Nose and nose gear - part 12

Floxing the nose leg hinges (1.0 hrs)

The time had come to permanently attach the metal hinges to the nose gear leg extremities.

Every time a metal casting is attached to a fiberglass part, the slack between the two is taken up with flox. This technique allows for a perfect custom match by displacing the excess material from the joint.

I started out with the top hinge...

Floxing the top plate

Excess flox being expelled from beneath the top plate

Applying flox to the top hinge

Pushing the hinge down onto the leg

... then finished the bottom one.

Floxing the lower casting

Leg mated to lower hinge casting

Buttering up the front side of the leg

Bolts in place, but not tightened to final torque.

View from the far end

Flox taking up the gap

After cure, all the bolts can be tightened to their proper torque values.