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One-Man Tank removal

Y

yankee-flyer

Well Known Member
Anyone figured out how to get the fuel tank out by yourself? Annual's coming up in a week and that %&&$ thing has to come out. I had to round up help to put it in-- couldn't reach both the screw head and the self-locking nuts that hold the filler to the canopy and couldn't flex the rubber fitting enough to take out out with the filler neck left on the canopy.

Thanks!

Wayne 120241/143WM 70 hours reached yesterday flying Young Eagles
 
Hey Wayne - -

I put platenuts in place of the nuts. Saves a lot of time taking off. Takes maybe an hour to do.

John Bender
 
JBPILOT said:
I put platenuts in place of the nuts. Saves a lot of time taking off. Takes maybe an hour to do.

John Bender
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Yep, John is right. I use my son to remove the filler neck!! When he leaves for college will have to enlist the wife or install the nutplates per J.B. The 2nd condition inspection is due in Oct.
 
Another Beautiful Bender mod. ;)

My arms are long enough to get them off. No need for nutplates..... yet.
 
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My arms are long enough as well, but I'm putting nutplates in on the filler tube. Tank is no problem with the tube out. I do believe there is a better tank design tho that will avoid the annual removal. For ex. the Joe Gores model or similar.
Dick Seiders
 
I'm at the same stage in my inspection. I think the screws were painted over so I'm also concerned about chipping paint beyond the screw heads. I don't want to redesign anything, but another thought is to cut the filler tube and add a second rubber sleeve. Then I could remove a section and wouldn't have to split the connection between the filler tube flange and fuselage.
 
No more tank removal

Next time you take out the tank, consider this. Note: Match-drill the doublers BEFORE you cut the covers so that the pieces will remain in perfect alignment. The cuts maximize the openings. View the flaperon joint with mirrors (add torque seal paint). No more tank removal. For those E-LSA not yet signed off, order two extra covers and do this for a post-inspection set.

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Just a thought..

I don't know whether the rear bulkhead is designed as a structural member, or whether it is non-structural and simply seals off the baggage area from the tailcone.

However, if it is intended to be a structural stiffener in that area, I'd be wary of cutting through the three ribs without at least adding a similar plate and nut arrangement on the inside front surface of each of the ribs. Without that, the bulkhead will be a lot less stiff.

It may be overkill and unnecessary, but there's an old saying in engineering: `when in doubt, make it stout'.
 
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Tailcone access cover

It may be overkill and unnecessary, but there's an old saying in engineering: `when in doubt, make it stout'.
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I suggest adding additional rivets because they seem to be the weakest part of the bulkhead access cover.
Joe Gores
 
I did mine a bit more stout, you can look at my kitlog entry for July 20 to see it. I used angles in the grooves for stiffening.
 
Rear bulkhead and fuel tank

yankee-flyer said:
Anyone figured out how to get the fuel tank out by yourself? Annual's coming up in a week and that %&&$ thing has to come out. I had to round up help to put it in-- couldn't reach both the screw head and the self-locking nuts that hold the filler to the canopy and couldn't flex the rubber fitting enough to take out out with the filler neck left on the canopy.

Thanks!

Wayne 120241/143WM 70 hours reached yesterday flying Young Eagles
Click to expand...

Hi Guys Pegasus here
In my case I put a split the rear bulkhead and added a doubler to maintane
strength. And shortened the fuel filltube adding a new hose to fill the gap
also threaded the fueller neck then prosealed it in place with screws.
I can now remove the tank it will slide out. I will not need to remove very often. 45hrs and flying with no problems
Ralph Clark
 
I like the idea of splitting the rear bulkhead and the under tank floor plate. Is there any requirement to remove the tank at annual?. My theory is, if you can, leave the fuel system intact. Less chance of maintenance errors!
 
I have said it a number of times. The RV12 is a fantastic airplane. It does however have one weak link in its chain. The fuel tank design. Breaking open the fuel lines every annual is a problem in the making. On my first condition insp. I carefully re-assembled the fittings and re tightened very carefully as well , and of course I found fuel weeping thereafter and had to re do. (how tight can one make the fittings before stress cracking?) I suspect each repeat cycle will get progressively worse. A solution may be the bulkhead section described, or a re design of tank. Whichever it turns out to be it's an improvement that is essential to flight safety following the initial assembly or inspection. I suspect the tank design itself is going to be the answer. Hopefully we will hear something from the designers before too long. (definition: too long: after an in flight or ground operation fire/explosion).
Dick Seiders
 
I very much agree, introducing leaks as well as contamination of the fuel lines is just insane. When my tank goes in, I expect it to stay as long as it don't leak.
 
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Tank doubler

Just cut the bulkhead and floor cover during the CI, I used .063 for the doubler and added a LOT more rivets and nutplates (will try to post photos under "Additional mods" later. I thought about angles-- Don, how do you gert the bulkhead out with angle added?

Wayne 120241
 
The angles are riveted to the fixed bulkhead, so should not be a problem. I actually copied my mod from another who had done it the same way. I have not mounted my bulkhead or tank (or tail) yet, so cannot say for certain I have solved all the problems that might arise. I will have to modify the upholsery to match this modification, not sure what I will do there yet either.
 
For y'all that are questioning the number of screws and nutplates on the previous page of this post (the rear bulkhead access split), you might be interested that Van's own personal RV-12 is done just like this. Saw it yesterday. His is E-AB, by the way - with a strobe light on top of the rudder. He also has an interesting mod - a pull handle in the cockpit raises a spring-loaded partial blocking plate in front of the oil cooler for faster ground heat-ups in the winter. Also had some good ideas about the right kind of gaskets sealing the cockpit canopy as well. I didn't have my camera. Might post pics after I do mine.
 
Mod to the empennage rv12 panel

Bill I did something very close to what you did. I just order another panel and over lapped the parts.

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I am not to proud to take mod suggestions from others.

Thanks Bill
 
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