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Wing rib holes off

LAMPSguy

Well Known Member
Anyone else notice, or have any problems with the third hole back, on each of the top and bottom rib flanges? Basically, if you look at the rib flanges from front to aft, the third one back is NOT inline with the others, this occurs in every rib I have. Incidentally, none of my ribs were covered in blue plastic...the only part of my kit to arrive this way.

ohqm3b.jpg
 
I don't have a -14 but with experience on two kits, I'd advise you to send those back to Van's. They'll make it right; it just looks like a manufacturing error that didn't get caught before shipping. None of the holes shown in your picture are where they should be on the flange.
 
Mispoke

Actually, they are the 3rd back from the spot where the J stiffener goes through. Anyone else think I should send them back, or at least call? I have already put a lot of work into them.
 
None of mine looked that way

I'd send pics to vans. I bet they just send you new ones.

All of mine looked more like this:
1sfa1c.jpg
 
Somebody is misunderstanding something.
Can you give us a picture like the one K.C. is showing.
If I see corectly what you are showing us, that ain't right.
What about edge distance? Your rib will not be straight and therefore not as strong as designed.
 
I think I get it. That original picture is with the flange behind a straight-edge to show that the holes are not lined up. It just looks like the holes are at the edge of the flange. I suspect that without the straight-edge, his flange looks like K.C.s and Vans is correct, there is no problem. Pictures may be worth a 1000 words, but they can also lie. :eek:
 
Difficult

It is, of course, difficult to explain this online. I would say the way I noticed it as a visual representation of how you "feel" if a hole/edge is deburred enough...just feel it.

Well, the holes just "looked" crooked.

2qtx07p.jpg


Here is a straight edge for reference





w9acfp.jpg


The third hole forward of the space is out a bit







6hm6x1.jpg


Between these pics you can quantify it as being about 1/64 - 1/32 more outboard from the rest of the holes

2namdsj.jpg
 
I'm building a different model, 7A, but I would just make sure to leave that particular hole open on each rib when you cleco the skin on for drilling the first time. I expect that by the time you cleco the holes on either side, and match drill that one, everything will fit together just fine. As an exercise, you might cleco the matching skin onto a couple of the ribs before assembling the wing structure, and notice if there is any noticeable distortion of the rib web with that hole, and the next 2 or 3 on each side, clecoed together. I kinda doubt there will be anything significant, and not anything that match drilling won't take care of. My $.02.
 
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