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Old April 5th 09, 08:20 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Posts: 79
Default How to install tubing on the te probe 1/2 way to the rudder?

Alright folks.....I DID IT!!!

And here's how:

I read each of the above posts, called multiple friends, while
gathering up everyone's idea, then came up with my own plan of attack.

I ordered new tubing, (thanks to Paul Remde). About 30 feet long. I
took a broom stick, duct taped to another broom stick, to make one 11
foot broom stick. The rudder was removed so I could come easily from
an access hole at the aft end of the fuselage between the vertical fin
and rudder. Then I took double sided foam tape and laid that from the
end to about 3 feet back. Then I firmly pressed the tubing onto the
foam tape. I placed flourescent lights inside the fuselage on
extension chords so I could get a good view of what I was doing. By
using the needle nose pliers, I stretched the inside of the tubing by
about 25% greater than normal inside diamator would be. Next I very
very slowly, "jabbed" the broomstick/tubing over the "barb" that
pointed towards the aft end of the fuselage. I was able to get
approxiamately a 1/4 inch of the tubing over the barb on the total
energy mount. The long 3 feet of double sided foam tape gave GREAT
strength from front to back when applying pressure to the tubing, but
from side to side it would easily peel off. Now that the tubing was
barely on, I was able to twist the broom stick and peel off the doube
sided foam tape from the tubing. I withdrew the 11 foot pole and
taped the needle nose pliers on the end of it with the pliers open
about 15 degrees, enough to get around the tubing about midway down
the pliers grips. Finally I pushed the 11 foot pole with the pliers
open and griped the tubing and mashed it over the 1 inch barb on the
total energy probe.

Believe it or not, the whole thing took about 30 mins. And about 1
week to contemplate a plan of attack.

Now I've got new tubing throughout the entire glider. It's ready to
rock!

See you at cloudbase!!!

Spring is finally here :^)
Scott