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Wing root fairing

H

Hornet2008

Well Known Member
There are two ways the rubber can sit. The instructions for the 9 are very scant in the documentation. Does the rubber sit flat side up or other way. Did people trim this rubber? I trimmed the starboard one and now have a gap between fuse and fairing. I can push it over to touch the fuse but not happy to do this as I've read on the forums of this rubber coming loose and thrashing about in flight. Did builders glue the rubber inside the fairing? Interested to hear what others did.
 
In "concept", the flat side of the weatherstrip goes up. I trimmed my fairing to leave a gap that is quite small, maybe 1/16". This was the thickness of the weatherstripping from inside the grove to the outside of the weatherstrip.

When properly fit, you want the weatherstrip to form what looks like a fillet (concave arc) between the fuselage and the wing surface. The narrow gap provided by the aluminum fairing just allows the weatherstrip to fit and does not require any glue.
 
The nominal gap is about 3/16"
This will provide for a tight fit that results in the flange of the seal curving outward to make radiused fillet as mentioned.
The tight fit also keeps the seal in place without glue everywhere except at the aft end of the fairing, top and bottom.
 
I fitted the wing root fairings on the wings, then scribed a line that was 3/16" away from the fuselage.

IMG_4921-M.jpg


I took the fairings down in size to the scribe line with the scotchbrite wheel and filed them straight.

Put the slotted part of the rubber over the fairing and press it up against the fuselage.

IMG_4925-M.jpg


I trimmed the ends and used some pliobond (aka, contact cement) to keep the ends in place.
IMG_4924-M.jpg
 
+1 for this method. Worked well for me. I trimmed off the part that would normally form the "filet." Some Ultra Black RTV helps hold it in place.

noelf said:
I trimmed my fairing to leave a gap that is quite small, maybe 1/16". This was the thickness of the weatherstripping from inside the grove to the outside of the weatherstrip.
Click to expand...
 
Another option is safety wire, without any adhesive - stolen from a friend. See pics. Drilled two 1/16th holes a little bit apart and used 0.032” safety wire that was twisted on bottom. Spaced about 5-6” apart.
 

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Hornet2008 said:
There are two ways the rubber can sit. The instructions for the 9 are very scant in the documentation. Does the rubber sit flat side up or other way. Did people trim this rubber? I trimmed the starboard one and now have a gap between fuse and fairing. I can push it over to touch the fuse but not happy to do this as I've read on the forums of this rubber coming loose and thrashing about in flight. Did builders glue the rubber inside the fairing? Interested to hear what others did.
Click to expand...
You'll find one way is A LOT easier to fit than the other way
I wouldn't glue it in place because the paint shop will want to remove it.
 
Trim the sheet metal to a 3/16" gap, 1/4 too big, 1/8 too little. The rubber fits nicely into a filet, no restraint or glue needed. Six RV-7s can't be wrong.
 
Don't the kits come with the rounded fillet-style root fairings anymore? The butt-style root filler pieces leave the airplane with an unfinished look.
 
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