Download Print this page

Landing Gear - Carf-Models Composite-ARF INTEGRAL Instruction Manual

Advertisement

Composite-ARF INTEGRAL
techsupport@composite-arf.com
Assembly Details
Gluing Preparation
It is most important to prepare all surfaces properly before gluing, to ensure a good bond, with
the minimum amount of glue. The inner surface of the laminated sandwich parts must be scuffed
with 240 grit sandpaper, and cleaned off with denaturised alcohol, or equivalent, on a paper towel
before gluing parts together. Milled carbon or fibreglass sandwich parts also need to be lightly
sanded and cleaned before gluing in place. We recommend at least 30 minute epoxy for all
structural joints, mixed with a little micro-balloons to give a light weight fillet to all joints.

Landing Gear

The main landing gear legs are laminated from a number of carbon rovings and cloth, in nega-
tive molds, and heat cured. This produces a strong, but still flexible and lightweight, structure.
Each leg is secured through the underside of the fuselage, at the back of the chin cowl position,
into the factory-installed carbon reinforced plywood mount (see photos P1 and P2). Use three
M3 x 16mm bolts, washers and T-nuts for each leg, positioned as shown. Cut matching notches
in the upper rear flange of the chin cowl to clear the carbon legs all around by about 1mm (see
photo P17).
Included in the hardware are two M4 x 40mm hardened steel allen bolts which are used as axles
for the main wheels, which should be 56mm/2.25" diameter. Drill a Ø 4mm hole thru' the bottom
of both carbon legs, and also the inner surface of the wheel pants, in the position marked by the
small molded dimples. Drill a 7mm Ø hole through the outside surface of the wheelpant, direct-
ly opposite the 4mm hole for the axle - to allow the head of the axle bolt to be inserted. Fit your
chosen wheels onto the axle bolts, with the plain M4 nut on the inside (against the inside surface
of the wheelpant), and use the M4 lock-nut on the inside of the carbon leg to secure it. Add wash-
ers or a wheel collar on the axle to centre the wheel as required.
No tailwheel assembly is supplied, but there is a small lite-ply plate already glued into the fuse-
lage floor, in front of the fin-post, to screw a tailwheel bracket into.
Stabilisers
The stabs are set at 0 degrees incidence, in relation to the fuselage centreline, at the factory.
The stab tube is a Ø 12mm x 260mm carbon tube which fits in the carbon tube that is already
aligned and installed in the fuselage. Each stab also has a matching carbon sleeve inside it, with
a blob of epoxy/microballoons on the bottom of it to reinforce the position where you must install
the M3 x 12mm stab retaining bolts, approx. 75mm (3") in from the root rib. Install the stab tube
completely into one stab, and drill right thru' the bottom skin of the stab, the sleeve inside the
stab, and the bottom surface of the carbon stab tube with a Ø 2.4mm drill. Tap the holes M3.
Open up the hole in the bottom surface of the stab to Ø 5.5mm, so that the head of the bolt fits
flush.
Remove the carbon stab tube and glue an M3 T-nut inside for the for the M3 bolt to go into (cut
the sides off so that it fits). Wax or oil the M3 bolt first, and insert to ensure perfect alignment with
the threaded hole in the carbon tube while the epoxy cures. Refit the stab tube into the stab, and
secure with the M3 bolt. With the fuselage upside-down, fit the first stab and tube tightly onto the
fuselage, and then fit the other stab on the tube. Hold it tightly against the fuselage, and drill and
tap the hole for the other stab retaining bolt in the same way. Fit the T-nut inside as before.
Servo mounting plates (6mm lite-ply) are laminated into the underside of the Stabs during man-
6

Advertisement

loading