Winter project - Udo rigger

This time of year is good for repairing things that you just haven't
got around to. Amongst my other winter projects is refurbishing an
older Udo rigger.
The Bilstein screw jack was not working smoothly, and produced
clicks while raising or lowering. When it clicked, the jack was not
raising or lowering. Sounds terminal, but it isn't necessarily.
If you have a similar problem with a screw jack, remove it (on the
Udo rigger, 3 bolts) and clean the threads. I found that there were
pieces of gravel stuck in the grease in the threads of the screw jack.
These forced the spring-loaded teeth of the carriage which rides on
the screw to come out of the threads and click back in. Cleaning the
threads out with a screwdriver eliminated the gravel. A little WD40
along the screw and the whole thing runs smoothly. Using heavy grease
which will pick up dirt is a recipe for more trouble.
Takes half an hour on a rainy day. (unlikely to happen on a sunny
day)
Jim

On Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:53:10 -0800, JS wrote:

A little WD40 along the screw and the whole thing runs smoothly.

Be careful where you use that stuff. It doesn't cause problems with that
machinery of that size and weight, but can be a nuisance on small
precision items. The problem is that it dries out and becomes sticky
enough to cause problems. The only real cure is disassembly and cleaning.

If WD40 gets into instruments or a baro it could cause real problems.
I know this from model flying: the timers we use on free flight power
models get covered in oil and then pick up grit if you're flying in dusty
places. This stops them working, so a common flying field trick is to
give the timer a good squirt with WD40 to blow the grit out before the
next flight. That solves the problem - until the next competition day, by
which time the WD40 has dried out and prevents the timer from running.
The solution on the field? More WD40, but it does build up through the
season until it gets cleaned out as part of the winter overhaul.

This isn't a a major problem provided you know about it. Now you do: so
consider yourselves warned.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Feb 27, 2:53*pm, JS wrote:
* This time of year is good for repairing things that you just haven't
got around to. Amongst my other winter projects is refurbishing an
older Udo rigger.
* The Bilstein screw jack was not working smoothly, and produced
clicks while raising or lowering. When it clicked, the jack was not
raising or lowering. Sounds terminal, but it isn't necessarily.
* If you have a similar problem with a screw jack, remove it (on the
Udo rigger, 3 bolts) and clean the threads. I found that there were
pieces of gravel stuck in the grease in the threads of the screw jack.
These forced the spring-loaded teeth of the carriage which rides on
the screw to come out of the threads and click back in. Cleaning the
threads out with a screwdriver eliminated the gravel. A little WD40
along the screw and the whole thing runs smoothly. Using heavy grease
which will pick up dirt is a recipe for more trouble.
* Takes half an hour on a rainy day. (unlikely to happen on a sunny
day)
Jim

Jim,

I would use a thin lube like LPS-2 rather than WD40, it will be better
in the long run and maintaining lubrication.

Thanks Martin and Tim, I forgot the final stage... I used bicycle
chain lube!
Tri-Flow works on the bike pretty well without picking up half the
desert.
LPS make great products, I think there are three cans of their stuff
in the garage.
The WD40 cleans out all the old shrapnel pretty well.
Jim

On Feb 27, 4:59*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:


I would use a thin lube like LPS-2 rather than WD40, it will be better
in the long run and maintaining lubrication.

LPS-2 is a thin lube out of the can but over time it dries to a waxy
consistency. It can make some things almost seize up in cold
weather. I have leaned the hard way not to use in on control cables.
A flush with kerosene or Jet A seems to fix things for a while.

Andy

On Feb 27, 8:05*pm, Andy wrote:
On Feb 27, 4:59*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:

I would use a thin lube like LPS-2 rather than WD40, it will be better
in the long run and maintaining lubrication.

LPS-2 is a thin lube out of the can but over time it dries to a *waxy
consistency. *It can make some things almost seize up in cold
weather. *I have leaned the hard way not to use in on control cables.
A flush with kerosene or Jet A seems to fix things for a while.

Andy

I vote for all the above except WD-40 which, after some bad
experiences, I restrict to its original purpose - Water Displacement.

To the list I would add an old standard - auto parts store white
molybdenum grease. It seems to last forever on door hinges so it
should be great on jacks.

"JS" wrote in message
...
Thanks Martin and Tim, I forgot the final stage... I used bicycle
chain lube!
Tri-Flow works on the bike pretty well without picking up half the
desert.
LPS make great products, I think there are three cans of their stuff
in the garage.
The WD40 cleans out all the old shrapnel pretty well.
Jim

So what would everyone recommend on cables? the post about LS2 getting
stiff.

In the LS-4 (9B) I always have the rudder pedals close for control on
takeoff and braking if needed
Last summer at JABOG (Tonopah) after 3 hours at 17,000ft, on descent for
landing I was unable to move (pull the rudder pedal adjust cable) to pull
the rudder pedals back into a position for effective heel braking. I had to
fly around down lower for about 15 minutes to warm things up before I could
adjust the pedals.

BT

Errrrr.........
When I went to A&P school (oh so many years ago) they told us that
aircraft cables should NOT be lubercated. Lube only the pulleys with
WD-40. As for not being able move your rudder pedals back, you need to
clean the sliding tubes and then lube with
WD-40.................lubing the cable has nothing to do with fixing
the problem..
JJ

BT wrote:
"JS" wrote in message
...
Thanks Martin and Tim, I forgot the final stage... I used bicycle
chain lube!
Tri-Flow works on the bike pretty well without picking up half the
desert.
LPS make great products, I think there are three cans of their stuff
in the garage.
The WD40 cleans out all the old shrapnel pretty well.
Jim

So what would everyone recommend on cables? the post about LS2 getting
stiff.

In the LS-4 (9B) I always have the rudder pedals close for control on
takeoff and braking if needed
Last summer at JABOG (Tonopah) after 3 hours at 17,000ft, on descent for
landing I was unable to move (pull the rudder pedal adjust cable) to pull
the rudder pedals back into a position for effective heel braking. I had to
fly around down lower for about 15 minutes to warm things up before I could
adjust the pedals.

BT

thanx JJ

"JJ Sinclair" wrote in message
...
Errrrr.........
When I went to A&P school (oh so many years ago) they told us that
aircraft cables should NOT be lubercated. Lube only the pulleys with
WD-40. As for not being able move your rudder pedals back, you need to
clean the sliding tubes and then lube with
WD-40.................lubing the cable has nothing to do with fixing
the problem..
JJ

BT wrote:
"JS" wrote in message
...
Thanks Martin and Tim, I forgot the final stage... I used bicycle
chain lube!
Tri-Flow works on the bike pretty well without picking up half the
desert.
LPS make great products, I think there are three cans of their stuff
in the garage.
The WD40 cleans out all the old shrapnel pretty well.
Jim

So what would everyone recommend on cables? the post about LS2
getting
stiff.

In the LS-4 (9B) I always have the rudder pedals close for control on
takeoff and braking if needed
Last summer at JABOG (Tonopah) after 3 hours at 17,000ft, on descent for
landing I was unable to move (pull the rudder pedal adjust cable) to pull
the rudder pedals back into a position for effective heel braking. I had
to
fly around down lower for about 15 minutes to warm things up before I
could
adjust the pedals.

BT

Water soluble marine grease works great on the pins for the spars when
rigging. It cleans up with a wet rag and saves a trip to the
clubhouse to get the grease off of your hands.

MS