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Small Gotcha and question

Ron B.

Well Known Member
The small gottcha I have is while drilling page 29-04, step 7 , #20 holes, two per side line up with the AN6-46A bolts. I nicked two places per bolt on the two bolts that were in alignment. Should have looked closer. Oh well, my first replacement parts on the build so far.
Question, on page 29-07 , figure #3 calls out 6, CR3213-4-05. Anyone know why we just do not use all AN470AD4-8's like the center group holes? Also the only rivets close to that are listed as CR3213-4-5 on the inventory list (I do believe, I should have checked again before posting , but the list is in the hangar) Typo?
Thanks Ron
 
Question, on page 29-07 , figure #3 calls out 6, CR3213-4-05. Anyone know why we just do not use all AN470AD4-8's like the center group holes? Also the only rivets close to that are listed as CR3213-4-5 on the inventory list (I do believe, I should have checked again before posting , but the list is in the hangar) Typo?
Thanks Ron

It should say CR3213-4-5. This is part of a plans change that is currently working through the revision process.

The reason the Cherry rivets are used is this is a very high stress joint. Particularly on the tail dragger.
They are being used selectively because the Cherry rivets are actually stronger than the AN470 rivets.
 
Thank you. Not knowing anything I would have thought that a AN470AD4 rivet would have been stronger, good to know, I will install the Cherry rivets tonight (I held off on those holes just in case).
 
I thought the CR3213-4-5 were on the inventory list but I could not find them tonight. Anybody find them in there inventory?
 
You should be getting them soon. They are mailing them to the people who are missing them.
You should probably order a few spares of various CherryMax rivets. I've probably had 3 so far where the anvil didn't pop in all the way the first time.
Also, I got some this week but the Vans paperwork that came with them said CR3213-4-3....although they sent -5's. So there are a couple issues in getting those parts out. But, CR3213-4-5's work perfectly I'm that location. It's interesting to me that this kit indeed uses a fair amount of CherryMax rivets. I do like that, knowing they are stronger, so it's nice to see they engineered it tough. Just remember, if Vans says to use CherryMax, there is probably a reason.,,
 
Thanks Tim, I just read up on Van's Cherry rivet installation the other evening and to the best I could see mine set correctly so far. The lock appears to set flush with the head and the tail appears with in limits and nicely formed. I do not have any experience with Cherry rivets.
It would be so easy for Van's to drop the builders a heads up e-mail on things like this, but I guess they like us doing the searching.
 
Just received my CR3213-4-5 today and had no luck setting the two I tried. All the other Cherry rivets (RV-14 experience only) popped twice on each rivet. With these rivets (other cherry as well) on the manufactured head side before setting there is a tail made up of the steel mandrel material that sticks out 3/16" beyond the alum. On my other rivets this tail is pulled up into the alum., most of it at least, I think the bulb on the end doesn't.
With my two tonight that tail is still sticking out like it is before I pull it. I'm pulling straight on the rivet. Any help would be appreciated. Anyone else have this problem with the rivets Van's just sent out?
Ron
 
Just received my CR3213-4-5 today and had no luck setting the two I tried. All the other Cherry rivets (RV-14 experience only) popped twice on each rivet. With these rivets (other cherry as well) on the manufactured head side before setting there is a tail made up of the steel mandrel material that sticks out 3/16" beyond the alum. On my other rivets this tail is pulled up into the alum., most of it at least, I think the bulb on the end doesn't.
With my two tonight that tail is still sticking out like it is before I pull it. I'm pulling straight on the rivet. Any help would be appreciated. Anyone else have this problem with the rivets Van's just sent out?
Ron

I recommend you first start with construction manual Section 5, and use that information to try and determine if you really do have a problem.
 
I will re-read it again tomorrow when I'm in the hangar. I just read it a week or two ago , along with watching the EAA video on-line for setting cherry max rivets and don't think it showed the tail sticking out like that. I check out that video again now. I let you know.
Thanks Ron
 
Rivets were definitely not set properly. Discovered my mistake. The first gun I tried, the smaller tip hole would not fit so I used the next size up. It must have been too large. I tried another gun this morning that had a hole that was tight , but the stem still slid thru. All rivets set properly now.
Ron
 
Rivets were definitely not set properly. Discovered my mistake. The first gun I tried, the smaller tip hole would not fit so I used the next size up. It must have been too large. I tried another gun this morning that had a hole that was tight , but the stem still slid thru. All rivets set properly now.
Ron

Ran into the same issue with the large CherryMax rivets and HF puller. I was able to finish setting the rivets using a squeezer--the steel mandrel makes a loud pop once it's driven in properly (that's the second pop that was missing when using puller) and ends up flush with the top of the rivet.
 
Ran into the same issue with the large CherryMax rivets and HF puller. I was able to finish setting the rivets using a squeezer--the steel mandrel makes a loud pop once it's driven in properly (that's the second pop that was missing when using puller) and ends up flush with the top of the rivet.

Vans has a video describing how to lubricate the mandrel/stem on CherryMax rivets to address this issue (old rivets are the cause IIRC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb9miRllZDo
 
Vans has a video describing how to lubricate the mandrel/stem on CherryMax rivets to address this issue (old rivets are the cause IIRC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb9miRllZDo

There are numerous causes of the rivet not setting properly.

Another one is alignment. If the tool is tilted to the side slightly, it tends to add additional tension load on the river stem and can cause it to fracture prematurely.
 
Vans has a video describing how to lubricate the mandrel/stem on CherryMax rivets to address this issue (old rivets are the cause IIRC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb9miRllZDo

My kit is a few months old, and the -5 rivets don't look any more aged than the -4 ones that set perfectly every time, so I doubt rivet age has anything to do with it. I am using an "unapproved" puller so Ron's explanation fits. There are only a few of these big CherryMax rivets in the entire kit, so touch-up with a squeezer is much more economical than getting a special puller, making a mess when drilling out, etc. :D

Thanks for the video pointer, I'll try the lubricant trick next time.
 
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