flyenforfun
Well Known Member
I wanted to get some input on some issues I am having on my RV that have been really troubling me. I have an RV-8, O-360, Sensenich FP prop, 30 hours on the plane, prop, and engine so far.
My first issue is vibration. I can't seem to diagnose and fix this problem. I am having an overall airframe vibration when I fly. I can feel it when I put my hand on the arm rest, on the dash, on the canopy, and I can feel it in the stick. I had the prop dynamically balanced, which was a half inch out by the way, and it got better but the vib is still there. Ive checked for oil canning, I've checked the exhaust, Ive hit the brakes to make sure the tires werent spinning in the air. It seems to increase with higher rpm, but it is pretty much always there. I just can't figure it out.
My second issue is landing gear shimmy. When landing and taking off, the entire plane shakes until I either slow down on the ground or hit the brakes in the air. I've jacked the plane up and spun the wheels and they appear to be out of round. Its hard to believe that both of my tires from vans are bad, but so far I am thinking this is my problem. I don't think my toe in and out is wrong, but I haven't checked since I initially installed the gear. Should I change the tires and see if that solves my problem? And that leads me to another question, can anyone recommend a wing jack?
My third issue which is the most frustrating and discouraging is my heavy wing. I've checked everything that the document from vans recommends (incidence, rigging, ect) and that all seems fine. I've talked to vans and they had my squeeze down the aileron of the light wing. That made the heavy thing at least trimmable, but now my right aileron has a significantly thinner trailing edge than my left aileron, I can't sqeeze it anymore, and I still have a heavy wing. The heavy wing goes away at low speed, but as I speed up, the left wing gets heavier and heavier and it takes almost fill right aileron trim to get rid of it. Any other suggestions?
Thanks for reading and thanks for any help. I'm still searching for the RV grin but it's hard to find it with all these issues. -Matt
My first issue is vibration. I can't seem to diagnose and fix this problem. I am having an overall airframe vibration when I fly. I can feel it when I put my hand on the arm rest, on the dash, on the canopy, and I can feel it in the stick. I had the prop dynamically balanced, which was a half inch out by the way, and it got better but the vib is still there. Ive checked for oil canning, I've checked the exhaust, Ive hit the brakes to make sure the tires werent spinning in the air. It seems to increase with higher rpm, but it is pretty much always there. I just can't figure it out.
My second issue is landing gear shimmy. When landing and taking off, the entire plane shakes until I either slow down on the ground or hit the brakes in the air. I've jacked the plane up and spun the wheels and they appear to be out of round. Its hard to believe that both of my tires from vans are bad, but so far I am thinking this is my problem. I don't think my toe in and out is wrong, but I haven't checked since I initially installed the gear. Should I change the tires and see if that solves my problem? And that leads me to another question, can anyone recommend a wing jack?
My third issue which is the most frustrating and discouraging is my heavy wing. I've checked everything that the document from vans recommends (incidence, rigging, ect) and that all seems fine. I've talked to vans and they had my squeeze down the aileron of the light wing. That made the heavy thing at least trimmable, but now my right aileron has a significantly thinner trailing edge than my left aileron, I can't sqeeze it anymore, and I still have a heavy wing. The heavy wing goes away at low speed, but as I speed up, the left wing gets heavier and heavier and it takes almost fill right aileron trim to get rid of it. Any other suggestions?
Thanks for reading and thanks for any help. I'm still searching for the RV grin but it's hard to find it with all these issues. -Matt