Rudder/Elevator Gap

On page 11-09 Fig 2, it shows a minimum gap between the rudder and elevator when the rudder is fully deflected against the rudder stop as .75".

My question is what are people actually setting here for the gap??

Vans gives guidance on actual rudder deflection as 35 deg max and 30 deg min left and right in the notifications and letters section of their website but no one really answered my question of what this gap should be.

For those that haven't reached this step in the build process... I would manufacture my rudder stops slightly larger (1/8") than what the plans show and file them down later to get the gap your looking for vs having to make offset tabs as they recommend as the fix. Thats just my 2 cents and Vans builder assist agreed with me.

h2oskibilly said:

On page 11-09 Fig 2, it shows a minimum gap between the rudder and elevator when the rudder is fully deflected against the rudder stop as .75".

My question is what are people actually setting here for the gap??... For those that haven't reached this step in the build process...

I would manufacture my rudder stops slightly larger (1/8") than what the plans show and file them down later to get the gap your looking for vs having to make offset tabs as they recommend as the fix.

Click to expand...

My gap was .5" on both sides.

I agree - make the rudder stops slightly larger initially and file down later if necessary. Instead, I will now spend time fabricating the offset tabs as shown on page 11-10 and 11-11 to increase my gap to the .75" minimum. Ugh...

My first RV7A had a .5" gap. That rudder suffered a series of dints in the skins & got re skinned, after that I set the gap to close to 1" each side.
You'd be suprised how much the rudder's shape can warp if parked in gusty of side winds & you weren't quick enough to lock it!

I have a 1" gap on each side.

If your fuselage is level it's easy enough to measure the rudder deflection with a plumb bob and some pencil lines on the floor.

If the minimum for the 14 is listed at .75" I'd start with oversized stops to give about an inch gap there and them measure the rudder deflection and whittle them down a little bit at a time until I got it within range. Given how prone Rvs are to wind damaged rudders if that gap is too small I'd shoot for the minimum 30* deflection and the biggest gap I could get and still be at that deflection.

The RV7 has the same 30-35* rudder throw requirement but calls out a specific 1 1/8" gap for this dimension so thats what I set up my stops for. When I measured the deflection to cross check it, it was 33*.