europa-list
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Europa-List: Tailplane torque tube bushing question

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Tailplane torque tube bushing question
From: G&amp;TPowell <georgepowell@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:18:34

Thanks to all for the replies.  

To answer the points raised, I did lubricate TP4, but with Teflon white lithium
grease, as I saw suggested on another thread.  This helped some, but not much.
The TP4 does slide through TP5, but not very easily on one side.

I did check for epoxy contamination; I believe that both TP5 and TP6 are clean.
I opened up the bottom of the tailplane to check the integrity of the TP6 join,
and I found that a few blobs of epoxy had dripped between the joints of the
foam in the empty foam tube area between TP5 and TP6.  I thought that these
might be binding the TP4 as it passed through.  Removing these little blobs 
helped
a little.

With the bottom of the tailplane open, I can easily see the TP4 when it reaches
TP6.  The serious binding begins when TP4 enters TP6.  

The points raised by Kingsley seem possible, if not probable.  As I did not 
construct
these tailplanes, I don't know how well they were made when the TP5 and
TP6 sleeves were set.  It seems entirely possible that one or the other (or 
both)
are not in alignment.  From visual inspection of the TP6 it does not appear
that grooves were cut in it to "key" the epoxy bond, so I don't think that
would have contributed to TP6 "shrinking".  

I am glad I opened up the bottom to check this, as I will now roughen the 
surface
of TP6 with a dremel or drill when doing the layup described in Service Bulletin
006.

If I have to remove TP6 (and/or TP5) to reset them, what is the proper technique
to do so?  

Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

George Powell


Visit -  www.EuropaOwners.org



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>