These hooks are made of 3/32 piano wire and it was something different to bend them into a hook. Next I cut some leftover firewall ply for the plugs. I got a little creative and very carefully ground a lip so the 1″ spring tube would be a tight interference fit even before it was glued. You can see that in pic 2.

I also bent the hook wire into a curve so it would sit into the outside of the plug. I put another piece of piano wire through that loop on the outside to spread the load. I got even more creative and potted the hooks in flox in two cured session on both sides to ensure they were centered. I also checked that I could get a spring on the hooks when they were in the tubes.

Having gotten this far I glued the plugs to the tubes which I had previously alodined. Once that was all done I sharpened another piece of 1″ OD tubing and used that to cut a hole in both winglets. Finally the tube assembly was microed in place.

Why so much trouble on these? A friend of mine flew a Long-EZ from England and this hook failed and needed to be repaired on a day of thunderstorms and rain at my home field here in Melbourne. The rest of the plane made it here with no problems!

Hooks with plug lip

Hooks in the tubes

Tube microed into the winglet