Top Flite TOPA0500 - Manual (Page 41)

❏ ❏ F8. Place the landing gear alignment pattern on
the plan over your building board and cover it with Plan
Protector. Place the pre bent wires of the aft strut over
the pattern. Glue the pieces together with a drop of thin
CA. If you have difficulty holding the pieces in alignment
while you are trying to glue them, hold them together
with T-pins.
❏ ❏ F9. Wrap the struts with the wrapping wire
included with this kit and silver solder the struts together.
Add the strut connectors to the aft strut and bend them
around the ends of the struts with pliers.
Now make the front strut...
❏ ❏ F10. Cut one of the 3/16" x 1-11/16" brass tubes to
a length of 1-1/2". This will be used to align the axles
with each other over the plan while you frame the front
strut in the next step. Cut both 5/32" axles to the length
shown on the plan.
❏ ❏ F11. Enlarge the threaded holes in two 5/32" wheel
collars with a 5/32" drill. Slide the wheel collars onto the
struts. Insert the 5/32" wire cross brace into the holes
you just drilled in the wheel collars. Install the axles with
the brass tube and pin the assembly to the plan using
leftover balsa sticks to hold everything in alignment.
Tighten the set screws on the axles to temporarily lock
them into position. Temporarily hold the wheel collars
and the cross brace in place with thin CA.
❏ ❏ F12. Remove the assembly from the plan using
care not to disturb the alignment you’ve so diligently
achieved. Clamp the ends of the struts between two
pieces of leftover balsa or plywood to hold them in
alignment. Solder the wheel collars and cross brace to
the struts. Use a dampened cloth to wipe away residual
soldering flux while the joint is still hot but only after the
solder has solidified.
❏ ❏ F13. Drill 5/32" (or #22) holes through forward
landing gear rail and torque blocks for the front struts.
Temporarily place the front struts in the landing gear rail.
❏ ❏ F14. Remove the axles from the front struts. Make
the rest of the axle assembly from a 3/16" brass axle
spacer, two 3/16" wheel collars and set screws and the
strut connectors you previously fit to the aft strut. Trim
the axle spacer so it fits between the axles but forces
both strut connectors against them.
❏ ❏ F15. If your wheels will not fit onto the 3/16" axle
spacers, enlarge the hole in your wheels with a #10 drill.
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