This Long-EZ build will be operating up to 1800lbs at times. The original design was just 1325lbs. Over the years these planes have been built with many add-ons, like a starter motor, then bigger motors, heaters, electric nose lifts. People wanted more than just a basic fun airplane. My own build is for round the world missions and a LOT of extra fuel.

I have decided to mitigate against the main gear coming loose despite having already applied known fixes for this problem. Yes quite a few peoples main gear has gotten the wiggles, worsening over time. It only takes one heavy landing or an unseen pothole in a runway to cause main gear damage.

Using on line and then a private discussion, along with the input from a qualified structural engineer but mainly from one of the Canard ‘gurus’ I have begun the ‘FIX’.

The known fixes are to use a steel bushes for the large AN6-80A bolt, a flox donut to prevent the gear moving fore and aft on its large  5/8″ OD steel tube. I also changed the small AN960-4 washers for AN970-4’s some time ago. That was a lot of work I am about to undo.

All this is considered by some not enough. Perhaps another way to put this is to say there is a further measure. This is linking the 8 main gear bolts together on the outside of the fuselage with a plate of 1/8″ 2024-T3 aluminium. Feeewwwww. Its a big job, so lets go!

The first step was to get down to the bracket bolts on the outside of the fuselage. I needed to clean up the bolt edges enough to get a socket on to them.

As I had carefully epoxied these in all those years ago they were very hard to move. I used the known method of a soldering iron on the part that needs loosening up.

This is the area for the plate that has to go after I remove the bolts and big washers.

It was a long day when finally bolts and all the washers were out.

I’d also made a good start of getting the foam down to the level of the spruce longerons and reinforcement. From here it will be very careful sanding to get a level base for the large plate.