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dredmoody(at)cox.net
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 Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:44 pm Post subject: 601XL tank improvement |
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There was discussion on the list a few weeks back regarding the fact that the filler neck fixture could not be screwed down far enough into the threaded ring welded to the tank by the factory. The flange of the filler neck would not make contact with the nose skin before it bottomed out.
There were suggestions to bash the top of the tank inward to effectively lower the threaded ring relative to the closed nose skin. I didn't like that idea. I tried shimming the skin upward to close the gap, but that didn't work (someone on the list was right about that). I decided to grind a bevel into the threaded ring to allow the bevel under the filler neck to fit farther down. That closed the gap but the first one I did suffered damage to the threads that I could not reslove. I had to buff the threads off the filler neck and the welded ring then ProSeal the filler neck in place. That worked but it was a lot of unnecessary manure to shovel through in my opinion.
The second one was better.... I ground the bevel into the threaded ring using my dental lab handpiece. With familiar instruments the result was more precise and the threads survived.... this one will screw in place as designed.
I felt this needed some additional engineering so I related this saga to Nick Heintz via email. I suggested that the threaded ring should be welded to the underside of the top skin of the tank so that it would not stick up so high and require modification by the builder. Guess what? They came to that conclusion on their own and the tanks are being done that way as we speak.
Future builders will not have to fight this problem as we have. This is the sort of thing that the RV-12 will have to evolve through when it hits the market and another reason that the Zodiac 601XL will not go the way of the dinosuars just because an impressive company like Vans puts out a competitor.
Hats off to the brothers Heintz for a significant improvement in the design of the tanks.
Ed Moody II
Rayne, LA
601XL / 2nd wing
This should be in the archive.
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Michael Valentine
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 108
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:29 pm Post subject: 601XL tank improvement |
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Well Ed, thanks for bringing it to their attention *again*. I agree
that the RV may suffer similar pains, but why was this one a pain at
all? To be honest, this should have been patently obvious after the
prototype. When I brought it up recently, you and at least four
others had already had similar problems and at least one person had
contacted the factory long(?) ago. (Taking the customer-service
concept of 1 complainer for 10 others who bear the pain, does that
mean 40 other people had these problems? I realize that analogy may
not be appropriate here, but I'll bet it is more than the 4 of us!)
Nonetheless, I am glad that Zenith is has admitted the problem and
implemented a fix. I don't mean to sound bitter - I'm just personally
not sure such a fix deserves a "hats off!
Glad your solution worked for you also!
Michael Valentine
do not archive
On 8/10/06, dredmoody(at)cox.net <dredmoody(at)cox.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
There was discussion on the list a few weeks back regarding the fact that the filler neck fixture could not be screwed down far enough into the threaded ring welded to the tank by the factory. The flange of the filler neck would not make contact with the nose skin before it bottomed out.
Future builders will not have to fight this problem as we have. This is the sort of thing that the RV-12 will have to evolve through when it hits the market and another reason that the Zodiac 601XL will not go the way of the dinosuars just because an impressive company like Vans puts out a competitor.
Hats off to the brothers Heintz for a significant improvement in the design of the tanks.
Ed Moody II
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admin(at)arachnidrobotics
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| Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:42 pm Post subject: 601XL tank improvement |
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I agree, hats off to Zenith for that one. It is a good company, with good people, and a great product, BUT: They'll have to step up every area of production to that level to compete if the RV-12 makes it into production.
There are other areas where Zenith easily beats companies like Van's (offering plans only, for one), but engineering and design of the fabricated parts isn't one of them. Yet. They're getting much better in a hurry though!
That says NOTHING about the design of their aircraft. I love them, and they perform well. My comment pertains to issues like filler necks sticking up too high, on every part, sent to every builder, for months and months.
I for one am glad to see the RV-12 coming to fruition. Not because I want one, but because it may cause Zenith step it up a notch to compete. Think of that, an already great airplane being just that much easier to assemble. I'm all for it!
dredmoody(at)cox.net wrote:[quote] --> Zenith-List message posted by:
There was discussion on the list a few weeks back regarding the fact that the filler neck fixture could not be screwed down far enough into the threaded ring welded to the tank by the factory. The flange of the filler neck would not make contact with the nose skin before it bottomed out.
There were suggestions to bash the top of the tank inward to effectively lower the threaded ring relative to the closed nose skin. I didn't like that idea. I tried shimming the skin upward to close the gap, but that didn't work (someone on the list was right about that). I decided to grind a bevel into the threaded ring to allow the bevel under the filler neck to fit farther down. That closed the gap but the first one I did suffered damage to the threads that I could not reslove. I had to buff the threads off the filler neck and the welded ring then ProSeal the filler neck in place. That worked but it was a lot of unnecessary manure to shovel through in my opinion.
The second one was better.... I ground the bevel into the threaded ring using my dental lab handpiece. With familiar instruments the result was more precise and the threads survived.... this one will screw in place as designed.
I felt this needed some additional engineering so I related this saga to Nick Heintz via email. I suggested that the threaded ring should be welded to the underside of the top skin of the tank so that it would not stick up so high and require modification by the builder. Guess what? They came to that conclusion on their own and the tanks are being done that way as we speak.
Future builders will not have to fight this problem as we have.
| | - The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Zenith-List |
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