Clarification

Just in case anyone was wondering how I'm spending so much time on this, here are a few things that I've been dealing with. Pictured below is a tube that has been compressed by an overzealous bolt-tightening previous owner. It's not necessarily detrimental to the overall structure, but it is a weak point. I've replaced a few tubes like this.



Next we have an elongated bolt hole. This occurs over the years as a bolt is stressed to and fro during flight (or often during taxi which is the most stressful portion of a flight). The elongated hole pictured below is on the chromoly-steel frame that supports the pilot and the overall structure. Some suggested that I simply sleeve the inside of this tube with a smaller diameter aluminum piece and then redrill the hole. That would work, but it would also be slightly weaker. You could also weld over the hole and redrill it, but that requires special welding equipment that I don't have. Luckily, my good buddy Danny has an extra set of these tubes that he is willing to give me.



Finally, some tubes were just worn from abrasion with attached parts (tube clamps, throttle housings etc.). Below is an example of this where the seat downtube was rubbing against the exhaust system. Though this tube is double-walled and it would've taken another hundred hours or so to become a problem, I went ahead and replaced it.