Gert
" Think a better fix would have been to put AN5 bolts instead of the
pins and to mill a aluminium plug which could slide inside the TP4
torque tube and give you the possibility to tighten the arrangement
together. I am interested in comments from folks who have done this mod.
the Europa way to hear from their experience."
Nigel Graham has already done what you suggest. I have seen the parts
but I an not sure if he has fitted them to his kit. I use the word kit
because he is still a long way from having a flying aircraft. The
spacer is, I believe, steel rather that aluminium and has a
circumferential groove for "loctite".
The important thing is how you locate the internal spacer inside the
torque tube and reduce any play between the spacer and the tube.
Nigel's solution to this is to tap a hole in the centre of the spacer
and insert it into the tube on a long rod with a tread on the end. When
in the correct position the rod and spacer are rotated while a suitable
"loctite" is spread on the spacer through the hole in the tube. This
allows the spacer to be glued in without wipeing the glue (loctite) off
as it is fed down the tube. The spacer is then rotated to align the
bolt hole, a bolt inserted and the loctite left to harden.
I have been chasing Nigel to let me have the details for some time now.
When I get them I intend to put it in as a PFA standard modification and
(in conjunction with Europa 2004) look for a supplier for the spacers.
Unfortunately PFA have had some six standard mods sitting on Francis
Donaldson's desk for some 10 months without being processed. I spoke to
Francis at the FFF Rally last week and he did say he hoped to get round
to them soon.
Ian Rickard #505 G-IANI XS Trigear
Europa Club Mods Rep (Trigear)
e-mail mods@europaclub.org.uk
or direct g-iani@ntlworld.com
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