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

DOOR PREPARATION

• Select the appropriate inner door skin and prepare for assembly. Strip off all peel ply and other remnants of the molding process. Carefully sand the perimeter of the molded part to remove any dangerously sharp edges.

• Trim the outer door perimeter per the lines molded into the surface of the part. These lines were scribed into the mold surface and may be difficult to see. Feel with a thumb nail and mark by a light rubbing with a pencil. Verify with the door opening to assure that you are not removing too much material..

• Similarly trim out the window opening.

• Bond in inserts of 1/8 in thick aluminum on the inner surface at the front and back of the door frame bottom channel where the latch plungers will protrude from the door. (see figure XXX)

• Prepare two pieces of 1.5 by 4 inch long, ¼" in plywood.

• Drill a 3/16 hole through the center of the bottom one and glue a washer on the top surface centered on this hole. drill a 1/4 inch hole and install a #10 "TEE" nut in the center of the other plywood section.

• Cut out the appropriate handle for this door (see drawing XXX), and fit to the hole in the inner surface, locate and drill the 3/16" hole in the bottom leg of the inner door skin channel such that using this pivot point will place the outer surface of this handle flush with the outer skin.

• Using a #10-32 bolt and the latch handle as fixturing, bond in the two sections of ¼" plywood on the inner side of each channel leg with a FLOX/MICRO mix. Make sure that the handle will be free to operate.

At this time the local reinforcing for the door support air strut mountings should also be added to the door inner panels.

• Lay a 4 ply BID in the bottom of the front window frame stiffening hat section centered about 17 inches up from the bottom of the door frame and about 6 inches long. This BID should be wide enough wrap up the sides about 1/4 inch. This will provide local stiffening in this area, and provide enough "meat" for the self tapping screws which will be used to mount the air strut bracket.

• Tack the door inner panel in place in the door opening in the fuselage using 5 minute epoxy or bondo, and shimmed up to match the outer fuselage contour (it is probably better to do one side at a time to permit more accessibility for working on both the inside and outside). Adjust the position to center the window in the open area of the door opening, using the hinge areas as a guide.

WINDOW INSTALLATION

• Select the proper formed window panel, the A panel is for the left side.

• Position the window panel over the window opening, and roughly mark the outline of the frame on the protective covering. The formed window panel is supplied oversize, and some trimming of the Plexiglas part may be advisable at this time, you must leave a minimum of 1/2 inch bond area around the perimeter. It is best to trim the window with a sharp fine tooth band saw blade. Be very careful in these operations, Plexiglas is easily marred, chipped, or cracked, and windows are very expensive.

• Peel back this protective covering to about a quarter inch inside the window opening line, and cover the exposed plastic with masking tape. Position the window in the opening again, and again mark the opening (more precisely this time). Trim the masking tape to this line and expose the area which will be bonded to the window frame. It is advisable to apply a second layer of masking tape to this line to assist in cleaning up the edges after bonding by removing this layer of the tape while material is still wet.

• Roughen the exposed surface of the plastic with coarse sandpaper to prepare for bonding.

• Mark the window opening on the protective paper on the outer window surface Peel back the protective window paper covering, and double tape this area as was done with the inner skin surface. Also trim the masking tape to expose the bonding area, and roughen with coarse sandpaper as before. Also clean and roughen the other bond areas on the inner surface of the outer skin, and the outer skin.

• Clean and roughen the area where the clear plastic window panel will be bonded.

• Test fit the prepared window panel in the opening, and adjust the exposed surface as required.

• Mix the Hysol adhesive, or epoxy FLOX, and coat both the window plastic and the window frame with the adhesive. Carefully position the window in the opening and tape into place until the adhesive cures. Squeeze out any surplus adhesive, and clean up the surplus and smooth a fillet around the edge of the joint. before the adhesive cures. Removing the second layer of masking tape will help facilitate the clean up around the bond area.

DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY

The 4 place door latch, while very similar to the two place latch incorporates changes to improve reliability and rigidity. The primary difference between the two latch configurations is that rigid tubes replace the cable and spring system from the 2 place. This results in a much more rigid system when the door is latched, and a direct indication is provided to assure that the latching has taken place.

A section of aluminum rectangular tube is supplied for fabrication of this handle.

• The pivot points for the push tubes are in line with the basic pivoting axis, at roughly one inch each side. Drill and countersink one face on each side of that center pivot for a #10 flat head, and drill and tap the other face for a #10 X 32 UNF thread.

• The operating "rods" are made from 3/8 OD aluminum tube with approx. .040 the wall. The handle ends of the tubes are drilled through with a clearance dia ( about .190 .) hole, and a minor amount of bending will be required for satisfactory operation of the latch.

• The latching ends of the tube should be tapped for a 5/16 UNF thread, and the two latching "bolts", may be bolts with a 5/16 UNF thread. Cut off the tops of these bolts and round the ends to a bullet like rounded point.

• It would probably be advisable to "mock up" the system on a board with your dimensions marked as a perimeter. This will let you trim the tubing to the proper length, and bend it as required to go through the cycle without jamming Adjust the length such that the reworked bolt slides through the metal guide insert in the door panel, and the travel will not try to drag the joint over the metal insert.

• A relatively light tension spring should be used, located to provide a closing torque on the handle. The end of the spring can be tied to the wall of the latch enclosure, and a dab of dry micro will seal off the wire ends to avoid scratching yourself in the future. A heavy spring is not needed, since the system goes "over center" in the full latched position, and a theoretically infinite force on the end of the latch bolt will not overcome the spring to unlatch the system. With the rigidity of the tubes, a mere visual glance at the handle will assure you that the latching bolts have been pushed into place (if the door is any where near closed.

This latch system requires that one be aware of holding the handle in the full open position while closing the door, to avoid damaging the paint around the door opening. Neither the 2 place system, nor the 4 place system, as designed, can be slammed shut without damage to the paint and the door perimeter.

With very careful adjustment of the plunger lengths, and a tapered metal striker plate, a slam too latch system could be contrived. However, the increased plunger insertion depth with this current system provides more peace of mind.

• Test position the assembly, and mark the location for the latch pin hole where the latch plunger will have to protrude out through the door inner skin molding.

• Drill a clearance hole for this pin (about 5/16 inch diameter) through the inner door skin and the reinforcing 1/4 inch aluminum section previously bonded in. Hold the assembly in position with the pin protruding through this hole and test assemble the complete latch system and verify function.

• Test fit the outer skin again, and trim any areas for correct assembly (particularly check around the handle).

• Clean and sand all bonding surfaces.

• Apply adhesive to both surfaces (particularly in the hinge area, use care in the areas around moving parts such as the door handle). Tape the outer skin in place until the adhesive cures. Local areas requiring an assured bond (such as the hinge areas) may be clamped together with a Cleco, or a small screw as a temporary clamping procedure.

• Remove these temporary fasteners in the same manner as for the other fuselage bond lines. When the bonded joint has cured, make alignment marks for future positioning, and remove doors, and trim to fit opening.

MOUNT DOORS

• Reinforce the door hinge pads in the fuselage top molding by overlaying 4 ply BID on the inner surface. Use a tapered overlap at the edges extending from about 1/2 inch to an inch beyond the pads.

• Cut the hinge sections from the aluminum piano hinge strip included in the kit, fitting the width to the pad area on the fuselage molding.

• Rivet a piece of .065 aluminum to the door side of the hinge, grind the rivets near flush on both sides.

• Mount the hinges by the short sides, to the fuselage molding, temporary bolts can be used at this time. The molded recess in the fuselage top should hold the hinges in line, but check to make sure the hinge pins are aligned in both planes such that the door will not bind in operation.

• With the trimmed door assembly positioned in place, swing the door end of the two hinges up to the recess in the door molding. Use a dry MICRO/FLOX mix as a liquid shim to provide alignment of the hinge surface to the surface of the door assembly. Lightly bolt the hinges to the door recess, being careful not to distort any components, nor extrude excessive micro/FLOX out of the joint. The pivot points of the two hinges must be in line (co-axial) or there will be binding when the door is opened.

• When the MICRO/FLOX cures, unbolt the hinges and peel them off the MICRO/FLOX.

• Clean up the mounting surfaces and re-mount with the final counter sunk bolts ( #8-32 screws ). Set the heads flush with the outer surface of the skin on the doors.

• The use of removable bolts on the door side of the hinge sets will allow a little adjustment leeway when the holes are slightly enlarged, such that the doors can be adjusted for best fit. Adding hard paper or metal shims, or sanding away the cured FLOX will also allow needed adjustment range.

• The hinge recesses on the fuselage top may be filled in with dry MICRO and smoothed for appearance and aerodynamics, once the door is satisfactorily positioned and proper operation verified (door removal can be accomplished at the door side of the hinge for any future maintenance).

LATCH PLATE INSTALLATION

The latch plate for the door securing system for this aircraft is probably best accomplished by bonding in a short section of tubing at the fore and aft door frames.

• Use about 1 inch long section of 3/8 OD tubing, and slightly flare one end.

• Close one of the two doors, and position the door with tape and shims in the location desired.

• Slip one of the tube sections (flare end first) on each of the latching pins. Adjust the location of these tube sections such that the open (flare) end is flush with the edge of the door opening, and with a combination of wet BID and flox, bond them to the door frame. Tack bonding is probably a good idea at first, and open and close the door gently to assure proper positioning of the tubes.

• When assured of the proper location, complete the bonding and enclosing of the tubes with added glass and FLOX. When completed on one side do the other latch system in the same fashion. (see figure XXX)

AIR STRUT INSTALLATION

Locate the air struts ( for holding the doors open) and brackets supplied in the kit, and mount as shown in figure XXX.

• Mock up the assembly carefully to assure that the stroke range of the air strut will not be used up without the door in the full open position, and that proper clearance is provided between all components during operation.

• It is suggested that you mark the bolt locations for the upper bracket in the fuselage door frame flange, and add about a 2 inch wide by 6 inch long 2 ply BID reinforcement to the inner surface to stiffen this mounting area.

• Drill and countersink for mounting with 2 #8-32 Flathead screws and lock nuts. The hat section of the door panel was reinforced earlier, and these brackets can be mounted directly with the self tapping screws supplied. A little bit of FLOX "shimming,' under these brackets may provide a more secure mounting.

REAR WINDOWS

The rear windows are inserted in much the same fashion as for the windows in the doors. The molded window panels are oversize, so some degree of trimming will be required.

• Trim the fuselage opening to final size, and hold the window molding up against the inside, and mark the opening. Allow a minimum of 1/2 inch for bond overlap in the trimming operation.

• As before, peel back the protective cover, and mask with tape to the opening edge (two layers as before).

• Roughen the bond area with coarse sandpaper (on both the window and the fuselage) and apply the adhesive. A suggested method of clamping using wood blocks and "drywall" screws is shown in the figure XXX below.

• Drill the holes very close to the window edges (about 8 or so places are suggested, and add extra clamps in any area where a gap occurs), and tighten the wood blocks to squeeze out surplus adhesive.

• Wipe and clean any surplus adhesive as soon as possible to avoid later problems.

• When the window adhesive cures, remove the clamps, and prepare the inner edge of the window for bonding.

• Use the same procedures of peeling back the protective covering, and masking. Bond the inner side of the window with a single ply pre wetted BID tape. Be sure that this tape covers the holes that were drilled for the clamping, and fill from the outer surface with relatively dry MICRO. (It is recommended that the windshield be left out for a while longer)