I've always marveled at the precision, geometry, and ingenuity of the outrigger retraction / latching mechanism on my monowheel...I recall the first time I heard that satisfying "THAAAWHACK" when retracting the flap and outrigger as the nylon rod engaged the end of FL3 when the wing was resting in its vertical rack. (the pix below shows my stbd outrigger encased in Kingsley Hurst's wonderful fairing).
Alas...when the wing was rotated horizontally and mated to the fuselage, the weight of the outrigger was just enough to prevent full retraction and the nylon rod w/ the outrigger wheel sagged about 3/4". I was disappointed with this, particularly because whatever benefits to be derived from Kingsley's fairing depended upon full retraction, or at least that is what I thought.
Upon inspection, I concluded that the sag was due to an accumulation of the tolerances for fit of the various components of the retracting mechanism, notwithstanding the high precision of their manufacture. Ultimately it became clear that the problem could be solved by a slight increase in the rotation of the outrigger w/ respect to the retraction of the flap.
See Fig. 17, p. 12, chap. 9M of the build manual.
See also Fig. 24, Section 6, p. 16, chap. 9M.
I've accomplished this by putting an eccentric on the leading radius of the spacer OR10. I've made NO alterations to the slot in OR5; however, I have enlarged the 0.25" hole in the plastic washer adjacent in order that the spacer bears fully on the AN960-10L washer. Following trial mock-ups in aluminum, a local machinist has made me a new pair of OR10 spacers from stainless steel; the new spacers still fit in the 0.25" slot in OR5...see photo below alongside standard OR10 spacer.
(The black marking on the side of the new spacer is just marker ink to differentiate it from other trial spacers.)
The results could not be better...the sag is totally eliminated and there is no perceptible difference in the flap retraction / deployment lever movement or amount of force necessary.
My machinist has saved the program for his CNC cutter and is willing to make up more in batches of 10 or more...contact me off list if you'd like a set.
