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Shop heads on rib to spar

HeliCooper

Well Known Member
Just a quick question. I know ideally it would be better to set the rivets with the shop head on the spar but it would be a lot easier and not require an offset rivet set if I set them on the rib. Just curious what you guys did and if you had a good argument for it either way.

I'm sure I am over thinking it.
 
The rivets will be fine as installed with the tails on the ribs, but you need to pay extra attention to the flanges and make sure they lay flat against the spar as you shoot the rivets. Also do not over set the rivets as this will swell the holes in the ribs.

If you instal them per print with the manufactured head on the rib it will help the rib flanges lay flat against the spar without gaps.
 
Mike
Not sure about the 14 but on my 7 wings I just detached the ribs from the rear spar then riveted away. Just flex the ribs out of the way so the flanges are accessible. No offset required. That way you get the factory head on the rib flange. Hope this helps you.
 
+2 to what Arnie said. I don't recall doing anything special to set the rivets. Used a normal rivet set and move the rib a bit to buck the rivets. All turned out fine. The ribs where the wing walk are located take a bit more effort, since they are so close together.

There are lots more rivets that take more thinking to put in, especially when using a squeezer. I recall some of the rivets that connect the ribs to the rear spar being more challenging to set. Some I could not figure out how to set with the machine head on the side I wanted.

Good luck.

cheers
ken
 
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