This PITA has been discussed before, at least with respect to the Rebel,
where it's equally difficult. There was some discussion back when I did
this, not too long ago -- perhaps Nov.-Dec. You might search the archives on
"spacers" "cotter pin" or such. I'll see if I can track it down.
I ended up using a small hemostat to carefully put washers on the bolts (you
may need more than one washer to align the castle nuts properly, of course)
and a small "cylinder" of masking tape on the end of a finger to hold the
nut up against the bolt inside the hole. As you may know, on the Rebel, both
ends of the center bolt have to be manipulated through the little 1" holes.
For getting the bolts in place, through bushings and all, there's no
substitute for a helper, preferably someone more patient than you are.
For getting at the nut(s), I found a set of small ignition wrenches was the
only way, though on the outboard end bolts, where you can get at the bolt
head outside, I turned that and just help the nut. With the center bolt on
the Rebel, I tried to just hold the nut there as perpendicular to the end of
the bolt as possible, until I could pretzel over to get a teeny ignition
wrench on the bolt head, turning it a half a flat at a time until it got
started on the threads. Sheesh!
A needle nose pliers is essential for the cotter pin installation, one with
a 45 deg. nose probably being best. Get the pin started in the hole with the
needle nose, then turn the bolt from the head about 45 deg., and start to
push the cotter pin's "leaves" apart with a small screwdriver blade, at
least enough to keep the cotter pin from falling out. (Plan ahead for these
angles.) Then turn the bolt head the rest of the way to where you can finish
the cotter pin leave spreading with the screwdriver or whatever works. It's
good to practice with a nut and bolt outside in fresh air to get the cotter
pin leaf lengths trimmed just right -- usually different for each leaf if
you're going over the top of the bolt longitudinally, per AC-43.
A couple of times I dropped a cotter pin inside. I was very luck to fish
them out before they skidded between flaperon fabric and stringer with a
small right angle pick.
No doubt, others will chime in here. The funny part is imagining that the
Rebel was originally sold as being trailerable, with easily removable wings.
Hilarious. :-) I dread taking them off again for painting someday.
Good luck.
Ron
On Sat, May 31, 2008 at 8:32 PM, Ted Waltman <tedwaltman@i1ci.com> wrote:
Must be some trick that several of us didn't figure out when trying to get
bolts, nuts, washers, spacers and even cotter pins in those WAY TOO SMALL
access holes in the aileron and flaps. Anyone have any particular tool(s)
and techniques that they can share? Took several of us 2+ hours to get one
aileron installed today-and we didn't even put in cotter pins yet! There
has to be a better way? I'm heading to the tool store tomorrow to see if
an
combination of other wrenches/adapters might seem like good ideas.
How can something that at face value seems so easy take so long <grin>?
Tips/Tricks/Ideas anyone?
Ted
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