Gluing removable stabilizers

[Bartman]

How do you guys feel about gluing stab sections into the fuselage that are designed to be removable? It seems removable stabs always seem to end up loose and then it's a PITA to make them tight again.

I was thinking about lathering everything up with epoxy and making it nice and tight again, and permanent.

Opinions?

 

[wecoyote]

If you don't need to remove them for transport glue them in. That is what I have always done with "removable" stabs.

 

[Terryscustom]

Not very many planes of any size use servos in the sides of the fuse these days so gluing is not an option for most of those. If not, glue 'em on if you don't foresee every doing any repair work in the future.

I have a 91" EF that I glued the stabs on because it's been treated like a foamy and the tail was getting loose (fuse is only part of original plane left). But I know that when the next ding comes it will get retired and I'll rotor root my servos out of the tail

 

[Bartman]

thanks for the replies. the servos being in there would be one good reason not to glue them! having our Suburban for transport means I'll probably never take them off anyway.

the big concern for me is possible bending of the aluminum tubes. the stabs might get dinged and survive but if the aluminum bends then it'll be a big PITA to straighten everything out once it's glued.

I was thinking about replacing the aluminum with some carbon fiber but if I do that I can order oversized tubing that won't bend but then it won't be loose and won't have to be glued!

So I think I'm going to glue it but I'm also going to glue the root rib to the fuselage instead of just gluing the tubes in place.

Another "RTF" used plane, another project on the bench in need of repair!

 

[Terryscustom]

What you need is to start a Chirstmas list and post it on the fridge soon to get the process rolling. "Bart would like a shiny BRAND NEW airplane for Christmas".

 

[wecoyote]

My old 89" Carden Cap had the servos in the horizontal stabs and they were permanently mounted. Running the servo wires was a PITA but not impossible.

 

[David Shriver]

I've done it before, but I've always ended up regretting it. It makes recovering and repair a real pain. I'd rather routinely check the stab bolts and tighten things up as needed. If the stabs get loose on the tail I've had good luck wrapping the tube with teflon thread tape.

 

[Islandflyer]

I remove my stabs every day except on the 35cc planes, and there is no problem.
How are your stabs held in place?
Is there a tab on the bottom with screws that go through them and into the fuse sides, or is it a screw that goes through the sheeting and through the stab tube?

 

[BalsaDust]

My old 89" Carden Cap had the servos in the horizontal stabs and they were permanently mounted. Running the servo wires was a PITA but not impossible.

Tell me about it. I gotta get swervos in there now.

 

[Bartman]

I remove my stabs every day except on the 35cc planes, and there is no problem.
How are your stabs held in place?
Is there a tab on the bottom with screws that go through them and into the fuse sides, or is it a screw that goes through the sheeting and through the stab tube?

tubes with screws that go through the sheeting and into the tubes. the tubes aren't as loose in the stabs as they are through the fuselage. maybe i'll just glue them into the fuselage and screw the stabs on for now. if it gets loosy loosy again i'll epoxy everything at that point.

i can always count on Herve to steer me right.