lights out the corners of you eyes, slowly pull the stick back and grease it on tail wheel first. And you sure as heck had to be fast with your feet!!! Talk about short coupled.

  8. #18

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    Oct 2013
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    Louie, From your description, it appears the gear is twisting to arrive at one spot going backward and another going forward.
    Loose axle?
    Broken gear strut?
    Excessive wheel friction causing gear to twist?

    Jack it up and check for any twisting movement.

    And BTW, having been there and done that, I prefer to align the gear straight ahead, i. e., no toe in or out.

    Good luck,
    Chuck Gruby
    Petal, Kit Fox III Flying

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Zephyrhills, FL and Houghton Lake, MI
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    Default Re: Alignment or What??

    I looked everything over pretty good, and found no broken or bent components.

    I then leveled the plane, snapped the chalk lines, did the measuring and came to the following conclusion.

    The right main is almost at zero toe-in (maybe 1/16th of an inch, but close enough for me). the left main is toed-in about 3/4 inch. We verified it by measuring the distance between the brake mounting plates at the front of the wheels and again at the back of the wheels. We had about 3/8" difference in the two measurements, showing a toe- in condition.

    I am going to leave the right gear alone and see what I can do with the left one.

    I'll let you know how it goes. Does anyone have a spare left gear leg if I turn mine into DO-DO.

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