Removing

Our Original Secondary Unit

After we finished inspecting the ships frame, landing gear, and Ect. we took measurements of all the shims and noted the exact placement of the original secondary unit.

Next we removed the lower heat shields, the radiator and finally the secondary unit.

We had a pretty tough time getting it out because of the parts that are loctited together.  We couldn't get the lower fan pulley off so that made it kinda tough to get the unit out of its place.

It looks like our secondary broke pretty much centered between the two bearings in the pillow block just like we thought.  I inserted a small jewelers screw driver into the grease zert hole and if I held it at a downward angle I could feel the break when i rotated the shaft. If I went straight in it would rub against the upper part of the broken shaft.

After that part of the operation was completed we began inspecting the airframe looking for damage from the hard landing.  We cleaned the entire thing from stem to stern in search of or anything that appeared to be bent, cracked, loose or out of place.  About all we found were some major rub marks on the inside of the pilots side of the air frame from the main engine belts.  They were pretty deep and made 4 separate distinct marks.

We're pretty darn proud of this little helicopter to have taken such a beating and sustain no other damage.  We still have the air gaps between the front landing gear and the air frame and the rear landing gear also appears to be exactly where it was when we built the ship.  The engine even appears to be at the exact same height that it belongs.  At this point it looks like we are looking at a new tail boom, a new secondary, new water hose's, new tail rotor belts and whatever else we need for the 100 hour service.

That's where we were as of 8/4/04

END