Tool Kits: LSA, Trips Away

[APenNameAndThatA]

I changed a tyre for the first time recently, and celebrated by posting about it here. I plan to fly and land at some remote spots. Here is the contents of my tool kit. I wonder what you all think? The tools fit in a tool box with the external dimensions 470 × 220 × 170. Together, they weigh 7 kg, which bothers me. Smaller Allen keys would help, or Allen key sockets would help. I have a 912iS which is fuel injected. The Dynon keeps saying there are coil faults. Apparently, coil faults can be caused by anything downstream from the coil: leads, spark plug caps and spark plugs, hence the electrical stuff. The Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat is made in Europe, as is the engine, but the the wheels are made in the USA, hence the ASA tools. The shifting spanner is big enough to fit the wheel bolts, which are about 1". It would be nice to know what Allen keys and sockets to leave behind, and the maximum size of shifting spanner needed. If I get stuck, I can always get someone to fly over and drop something to me, so it does not need to be complete. I can also carry earth anchors, tie-down rope, axe and small shovel. Emergency equipment is really > 10 L water, EPIRB × 2 and satellite phone. 

 

              i.     Spare tyre tube ☐

            ii.     12 V tyre pump (small, light and cheap)  ☐

           iii.     Hand tyre pump ×2 (IGA Supermarket + Aerospace, weigh very little) ☐

           iv.     Extra right-angle attachment for tyre inflation 

             v.     Valve stems  

           vi.     Valve key 

          vii.     Valve cap 

        viii.     Tube patches + glue 

           ix.     Talcum powder

             x.     Spark plugs × 8 

           xi.     Spark plug lead 

          xii.     Spark plug cap × 2 

        xiii.     Coil 

        xiv.     Spark plug tool 

          xv.     Metric socket set (lots of sockets, including fractional mm, up to 16)

        xvi.     ASA socket set (part of the same socket set, lots, up to 9/16")

       xvii.     Metric Allen keys (18 in number, up to 8 mm) 

     xviii.     ASA Allen keys (18 in number, up to 5/16") 

        xix.     Shifting spanner (up to 30 m)

          xx.     Duct tape 

        xxi.     Silicon tape 

       xxii.     Araldite 

     xxiii.     Fuses

      xxiv.     Safety wire 

       xxv.     Split pins 

      xxvi.     Hose clamps × 2 

    xxvii.     WD40

 

[Blueadventures]

Big trip two new tubes, two spark plugs only, two spare exhaust springs, reduce the sockets and Allen keys to only what you want, two spare carb bowl gaskets a spare carb enricher spring, 25mm, 8mm and 1/2" hose joiner and some clamps, also two pins and grommets for ign units as sometimes a pin lets go.  My kit a soft tool bag with zipper opening and less than 5kg.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Blueadventures

[facthunter]

Why 8 plugs. One should be enough, Forget the electric tyre pump you'll need all the Battery for more important things. Nev

[onetrack]

The most important thing to is let reliable, responsible people know where you're going and when you expect to get there, so they can be on alert for when you don't show up at allotted places and times.

[Old Koreelah]

That’s a pretty comprehensive tool kit; remember Murphy’s Law dictates that the only tool you’ll need is the one you didn’t bring.

 

Might be worth going over your plane carefully to find which sized Allen keys and spanners you actually need. (There might be a list in the manual.)

 

For flat tyres I left out my lightweight tyre levers, jack and spare tube. I only carry a couple of tiny little CO2 bottles and adapter, as used on motorcycles. 

 

Good, proactive maintenance might be worth more than lugging heavy tools all over the continent.

[rgmwa]

You might want a couple of screwdrivers? 

[APenNameAndThatA]

Just now, rgmwa said:

You might want a couple of screwdrivers? 

I do have screwdrivers, actually. Not on the list

[Thruster88]

I would add a universal screwdriver, the one that has 1/4 and 5/16 hex with small and large Phillips and plain bits. You could also substitute the shifter with a 150mm Knipex flat jaw pliers part no 86 03 150 if you like spending money, they are very good and useful. Will un do a 1 inch or 27mm nut.

 

Need to be realistic about what you can fix on the engine, airframe.  A mechanic who will have all the tools might be required.  

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

1 hour ago, facthunter said:

Why 8 plugs. One should be enough, Forget the electric tyre pump you'll need all the Battery for more important things. Nev

Reduced to 2 plugs. ✓ . Lithium battery, so should be fine (famous last words) but might replace the pump with CO2 cannisters. 

[facthunter]

Dry Nitrogen is the best. You have a HAND pump. You can't hand prop that engine can you?   Nev

[APenNameAndThatA]

1 hour ago, Blueadventures said:

reduce the sockets and Allen keys to only what you want

I was afraid someone would say this. 😫 I will email Foxbat but don't like my chances. 

1 hour ago, Blueadventures said:

 two spare exhaust springs,25mm, 8mm and 1/2" hose joiner and some clamps, also two pins and grommets for ign units as sometimes a pin lets go. 

Will bring an exhaust spring. Will investigate hose joiners, and pins and grommets for ignition. It is fuel injected, so will I still need those things? 

[facthunter]

The way I see it, if the Battery is flat, you're stuck there.  Nev

[Blueadventures]

8 minutes ago, APenNameAndThatA said:

I was afraid someone would say this. 😫 I will email Foxbat but don't like my chances. 

Will bring an exhaust spring. Will investigate hose joiners, and pins and grommets for ignition. It is fuel injected, so will I still need those things? 

And the tool to remove and insert; I made mine from two id sizes of brass tube and a 2mm pin to push them out.  Brass tube in the size that will slide over the pin to depress the side tangs and allow removal otherwise a bit of fiddling with thin screw drivers etc.

[jackc]

The way I work is as soon as I buy anything that has a battery, I just replace it so I know what I have.  Every once in a while I do a load test with a digital tester, IF the battery has lost capacity by a reasonable CCA amount, then it’s gone.

My newly acquired J-230 will be flying to me next week, so I will have the ferry pilot take a new battery with him, to fit and fly it home. 

[onetrack]

A toolkit is not complete without a pair of genuine 7LW Irwin Vise-Grips! (correct spelling). They will substitute for all the spanners you forgot! You always need to HOLD things!

[John.]

Just on this topic, I have a Piper Colt with an O-320, anyone got any suggestions on a good lightweight (as possible) portable battery jump starter that works well, other than the default Hemmingway method....

[facthunter]

You can Prop that engine but better to know how to do it safely. The Impulse mag will fire at zero speed. Better the prop is indexed to the compression TDC position. of the prop.to be in the right place. Nev

[John.]

3 minutes ago, facthunter said:

You can Prop that engine but better to know how to do it safely. The Impulse mag will fire at zero speed. Better the prop is indexed to the compression TDC position. of the prop.to be in the right place. Nev

Hope am not hijacking this thread, yes am aware of this, thanks Nev, just looking at easier alternatives.

 

Cheers.

J. 

[facthunter]

My attitude was to always have a spot on battery in the plane but I still got caught when I didn't use it for a while. IF your plane has an alternator it won't come on line (excite) if the battery is flat. Nev

[John.]

Thanks Nev, yes I have a new alternator plus a new upgraded battery....still looking at suggested portable alternatives, however.

[facthunter]

For a power pack how easy is it to connect without risk of a short?  Nev

[Thruster88]

1 hour ago, onetrack said:

A toolkit is not complete without a pair of genuine 7LW Irwin Vise-Grips! (correct spelling). They will substitute for all the spanners you forgot! You always need to HOLD things!

Before I learned about Knipex flat jaws a few years ago I would have agreed. The Knipex do all the same jobs without leaving any mark. 

[John.]

Easy, battery under the seat, have jump started off a Hilux. Was simple.enough on one freezing morning in the outback, this was before the battery upgrade.

[APenNameAndThatA]

1 hour ago, John. said:

Hope am not hijacking this thread, yes am aware of this, thanks Nev, just looking at easier alternatives.

 

Cheers.

J. 

I don't mind people hijacking threads.

[APenNameAndThatA]

3 hours ago, facthunter said:

Dry Nitrogen is the best. You have a HAND pump. You can't hand prop that engine can you?   Nev

Yup. I've decided to get two small, good quality hand pumps and ditch the electric pump and.