Van's Air Force
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Tip: Installing elevator/rudder
- Thread starter Mike S
- Start date
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Installing elevator/rudder
The above photos were posted a couple years back.
The "Z" shaped pieces are just some scrap 1/8" or thereabouts diameter wire I had laying around.
You use the "Z"s to hold the surface in place, which lets you have both hands free to insert the bolt.
I put one "Z" in each of the end pivots points, insert the bolt into the center (RV 10 has 3 hinge points), then go to the ends and put in the bolt.
Quick and easy one person installation of the elevator or rudder.
The above photos were posted a couple years back.
The "Z" shaped pieces are just some scrap 1/8" or thereabouts diameter wire I had laying around.
You use the "Z"s to hold the surface in place, which lets you have both hands free to insert the bolt.
I put one "Z" in each of the end pivots points, insert the bolt into the center (RV 10 has 3 hinge points), then go to the ends and put in the bolt.
Quick and easy one person installation of the elevator or rudder.
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Great tip, Mike! About ten years ago, Taunton Press had a book about home construction called "Working Alone" (or something very similar to that anyway); it was filled with tips for the solo handyman, and I found it very useful as that was often the position I found myself as a weekend warrior. Even though most of our work on our planes is already prone to being done solo, I find it helpful when people post these kinds of techniques that expand the range of tasks that can be done alone when necessary.
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Stephen
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Stephen
Thanks for sharing Mike.
az_gila
Well Known Member
Old Avery tool
Avery Tools made a nice tool to do this job -
The hex portion shown in the pic is threaded onto the end of the L-shaped pin. It creates an easy handle to get the pin inserted, and then handle portion can then be removed leaving the short pin in the hinge. The kit came with 6 hinge pins and is really easy to use.
Because the L-shaped pin is short you can rotate it clear of the skin slot and do a control surface full swing test for tightness when all of the pins are inserted.
It seems like no one is making this any more - glad I got mine.
Avery Tools made a nice tool to do this job -
The hex portion shown in the pic is threaded onto the end of the L-shaped pin. It creates an easy handle to get the pin inserted, and then handle portion can then be removed leaving the short pin in the hinge. The kit came with 6 hinge pins and is really easy to use.
Because the L-shaped pin is short you can rotate it clear of the skin slot and do a control surface full swing test for tightness when all of the pins are inserted.
It seems like no one is making this any more - glad I got mine.
Last edited:
Avery Tools made a nice tool to do this job -
The hex portion shown in the pic is threaded onto the end of the L-shaped pin. It creates an easy handle to get the pin inserted, and then handle portion can then be removed leaving the short pin in the hinge. The kit came with 6 hinge pins and is really easy to use.
Because the L-shaped pin is short you can rotate it clear of the skin slot and do a control surface full swing test for tightness when all of the pins are inserted.
It seems like no one is making this any more - glad I got mine.
I just took a welding rod and bent it 90 degrees and trimmed to size. I worked out great and was essentially free.
