Just Started QB Patrol kit No.85

[paulodonnell]

Just starting out having received my Patrol SP QB kit No.P85 last week here in Ireland - everything looks really good too . I unpacked & organised the complete hardware kit I bought that turned out not to be quite so 'complete' - needed another grand's worth of pulleys and a few bolts etc!

First job that caught my eye was the shock struts, so I assembled them in a few minutes - they seem to use rose joints both ends, which seems to differ from my plans (#347 bought 2017) so I just have two check nuts A318-8, which means I'll need another two of those at the bottom. The hardware list cited just two.

This I suppose begs the question would anyone know is there a chronological list of kit 'improvements' (I'm guessing that's why we have two more rose joints?)

[svyolo]

My guess is a "rose: joint is what we call rod end bearings, or spherical bearings. I believe that is an improvement. Assembling the struts onto the fuselage/gear with only one is a bit of a pain in the arse. I wish mine had two.

I think most of the improvements really are "improvements".

I bought my hardware kit from Wicks for a 4 place. It was not a complete kit. It included lots of stuff that was never used on any Beahawk. Large quantites of way too big rivets, pull rivets, cotter pins, etc.

That amount of stuff pales in comparison to stuff I bought on purpose, and didn't use. LOL

[paulodonnell]

Yes I always used the local terminology here of rose-joints for spherical or rod-end bearings! As you say all these improvements are very welcome, they just don't match the plans so hard to see them coming!

[rodsmith]

Go to bearhawksafety.com for a full list of engineering changes. I believe most of these have been incorporated into the kits. Improvements like rod end bearings on both ends of the shock struts probably not considered an engineering change.

[paulodonnell]

Thanks - will do!

[DBeaulieu]

I wouldn't mind seeing a drawing incorporating that change. My Q/B kit (8 months since received) does not have that particular change.

[spinningwrench]

Make sure you clean the inside of your shock struts really well. Mine were filled with small metal particles from the machining process. Those will quickly destroy your O-rings. The snap ring groove needs to be immaculately clean so that the snap rings easily can be rotated in the groove. Some people have suggested tapping them into place with a hammer, that indicates the grooves are not clean, after all those two snap rings hold the entire weight of the airplane and you want them fully seated.