Factory clutch spring tube
A recent email states:
Hi Orv,
Mike Garner flying (old Yellow). Doing the condition inspection
and having read your article in the latest magazineI found on the
clutch cylinder only 1..one rivit installed, however it is a steel
rivit, at the top of the cylinder holding the cylinder in, it is
very close to the edge of the cylinder. I believe you would advise
me to install three more?
I most likely would not have noticed had you not wrote about it.
Thanks AGAIN.
Mike Garner
Hi Orv.
Update on last Email "rivits".
I said there was one rivit? Well there
were really two,when installed, both aluminum. The one on the bottom
had already sheared off. The remaining one at the top position was
bent at, I estimate, at a 30 degree bend and ready to shear off
olso.
That was CLOSE!!
I did the fix as stated in the article.
Again, Thanks, I really don't like doing real autos. (I have done
3, )
Mike Garner
My old Exec had aluminum pop rivets securing the
plunger into the spring tube. Eventually these rivets wore out allowing
the plunger to come out of the tube. I now use steel rivets in this
area to insure that the rivets stay in place.
When
Andrew Burr purchased his second hand Rotorway he hired me
to travel to his home to begin his flight training in his
new aquisition. I spent several hours going over it with him
and provided him a long list of items needing attention before
I would fly in it. Many of these issues were from a poor job
of building the helicopter by the original builder. The final
product is only as good as the person building it. The items
on that list are all covered in the Hints and Tips section
of this web site.
One item on the list was
the clutch pivot arm was poorly constructed by the original
builder. Andrew's motto is " I don't want to re-invent
the wheel, I just want to make the wheel better". His
solution was to remove the original tube from the end of the
clutch pivot arm and to replace it with a larger diameter
tube and then reinforcing the tube to the arm by welding steel
gussets between the new tube and the arm. He then installed
"oil-lite" bushings into the top and bottom of the
tube so that, when installed, the pivot bolt would now be
protected and lubricated by the bronze bushings. This clutch
arm is an area that needs close inspection during your preflight.
The photo below is of the
bolt that Andrew removed from the damaged swing arm. If the
swing arm is built to the factory standards and according
to their directions and plans, it should provide good service. |
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I have been working
on a new design to my original electric clutch. This one is
even simpler than the original that many know of the Easy start
clutch. It will cost less and since I missed the boat on manufacturing
the first design myself, I have decided to team up with Vertical
Performance Systems to manufacture and sell this new design.
We are currently testing the new clutch and will make it available
soon. |
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