Been out of it for a while - did I miss anything?

KDOG

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
652
Location
Bridgeton, NJ
I don't think I've been on the boards or even touched my Bee in like a month. Haven't been able to work on it. Still trying to get the gear on. Can anyone guess what length the An-4 bolt will need to be to safely attatch the gear brackets to the cluster plate area instead of the end of the keel there. I used 3/16th alum for the plates. I'm thinking an AN-32? I'll have to fool with it somemore...
 
KDOG, see if you can get a bolt grip gauge to help with the bolt length figuring.
 
KDOG: I dont know if this helps...and you probably already know it...but in case you dont. The first number past the AN is the diameter in 16ths. The last numbers of course are the length. If its two numbers...the first is the number of inches....the second is the number of 1/8ths added to those inches. In other words...the bolt you are wondering about....AN4-32 would be a bolt that is 1/4 inch....and 3 and quarter inches long.

Stan
 
Ok, now thats just the shank area and NOT including the threads, correct? The more I look at, the more it seems I'll need like a AN-35 or so...
 
Thanks for the bolt info. I was needing to order some bolts also and was wondering if I was measuring them right.

KDOG, While you were gone there was a couple real big storms. The first one flattened the coast of Mississippi and flooded New Orleans and the second one flooded and flattened the coast of Texas and western Louisiana.
 
Kevin,

It seems like picking the right bolt is harder than it should be. Like John, I refer to Aircraft Spruce's bolt chart.

Don't forget to include the thickness of the washers when you figure the grip length. I always keep thick and thin washers on hand to help fit up a bolt. I also order bolts in a couple or three lengths to increase my chances of having what I need.

Alan
 
You can download a program called BOLTS from the Gyrobee web site that will automatically select the proper bolt based on the thickness of the "stack" of material you wish to secure. It is very easy to use and can be obtained from:

ftp://taggart.glg.msu.edu/bolts.exe

Ralph
 
I click on it, but a box pops up saying it doesn't contain any data. I pretty sure an AN4-34 or 35 will do it....
 
Kevin,
I'm a new Bee builder myself, so leaned heavily on the "ol' timers" in the local EAA chapter. My instructor/test pilot expressed the same views about bolt lengths.
Basically know the total thickness of what you are holding together including a washer on each end of the bolt. Add 3/8" for the nut (or however thick your nuts measure out) plus at least 1/16", but not too much more. Should show at least one full thread, but generally not more than 3 or 4 threads above the locking plastic of the nut. Yep, I had to change out a few before Charlie would fly the bird.
Good luck.
 
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