Tank / leading edge joint and nose denting

Hi all,

Just finished clecoing and drilling my leading edges and tanks (boy fitting those ribs was worth a few unmentionables...). Before I move them upstairs onto the spar, I noticed I ran into the common problem where the tank skin doesn't match the leading edge skin properly at the splice strip. In my case on both wings, the tank nose is leaving a good 5/32" gap between it and the leading edge nose.



I read over in http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=73876 that many of you guys used a ratcheting strap to pull the tank flush when it's mounted onto the spar. But it looks like most have done this after the splice's tank screw holes have been drilled, the tank's riveted, and ready for final mounting.

I'm wondering would it be any better for me to ratchet-strap the tanks flush before doing all the splice strip, z-bracket, and other tank-to-spar drilling?

I also ran into the problem where fitting the ribs have caused some denting at the nose on both the leading edge and tanks. But apparently that's most times gone away when doing final riveting? I'm hoping when I remove the ribs for dimpling, I'll just lightly pound out the dents from the inside with my flush set and light air pressure (did it before on the elevator @ 20psi). I'm just slightly concerned because there's a nose dent on the underside between almost every rib.

sbalmos said:

Hi all,

Just finished clecoing and drilling my leading edges and tanks (boy fitting those ribs was worth a few unmentionables...).

I'm wondering would it be any better for me to ratchet-strap the tanks flush before doing all the splice strip, z-bracket, and other tank-to-spar drilling

Click to expand...

If you think that was a tight squeeze wait til you get to riveting the forward spars on the ailerons and flaps

If you ratchet the tanks in place you won't be able to access the splice strip. I completely installed and riveted the leading edges, then the splice strip, then the tanks. I had some "outie" dents at the ribs on the leading edges that never did completely go away. But I was sure to debur the leading edge of those ribs til they were smooth as butta.

To fix the denting of the nose ribs, just smooth them out with the scotchbrite wheel. There is nothing structural on the nose of the ribs. You just need to round them over a bit so they don't put pressure points on the leading edge skin.

I would make a call and share this with Vans before you do any riveting.

Leading edge

With Bruce H. On this.

When I Clecoed ribs into the forward skin
It put unsightly pressure dents on the skin.
I removed the ribs, hit down the dents back to flat
And slightly bent in the nose ribs forward of the last hole
Nothing structural as stated and this cured the problem
And allowed the tanks to line up better. Not perfect but
Better.

sbalmos said:

many of you guys used a ratcheting strap to pull the tank flush when it's mounted onto the spar. But it looks like most have done this after the splice's tank screw holes have been drilled, the tank's riveted, and ready for final mounting.

Click to expand...

I did not do it that way. I fabbed the "Z"s and back baffle per the Checkoway method, installed the splice on the wing skin, assembled the tank with minimum clecoes in tank skin, used straps to pull the tank skin as tight as I could towards the spar and then drilled the skin to the ribs. The fit is as good as you can get. Zero gaps.

Bill,

Thanks (along with the other posters). I obviously had heard of Dan's name, and probably had read his method one time before. But I didn't have it bookmarked and completely forgot about it. I'm probably going to try that, since I haven't drilled the strap yet, nor the brackets' spar bolt holes. At worst, I'll re-order some new brackets. Everything else in the method looks compatible with what I've done already, off-spar.

Nose ribs

Scott,

My nose ribs took quite a bit of reshaping to get them to fit in both leading edge skins. Just try and be as consistent as possible. You really don't want to be struggling with those tank nose ribs when they're slathered with Proseal.

I did not make my splice strip until both the outboard leading edge and the tank were done.

Tom

Just leave it the way it is, squirt it with a spray can, scratch off half the paint, and post it to Doug's rat rod thread.


I keed, I keed!

Hahaha! Nice Dan. Maybe we need to start a new photo thread - not so much the well-worn, well-flown pics, but the "your favorite forget-it-and-build-on" pics.