Cutting step tube and plate?

Time for some head-scratching. Have any of you ever had to cut the step tube in order for the plate to fit flush to the skin? I slid the tubes in just for a rough alignment check. And on both of my steps, there's still about a 3/16" (eyeball guess) gap between the plate and the skin, even with the tube fully against the interior baggage compartment rib.



Also, at least it looks this way when reading Tom's recent thread (http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=121669), but does the plate itself get trimmed on the corner where the skin curves under at the tailcone to cabin joint?



Thanks!

Scott,

As I recall I did have to trim the tube to bring the plate flush against the skin. I also trimmed the back lower corner of the plate similar to Tom in his post. Here's a shot of that corner prior to trimming. It's not a very good shot, but you can see how much shaping was involved to bring it as close to the contour of the skin as possible.

Yep, trim off a little of the tube for a nice fit. Here's the aft edge of my left-side step. I didn't trim the flange so there's a gap that I'll probably fill with a blobule of ProSeal. Some just bend this tab back with a hammer.

Note the gusset I had welded in, which will hopefully prevent cracking from vibration.

A couple of my journal entries; hope they will help some:

http://www.aclog.com/rv-9a/index.php?c=3#791

http://www.aclog.com/rv-9a/index.php?c=3#796

Well I'd consider three responses a quorum. Thanks guys!

My steps were also just a bit too long. I think I had to take off a 1/4". Just slide the nylon mounting block on the end of the tubing and use that to make a nice straight mark around the tubing, then use a grinder to take off the extra length.



I modified the drilling locations slightly to better line up with the underlying structures on the flange. The flange lower corner got bent to better lay flat on the fuselage. I used a big set of channel lock pliers and mallets to persuade the steel flange into a better shape.