Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: "DJ Vegh"
Anyone else notice that the Rans highwing planes use aluminum struts?What I am trying to find out is, how are the ends of the struts done? I found one picture (attached) of the lower end (from http://www.justplanefrank.com) . It looks as though one bolt and three pull rivets are used to hold an aluminum end. This design will not work as the lower end but would work great on the upper end of a Piet strut. Larry Williams appears to have used this approach on his aluminum strutted Piet http://westcoastpiet.com/images/Larry%2 ... jpg.Anyone have access to a Rans S6 or S7? What size struts are they and how are the ends done.Chris TracySacramento, CaWebsite at http://www.Westcoastpiet.com ________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: "Catdesigns"
here's how I did minehttp://veghdesign.com/aircamper/log/image-pages/03-13-04.htmI used 4130 on the lower ends because I threaded them for adjustable piper cub forks. The upper ends are aluminum 2024 aluminum bar.DJ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "Catdesigns"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Rans Aluminum Wing Strut DesignsIn a message dated 2/16/2007 8:42:05 PM Central Standard Time, catdesigns(at)comcast.net writes:This design will not work as the lower end but would work great on the upper end of a Piet strut. Chris,It appears that those designs eliminate the capability to move the wing for and aft.Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Chuck, your right. I guess I should be more clear. In my muddy water of a mind I know what I'm talking about. I'm not suggesting changing the strut design of the Piet. The Rans struts come together at the front strut and mount to the fuselage at one point. I'm not suggesting doing this at all. All I was looking at was the square aluminum bar with the hole in it and how it was mounted into the aluminum strut. If one was to use the aluminum strut on a Piet, this would be a simple solution. As DJ seems to have used also, once again it proves that if I can think of it someone has already thought of it too. I didn't even think about the lower end using fork but now as I look back in my notes I see Larry Williams did something as DJ just a little different:"For fittings, I got BIG terminals end and wieldable inserts, welded the insert into a 3/4" square tube and slid it into the strut material where it is cross-bolted in place. If I was to do it over, I'd just make some sort of fork-like fittings and dispense with the adjustable feature. Much cheaper and I have found no reason to adjust mine since installation."I'm no where near needing them just doing some thinking is all. Also, I noticed the Rans jury struts are attached to the aluminum strut by way of an AN eyebolt. They are bit hard to see in the attached photo but that's what they look like to me. Chris TracySacramento, CaWebsite at http://www.Westcoastpiet.com ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Pietsrneat(at)aol.com
Chris wrote->It looks as though one bolt and three pull rivets>are used to hold an aluminum end.Chris, I believe that the rivets are there to hold the triangular, flat aluminum fitting to the spar, not to transfer any loads from the strut end to the strut. The through-bolt(s) do that. And I would definitely use DJ's two-bolt design rather than a single bolt. I just can't visualize a single bolt transferring all the load to that aluminum.DJ: curious to know how you match-drilled the holes in the strut to the holes in the 4130 end fitting since you obviously drilled the end fitting first? Just measure hole centers and hope for the best?Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net_________________________________________________________________Play Flexicon: the crossword game that feeds your brain. PLAY now for FREE. http://zone.msn.com/en/flexicon/default ... __________

Original Posted By: "DJ Vegh"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Rans Aluminum Wing Strut DesignsIn a message dated 2/17/2007 11:28:19 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, taildrags(at)hotmail.com writes:DJ: curious to know how you match-drilled the holes in the strut to the holes in the 4130 end fitting since you obviously drilled the end fitting first? Just measure hole centers and hope for the best?I was wondering the same thing, Oscar. It is too tight to squeeze in a hole finder of any kind, I think.________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: "Oscar Zuniga"
Oscar,actually I drilled them all at once... sort of. I made a jig that holds the airfoil shaped aluminnum square on the base of my drill press. Then I inserted the 4130 bar into the strut (in the jig) then drilled one hole with a 1/8" pilot.Then I pulled out the 4130 and redrilled it with 1/4" drill and deburred the edges. Then I drilled out the strut with 1/4" drill. Next I inserted the the 4130 bar and dropped an NAS-4 bolt into it to hold it in place.Re-did the previous steps for the second hole and ended up with perfectly matching holes. The key is to do them one at a time, insert a bolt, then redrill for the second. And make sure you make a jig to hold the streamline tubing perfectly square to the drill bit.DJ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: "walt evans"

Original Posted By: "DJ Vegh"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Rans Aluminum Wing Strut DesignsDJ, I think what threw us off was the fact that in your photo, there are no holes in the streamlined strut. Ron________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Pietsrneat(at)aol.com
ahh... makes sense. I used a length of scrap for the photos. I have quite a bit left over. If anyone wants a sample of the Sky-Tec strut material just let me know! I can cut off a piece and send fo rthe price of shipping. I have both large and smaller sizes.DJ ----- Original Message -----