overtorque Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Hi there! My question concerning the long-EZ. When I checked my controls, I found some bolts with "head down". I believed in aircraft the bolts must be head up. I opened the plan and on chapter 19 P16, I can see the bolt of the front pushrod (CS129) head down. I suppose that Rutan must have a good reason to do this choice. If anyone can give me the reason, I will be happy to know! Thanks for help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Kriley Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I can't imagine why it would make a difference, so long as clearance is not an issue. I'm looking forward to an answer from someone more knowlegable than myself! Quote Phil Kriley Cozy #1460 Chapter 13 - nose Right wing done - working on right winglet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Ashton Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I believed in aircraft the bolts must be head up. Yes, that's preferred but sometimes its impractical to install the bolt with the head up. With lock-nuts its not much of an issue. Quote -KentCozy IV N13AM-750 hrs, Long-EZ-85 hrs and sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Clifford Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 The theory is that if the bolt head is "up" or facing "forward", if for some reason the nut comes loose and falls off, the bolt will hopefully remain in place as gravity itself will hold it in. I know of one incident that was reported on the VANS RV forum where this came into play and may have prevented a tragic event. The poster stated that during final assembly of one of the controls, he placed the washer and elastic nut on and finger tightened, then forgot to torque this particular nut when he was doing the final torques. The nut had come loose and fell off during a flight. The missing nut was discovered during a preflight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Steve Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 There is a place in the wing root linkage for the ailerons that if you build it stock you will have to put the bolt head down. It rubs on the bracket if you dont. I dont like this but have decided that Lock nut will probably hold it on if installed properly. STeve Quote Steve Harmon Lovin Life in Idaho Cozy IV Plans #1466 N232CZ http://websites.expercraft.com/bigsteve/ Working on Chapter 19,21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMann Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 ...... reminds me of a chapter in Chuck Yeager's auto-bio. I guy on the production line got the idea that if he put a bolt in the other way, he could do it a lot faster. Didn't figure on that being enough to lock up the aileron under G-Load. His ingenuity cost the USAF a jet and almost a pilot. The accident investigators followed it all the way back and interrupt the guy as he was actually doing it on a plane he was working on. Ouch. Anyway ..... the time to find out it wasn't a good Idea is not while you are airborne. Quote T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18 Velocity/RG N951TM Mann's Airplane Factory We add rocket's to everything! 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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