Yea , definately doesnt want to be sqewed .
little ( and not so little ) Model aeroplanes want to be rather straight .Theres silly little inclinometer devices ( about 25 buck )
that you sit on the wings , side to side , to see if theyre the same . Digital read out type thingos.WHOWEVER , sighting along the thing , and sitting it on a billiard table , sheet of glass , or suchlike, and seeing if spacers/ packers go in Ea side
a identical distance , though Fred Flinstoneish , gets the correct level of acurracy , without a number in sight .
The rods , assumeing theyre not a firm press fit , in the Iso Mt. Holes , Can be set firmly fore and aft , if you cut some little hardwood wedges.Getting really carried away , youd get some bits of ' the same ' say 3/16th in thick.
Sit the rods on them in the holes ( 3/16 being half the diffearance in diameters ? ? ) and wack the wedges in aft or fwd
to secure the rods longitudeuinally.
If the rods are a good three ft , a 1/16 differance side to side at the ends , with the rods centered , is about a Gnats Dick
or fraction of a degree .
With good light , and a pair of glasses , you should be able to read a half of a 32nd of an inch ( 1/4 mm ) on a steel rule .
( as in if mm, that looks like a half , or a third , or a quater . )
Idea is to have a few shets of paper & pencil , and RECORD the approximate differances .
Being phycopathic , youd cut a piece of timber , say 1/2 x 3/4 in , to fit between the rods .
If its just firm on both , Theyre THE SAME . Getting a Feeler Guage in the gap , if ones loose ,
will tell you to a Thou or so , The Differance .
A block of wood , a spacer , and a piece of engineers chalk , will let you get a cetreline down the spine , or the side of the spine .A few bits or ' the same ' ( offcuts from the same bit of whatever ) taped across here or there in the cradle , and
we're getting really tecnical.
. Centrelines marked on these , and the loop of string and eyeball , you see if its in line .
If its NOT , pulling / tweaking the string across a way , so the loop sights flat with the spine & Rear triangulated mount area
So it all sights in a PLANE , and you can measure string to marked centrelines .
8) NOW .If weve a fair idea the Spines Straight ( from throwing a sighted straight pice of straight edge down it )
a few blocks ( or the same , say 2x2 or whatever )( bit of tape to the square , alloy offcuts'd be easiest/accurateist )
ON the rear mount pin . WITH the Square and the datum ( chalk line on spine ) pretty much parrallel , swapping it L&R
youre checking the rear pins true / perpendicular / square to the fore & aft AXIS .
So , we can get all intense about the front Iso Pin Location . Haveing first established the rear area / spine is about
where it should be .
The string line ( tensioned ) and Big Square ( about 18 in x 24 in ) are the prerequisettes .
Dont leave the rear top shock mounts out of the Equation . A check for parrallel to the rear Iso Pin , would be one of the early checks .We go for the general ballpark first , Most Easilly sighted bit .And then move in to hone and refine things
( Called a Hydraulic bottle jack ( and soft pads/packers ) ) .
Steering head !
Two bits of Alloy , One Ea. side, to floor level .A cross bit taped low . A piece of string ( again ) centred & running to a chalked centreline on the front of the head . SIGHTING . The Edges of the strig are parrallel . If theres a angle / cross
the old ' How wides a piece of string ' , multiplyed , gets you the figure . Near As .
Its Coustomary , if Jacking things about , to straighten , to go as far past . Give it a good whack with a piece of pine
( Its soft , so if landed flat along , or a on a pad along ) Itll drop it in ' There ' , then maybe a slight whack back to centre.
Not really the kind of thing you can hurry . Like a potter & a piece of clay ???? . say a weekend dithering sighting , off & on
then the next ( to allow time for the brain to digest the facts rather than delusions ) to quitely go about dialing it in .
IF theres been misslocation .The object is to establish ( as a seperate issue ) HOW and in what order ( the Impact ).
Going by the brute force at the impact locaton , BUT realigning in stages the Last affected first , it allows it to DROP
BACK IN PLACE.
Six eyes , four pair of hands , and a few spare boots , and youll be fine .
( For panelwork , ive Two screw jacks .The Same and use a few bottle jacks .And lots of timber offcuts and packers .
Quitely working around it you might go over it ten times , or twenty if it blown the paint ( stretched ) PATIANCE .
and a good few walks away and coffes sitting there communicateing with it :lol: )
The ideas not to force anything , unless its all set up to let it plop back in place, has to go past & come back , eventually
to find its sit , neutralish , in the required position . The Frame Cradles a sight less bother .
Establish the spines straight. Then the Rear triangulated area , THEN , if the cradle tubes down and below have no ' whoops '
in them , or at least if theyre symetrical , it is as likely ' AS BUILT ' .
If the Forks havnt been snotted , its likely the steering head hasnt , and the rests fine . Unless its slid into a kerb or boulder hard enough to write of a header, and run over symutaeneously .
Why , Ive seen one that tore the steering locks of when the front wheel snapped a 4 x 4 in half and the straps to the
concrete lampost , airbourne , at four foot altitude sideways , or was it nose down & more like 8 foot high .
without detrimental effect on the alignment . :shock: Somehow .
Really it takes a instantaeneous stop with a near immoveable object (ten times the mass) to cause substantial missalignement . Forks ' curved ' not ' creased ' and its likely minor .Forks folded under the sucker & the front wheel
snaffued , it may well be ' missaligned ' somewhat. In more places than one .
Time to take it patiantly and esstablish the parameters , old days , cost Straightening Vs Replaceing .
Often a bent frame was tossed aside for later , if not totaled .SO the time to check it is when is BARE .
