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Loose wheels on landing gear, is there a good fix?

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7 replies
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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Friday, September 16, 2016 9:09 AM

XF-15DCC

 

 
Don Stauffer

I'd recommend trying Gel CA. It is gap filling, and does a good job, like Trey suggested.  Only problem is that it sets fairly slow, so you might get tired holding wheels at proper angle till then.  Solution to that is CA accelerator.  A touch of a little drop hardens the CA immediately.  Only problem is that sometimes you need three hands or more than ten fingers :-)  See my thread in the Techniques section about that.

 

 

 

 

Don,

 Too much CA dosent make the plastic brittle? Maybe I'm getting using CA with something else.

THanks!

 

Kevin

 

If doesn't make the plastic brittle, but CA itself is pretty brittle when cured.  It will break if given a strong enough shock.  But if we take reasonable care when transporting a model, like bubble wrap on floor of container, it survives fine.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    June 2016
  • From: Bristol CT
Posted by XF-15DCC on Friday, September 16, 2016 6:42 AM

dirkpitt77

I will sometimes lay a bead of CA in there and sprinkle it with baking soda, too. Baking soda acts as an accelerator. 'Course, if you're picky about the look this may not be for you, but on the mains, on the inside usually, under the plane, well..gets dark enough in there to hide a lot, ifn' you know what I mean. LOL

 

---Chris

 

 
Thanks Chris,
 Baking soda, something to experiment with.
 
Kevin

We live in fame or go down in flame. 

  • Member since
    June 2016
  • From: Bristol CT
Posted by XF-15DCC on Friday, September 16, 2016 6:41 AM

Don Stauffer

I'd recommend trying Gel CA. It is gap filling, and does a good job, like Trey suggested.  Only problem is that it sets fairly slow, so you might get tired holding wheels at proper angle till then.  Solution to that is CA accelerator.  A touch of a little drop hardens the CA immediately.  Only problem is that sometimes you need three hands or more than ten fingers :-)  See my thread in the Techniques section about that.

 

 

Don,

 Too much CA dosent make the plastic brittle? Maybe I'm getting using CA with something else.

THanks!

 

Kevin

We live in fame or go down in flame. 

  • Member since
    June 2016
  • From: Bristol CT
Posted by XF-15DCC on Friday, September 16, 2016 6:39 AM

TREYZX10R

 Also did you clean the paint off the mating surfaces? Paint left on the mating surface can sometimes cause a 'soft' glue join. 

Something I never thought of. I tried not to lay paint on that area but overspray might be a factor. Something to remember for the next build!

Thanks!

Kevin

We live in fame or go down in flame. 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: NW Washington
Posted by dirkpitt77 on Thursday, September 15, 2016 9:17 PM

I will sometimes lay a bead of CA in there and sprinkle it with baking soda, too. Baking soda acts as an accelerator. 'Course, if you're picky about the look this may not be for you, but on the mains, on the inside usually, under the plane, well..gets dark enough in there to hide a lot, ifn' you know what I mean. LOL

 

---Chris

    "Some say the alien didn't die in the crash.  It survived and drank whiskey and played poker with the locals 'til the Texas Rangers caught wind of it and shot it dead."

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Thursday, September 15, 2016 8:43 PM

I'd recommend trying Gel CA. It is gap filling, and does a good job, like Trey suggested.  Only problem is that it sets fairly slow, so you might get tired holding wheels at proper angle till then.  Solution to that is CA accelerator.  A touch of a little drop hardens the CA immediately.  Only problem is that sometimes you need three hands or more than ten fingers :-)  See my thread in the Techniques section about that.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: Borlando Fla home of the rat
Posted by TREYZX10R on Thursday, September 15, 2016 7:19 PM

Hey Kevin its possible that you got the plastic too soft,depending of course on how much glue was applied. I'm geussing you used the tube form of Testors? Also did you clean the paint off the mating surfaces? Paint left on the mating surface can sometimes cause a 'soft' glue join. I use the Tamiya thin for axles with a solid tight dry fit,if they are a bit loose on the dry fit I use medium ca,thin can set too quickly and not allow a little wiggle time to get proper alignment. Hope that helps cheers Trey

  • Member since
    June 2016
  • From: Bristol CT
Loose wheels on landing gear, is there a good fix?
Posted by XF-15DCC on Thursday, September 15, 2016 6:18 PM

Howdy all,

 Recently built a FW-190, first build in a long, long, long (I think you get the hint) time. While placing the wheels on the strut, I did a few dry fits and when I was happy with that I used testors liquid cement and glued those suckers on. After 3 days without weight, I couldnt help but notice the wheels would flex with weight on them. I thought things have cured so I put it back in the air again for a few more days with better but the same results. The only thing I thought of doing was directing some CA near the the axle where the wheel mounts. My plan worked but I a bit confused "why" it happend. Did I over glue and trun the plastic too soft?

So wise ones of the fourm, did I miss something in preperation? Is there a "pre-fix" that needs to be done before gluing wheels to the struts?

Any info is welcomed!

 

Kevin

We live in fame or go down in flame. 

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