Wheel pant question

[saddler]

Started looking at mounting my wheel pants. Did you guys have to cut the axle off a little shorter to get it to fit in the wheel pant? I have the pant slid over top of the axle now but it is really a tight fit and the axle is making a bump on the outside of the wheel pant. Did I miss that detail in the plans somewhere? Curious what everyone else has done?

Thanks!

[MichaelFarley56]

I've never heard of anyone cutting down the axles. It's tight to fit the wheel pants over the tire but once in place it seems to fit well. Just my airplane though!

[SonexN76ET]

Make sure the wheel pant is on straight. The axis of the wheel pant should match the axis of the axle. Once this is done, the bulge should go away.

[LarryEWaiex121]

Sean,
A couple more quick thoughts. I agree the pants should fit without any cutting of the axle.
In regards to the actual pants themselves, I've found them to be pretty thin. I fly a lot and I don't always go into the smoothest fields. I glassed in some washers on the outside hole after watching it wallow out the hole over time. The pants don't have to be very loose before it becomes and issue. If you want long term durability, I'd just do it now before you finish and paint. When I mounted my wheel pants originally, I used the machine head screws as the plans call out. I got tired off the screws getting hogged out and hard to remove with the Phillips screwdriver. I now have AN washers and AN 3 bolts holding the pants on. Its a small concession to the looks department to be able to securely keep the pants from wandering around over time. Since adding the washers to space out the stress on the pants I have zero issue with the bolts working loose.
I'm starting to slowly figure out its better to build it good once than to fix it three times. Slow learner.

Larry

[saddler]

Ok thanks for the info. I'll keep working at it. I was planning on raising the wheel pants a little so that may be causing some of the problem.

[Darick]

Larry,
The plans now call out a AN525 washer head screw which is the same size as AN3 bolt and washer. Was it different when you built yours?
Darick
SN 1646

[LarryEWaiex121]

Darick,

I didn't do a very good job of explaining things on my earlier post.
I initially used the 525 screws as called out in the plans for about 1 1/2 yrs. Quit often I was finding after landing out on grass strips and such that the screws would loosen up after a couple hours. I started blue loctiting them in which made them secure but then the screws were a bear to get out. I fought this through a couple of sets of rounded out screws and finally after having to take my die grinder with a cut off wheel to cut a slot for a flat blade screwdriver, I'd had enough. I swapped out all the screw for AN3-7 (I believe) bolts with the larger washers under the heads. Having repaired the wheel pants now 2 times, I was beginning to see issues with longevity, the way I was subjecting them to off field stresses and such. I was getting hair line cracks in the finish, stars in the paint, etc.
On my last rebuild, I glassed in a washer on the outside hole where the bolt screws into the axle. All it takes is about 2-3 hrs running around with a semi-loose screw and the hole gets hogged out. The washers on the brake side are exterior just under the bolt heads.
I have been running this arraignment now for the last 140 hrs and I now have zero issues with loosening bolts or cracks in the glass or paint. Hence my earlier comment about the glass being a bit thin. In a perfect world it might be good enough. My world isn't quite that perfect. LOL This plane was built to fly and if I can keep it looking good that's an added bonus.
My feeling is that the larger washers allow better support and less vibration and anytime you can reduce the vibration you got less fatigue of the parts.

Larry

[Darick]

I understand now. I'll have to do a similar mod when I get to that point as I learned to fly off of grass and prefer that to hard surface. There are plenty of grass strips in the Susquehanna valley of Pennsylvania, where I live. Thanks.

[LarryEWaiex121]

Darick,

Off subject here but, I lived in Lower Burrell, PA from 2004-2006 for just over 2 yrs.
I enjoyed my time in PA. but found the flying environment pretty restricted in terms of available airports, hangers, etc. within a reasonable driving time. One of the reasons I chose to leave at the first opportunity.
When your raised on the West Coast, things seem pretty congested east of the Big River. I admire anyone that can function in the airspaces you folks have. Foreign environment for me.
Good luck on your Sonex. No offence to the tri-gear guys but your going to love the way your bird looks on conventional gear. In hindsight, I now believe the center stick makes a lot of sense. I don't think its even an option on the Waiex? Honestly never looked into it but Mike January converted his Waiex on his own and he loves it.

Larry

Larry