annual inspection

[phintz]

Hello everyone, I am coming up on my annual inspection and I am wondering how many of you change out your bolts upon annual inspection, meaning the wing attachment to the spar (2 bolts per side) and also the prop bolts?

thank you
Patrick Hintz

Kitfox series 6
912 100hp
trigear

[Av8r_Sed]

No, never. I retorque the prop bolts and check others for any corrosion, proper number of exposed threads, etc. I don't believe AN steel bolts have fatigue problems if properly selected for the application. If they were aluminum I'd be more concerned.

[phintz]

At every oil change (50 hrs) I always check the prop bolt torque. thank you for your input!

Patrick

[jiott]

Never, unless there is a visible reason to do so. Prop bolts get length measured every year for excessive stretch.

[kmach]

Are you removing the spar bolts (front) for folding the wings every flight ?

If folding the wings on a regular basis, I would think the 3 bolts per side that are affected by removal and pivoting should have an inspection and replacement at some point. What time period that is, is a good question.

[Dave S]

Patrick,

I do not routinely replace this hardware. I do replace any hardware that shows any wear or degradation during the annual condition inspection. The Zinc plating is sacrificial and if that is showing any corrosion the fasteners get tossed before the steel gets affected.