Wing bolts clearance question

For the final install of the wings, does the aileron pushrod get in the way of installing the close-tolerance bolts? I'm trying to decide whether to bolt up the pushrods before installing the wing, or finish bolting the wing up and then slide the pushrod in place through the tip.

I'm leaning toward using the rivet gun to tap the bolts in place, and it seems things could get crowded in a hurry in that small work space.

I had mine in place. I don't recall them being a problem.

Here's a post I started regarding wing installation. My second to final post sums up what I ran into and some suggestions:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=77978

Good luck.

Yes the push rods will get in the way! Don't try it. One thing that helped install the bolt is a air driven torque wrench. Less than $40 at the local auto parts shop. Do a search on VAF and builder sites for how others did it. I tried the dry ice approach. Don't think it made any difference. You'll be installing the wings twice. The first time is to get the holes lined located for nut plates at the wing root closure and other front and aft attachment points. I used hardware store bolts for this effort. After all the attachment points are established the wings come off and required fittings installed. Then come the real fun. Getting the close tolerance bolts can be a lot of work. If you building an A model there is a very good possibility the powder coating at the gear support holes will block the passage of the bolts. Wish I had cleaned the holes out when they were accessible. Hope this helps

I didn't have any issues getting the wing bolts in and tightened with the pushrods in place. Just put an extension on the ratchet if needed.

Control tubes

Mine were in place when wings were installed- don't recall any problems with them in. Rivet gun worked great- be careful as you don't want drive them all the way in- just enough to start the nuts....

Best if you wait on the pushrods so you have plenty of room to work with without damaging them. Not that big of a deal to disconnect from the bell crank and get them out of the way.

Great suggestions, everyone. Kelly, I dug up your thread a couple weeks ago and made a printout. A very detailed post, extremely helpful.

The initial fitting and match drilling the gap fairings is done, wings are back off and about 2/3 of the nut plates are installed. The only real difficulty I foresee is dimpling the tank skin in a couple of places that are close to the tank attach bracket. Anybody have any tips/tricks for this? All the machine countersinking is done....feels great to blast all the shavings off with compressed air and sweep the floor.

Before I bolted in the gear weldments, I reamed out the holes to remove powder coat, etc., so hopefully the final bolts will go in without too much swearing! I'm budgeting an entire day for the bolts alone.

rightrudder said:

Great suggestions, everyone. Kelly, I dug up your thread a couple weeks ago and made a printout. A very detailed post, extremely helpful.

The initial fitting and match drilling the gap fairings is done, wings are back off and about 2/3 of the nut plates are installed. The only real difficulty I foresee is dimpling the tank skin in a couple of places that are close to the tank attach bracket. Anybody have any tips/tricks for this? All the machine countersinking is done....feels great to blast all the shavings off with compressed air and sweep the floor.

Before I bolted in the gear weldments, I reamed out the holes to remove powder coat, etc., so hopefully the final bolts will go in without too much swearing! I'm budgeting an entire day for the bolts alone.

Click to expand...

I did not have a squeezer, so I made two holders for the dimple dies from a 1/2 bolt shank. Get both ends flat and square and drill holes for the dimple dies with a drill press (be sure to counter-sink for the radius on the dies). You can then use vice grips or a C clamp to dimple the skins. Not fun or efficient, but I was too late in the build to buy a squeezer. I also used these with a rivet gun and bucking bar when too far from an edge to use the clamps.

Larry

rightrudder said:

.....
The initial fitting and match drilling the gap fairings is done, wings are back off and about 2/3 of the nut plates are installed. The only real difficulty I foresee is dimpling the tank skin in a couple of places that are close to the tank attach bracket. Anybody have any tips/tricks for this? All the machine countersinking is done....feels great to blast all the shavings off with compressed air and sweep the floor.

.....

Click to expand...

If you make a small plate out of 0.050 or 0.063 aluminum and rivet it between a standard nutplate and the skin there will be enough 'meat' for a machine countersink.

A #8 screw head is 0.068 high.

Great! Thanks for the help. Fortunately, the access is difficult on only one hole.

You could rivet the nutplate in and let the screw do the dimpling.

rightrudder said:

The only real difficulty I foresee is dimpling the tank skin in a couple of places that are close to the tank attach bracket. Anybody have any tips/tricks for this? All the machine countersinking is done..

Click to expand...

I made a dimple die from a piece of scrap 3/16"--put a c/s in it and used a screw thru the skin to form the dimple. See my kitlog post here:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=skyking90200&project=832&category=10881&log=218728&row=7

rightrudder said:

Great! Thanks for the help. Fortunately, the access is difficult on only one hole.

Click to expand...

If you make a small plate out of 0.050 or 0.063 aluminum and rivet it between a standard nutplate and the skin there will be enough 'meat' for a machine countersink.

A #8 screw head is 0.068 high.

Then my idea above could be implemented with pull "nutplate rivets"