Tri-R Technologies  TR-4

BUILDER'S MANUAL

This Builder's Manual is NOT the official manual as published by TRI-R Technologies.  

SPAR PREPARATION

LEVELING AND FIXTURING
SPREADER STICKS
TEMPORARY FITTING OF THE FUSELAGE TOP

FIREWALL
FIREWALL FRONT FACE
ADDED REINFORCING IN FIREWALL AREA

STATION 139.5 BULK HEAD
STATION 180.5 BULKHEAD

MAIN SPAR AND OUTBOARD SPAR PRE ASSEMBLY
REAR SPAR
MAIN SPAR LOCATION AND INSTALLATION
POSITIONING
SPAR MOUNTING LAMINATIONS

MAIN GEAR BOX REINFORCEMENT
SEAT FRONT BULKHEAD & CONTROL MOUNT
FUSELAGE BELTLINE CONDUITS
FRONT SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY
REAR SEAT BACK INSTALLATION
CONTROL CONSOLE - FRONT SEAT AREA
ELEVATOR IDLER BELL CRANK
SEAT BOTTOM ASSEMBLY
FRONT SEAT
REAR SEATS

FRONT FLOOR ASSEMBLY
STICK LINKAGE ASSEMBLY
FLAP HANDLE ASSEMBLY BRACKET
AILERON IDLER INSTALLATION
FLAP ACTUATION TORQUE TUBE INSTALLATION
RUDDER IDLER LEVER INSTALLATION

HORIZONTAL STABILIZER
INSTALL RUDDER POST

ELEVATOR AND PUSH/PULL ROD INSTALLATION
RUDDER CABLE ROUTING AND INSTALLATION
MAIN GEAR INSTALLATION
BRAKE LINE INSTALLATION

FIN RIGHT HALF INSTALLATION
INSTALL LEFT FIN HALF
HANGING RUDDER
INSTALLATION OF FUSELAGE TOP
BAGGAGE AREA BACK PANEL

DOOR PREPARATION
WINDOW INSTALLATION
DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY
MOUNT DOORS
LATCH PLATE INSTALLATION
AIR STRUT INSTALLATION
REAR WINDOWS

INSTRUMENT PANEL
WINDSHIELD

ELEVATOR AND PUSH/PULL ROD INSTALLATION

• When the bonding of the horizontal stabilizer is secure, trim away just enough material aft of the horizontal stab’ to allow assembly of and free travel of the elevator.

• A 1 1/2 inch hole, lined up with the hole in the elevator horn is drilled through the fuse side on the right side of the fuselage. A larger cut out is made on the left (pilot) side, to permit access for hooking up the elevator push rod.

See the assembly section for proper tube sizes, adapters and rod ends for the elevator push pull assemblies.

• Install the elevator.

• Hook up the long push rod (tube) to the elevator horn on one end, and the upper position of the idler bell crank (on the back of the rear seat) for the other end.

• Adjust the push rod length as required to result in a vertical position of the idler arm, when the elevator is in a horizontal position.

• Cycle the elevator beyond the desired range of travel (about 30 degrees up and 20 degrees down), and verify that there is no interference nor impediment to this travel. Trim away any interfering material in the bulkhead center holes.

• Select the forward, shorter push pull tube components and set the length such that the stick assembly will be in the neutral position when the elevator is trimmed to level, and the idler is vertical.

RUDDER CABLE ROUTING AND INSTALLATION

• Measure the cable lengths to provide the desired rudder pedal position in the neutral rudder position. Install cable thimbles and cable bushings to assure against cable wear, and crimp all cable joints with Nicopress clamps in the desired position.

• Using strips of metal with spaced holes, as shown in figure XXX, will allow a degree of rudder pedal adjustment for pilots of various length legs, as required at some future time.

• As mentioned before, the rudder cables will be crossed between the rear seat back and the rudder idler. Use some hard nylon tubing to sleeve the cables in the cross over area to avoid friction and wear.

• Bolt the cables to one end of the metal strips, and attach the strip using the appropriate holes, to the tabs on the rudder pedal tubes with bolts and bushings supplied.

Save the cut off cable for use with the shoulder harness later.

MAIN GEAR INSTALLATION

• The main gear should be prepared for installation by locating and drilling for the two "roll" pins that prevent sideways movement of the main gear. The location for these pins is on the back edge of the center gear section located vertically on the section centerline and 15.75 inches each side of the gear/aircraft centerline (LBL and RBL 15.75).

• Drill a1/4 inch diameter hole for a depth of 1/2 inch, parallel to the aircraft centerline. (The forward edge of the gear is the straight edge.) Break (round) the edges of these holes to avoid stress concentrations.

• The gear legs and center sections should be dressed smooth before the roll pins are installed. Do this smoothing in a direction parallel to the length of the gear legs, being especially diligent in smoothing out any cross wise defects in the surface area, to preclude any future cracking (any scratches, dents or nicks cause stress risers and can lead to metal fatigue and failure). Thus, this operation is both for cosmetic and structural reasons.

• Drive the roll pins into place after these operations are complete, and test fit to the gear recess, Trim off any excess length of the roll pins which might interfere with the fuselage material. (the roll pins need only extend past the rear bolt centerlines for proper retention of seat position).

• The mounting bolts will be located 16.5 inches either side of the aircraft centerline (RBL and LBL 16.5), and are 5.5 inches center to center (fore and aft), centered in the molded recess. Measure and mark these locations.

• The center gear section should be 5 inches wide at this point, providing a little over 1/16 inch clearance between the gear and the attachment bolts. Use the large bearing washers in the kit on the inner fuselage side of the mounting holes. Use the machined aluminum "U" clamp, 1/4 inch rubber material provided and supplied bolts ( AN6-30A or similar) and do a trial assemble of the gear legs to the fuselage (use minimum torque on the nuts to close up gaps but not deflect the structure).

• Check that the assembly is square to the aircraft centerline, the legs are level on each side, and the axle centerline will be located at STA 58. Use thin wood shims tacked in place with 5 minute epoxy to correct any noted misalignment.

• If significant shimming is required, build up the mounting surface in the gear "box "local mounting area with 3 inch wide pre-lam BID. Lightly torque the bolts holding the gear in place, and correct any positioning before the BID cures. Clean away surplus resin or glass before it becomes fully cured.

• Final mounting will employ a strip of the 1/4 inch supplied rubber (about 2 inches wide) both on top of the gear leg, and on the other side (inside the fuselage) of the composite gear "box "to avoid local concentrated loading of the composite. The rubber should provide for ease in separation of the gear from the recess, as well as providing cushioning against the destructive effects of point loads into the composite.

• The gear legs are supplied pre drilled for the stub axles. Trim away surplus material from the ends of the gear legs for a finished appearance, and also to provide clearance for proper installation and operation of the brake mounting plate, which may have to be drilled for the mounting bolts (drill the matching positions and sizes ). Select the appropriate bolts to complete this assembly (note that with many axle sets the lower bolts are larger than the top bolts) .

It may be convenient at this point to install a temporary substitute nose gear to allow wheeling the fuselage about, This can be as simple as a section of two by four clamped to the firewall, or you may put a caster on the bottom if you like. Ballast will be required to hold the nose down .

BRAKE LINE INSTALLATION

• This is probably a good time to install the brake lines from the main gear wheel assembly to the master cylinders in the rudder pedal area.

• Pre measure the proposed routing of the brake lines, and cut appropriate lengths of the hard nylon tubing supplied for the hydraulic lines (leave a little surplus length for possible trimming and refitting operations in the future).

• Grooves have been cut in the trailing edge of the gear legs. Press the nylon tubing down into this groove. Plastic tie wraps can be used to secure the brake line at the ends of these grooves to the rear edge of the main gear legs, although bonding them in place with a trailing edge fairing makes a classier job with less aerodynamic drag.

• Route over the spar and along the fuselage wall. Bond in place with little dabs of silicon adhesive, using tape to hold in place while curing.