Posted Monday, April 20, 2009 @ 00:19 AM
Hi Guys,
It is brilliant that Eugenio has made new springs for us, but.....
I had not seen this post, I only found it when searching to see if the topic had already been posted.
I have had the Aussie blue one apart for its forty year overhaul, and while doing lots of little jobs I had put off, I was concerned about the wheel door springs. The doors shut properly when the aeroplane is up on jacks, but one or the other seemed to pop open when I'm sideslipping during my aerobatics -- you can see it on the video clips. Also Matthew reported one door would occasionally open on red G-AWGN when we were in formation.
So, I took off the springs, cleaned then with fuel, and inspected them, and they seemed to be pretty slack. So I put the short end with the loop into the vice, and wound the long end through 180 degrees. Actually, from memory, I think you have to unwind them to tighten them. They're pretty soft, and didn't snap. After winding (unwinding?) through 180 degrees it's difficult to fit them back on their pegs, so I wound them up and clamped them with locking pliers ('Mole Grips' in England). That held them nicely in position so I could replace them.
Now the doors snap shut and stay closed whatever I do.
Time: 30 minutes.
Cost: zero.
By the way, one of the little clips holding the spring's long arm to the door broke under the increased tension. Be careful, the bits flew a long way across the hangar! They look like small paper clips (although of course they're probably not) so I cut up a small paper clip and substituted that. If it breaks I'll let you know, but it seems to be working fine so far.
Yours, Bob
