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Rubber Wing Root Seal

AlexPeterson

Well Known Member
Interesting thing happened Sunday. My wife and I flew to an airshow in Janesville, WI, arriving around 1030 in the morning. We parked at a far corner of the airport, along with around 30 other transients just there for the airshow. We were bused over to the show side of the airport. After watching both the Canadian Snowbirds (my favorite flying team, please take comments to another thread...) and the US Thunderbirds, we took the bus back to our plane. Did the preflight, and we hopped in. While we waited in the plane for some other traffic to clear the parking area, a ground volunteer chatted with us from the right side of the plane, probably steadying himself on the wing.

At about 1000 agl, I started hearing some thumping on the right side. Hmmm. We looked around the perimeter of the slider canopy, but couldn't find anything to explain it. I figured the only thing it could be was either an airport cat that grabbed on or the rubber seal in the root fairing. We slowed down and diverted to a nearby airport (didn't see the need to circle back into the busy departures). The seal had come out up to about the wing spar. I removed the necessary screws, and put the seal back in. Since that same seal had been in for 9 years and 1200 hours (and removed/reinstalled at each annual), it seemed curious that it simply decided to come out. After putting it back in, I've flown about 3 hours with no issues.

I have to conclude that the guy who leaned over the wing somehow inadvertently pushed it down or somehow disrupted it.

Interesting coincidence: We didn't see anyone at the airport (Monroe, KEFT), until just before starting up. A guy came up, and said he had a 7 that had the root fairing seal come out on the first flight! I had already gone partway through the hot start procedure, so I wasn't able to talk.
 
Good info on the seals. Did you use contact cement to keep them on? During my days at UAL we used "gorilla snot" AKA Pliobond to keep them in place.

I was at Janesville on Sunday. That was a GREAT airshow!
 
Good info on the seals. Did you use contact cement to keep them on? During my days at UAL we used "gorilla snot" AKA Pliobond to keep them in place.

I was at Janesville on Sunday. That was a GREAT airshow!

No, nothing used to hold them in place. I might put a tiny screw through the rubber and through the fairing, just at the end.
 
Amazing,

this *exact* thing happened to me on Saturday afternoon doing some local flying and aerobatics. Made for a bit of apprehension, since I did not know the cause until after landing.

Besided gorilla snot, any other suggestions on securing the wing root rubber seal?

Thx
 
It happened to me once, so before a long cross country to OSH I put duct tape over the rubber so it wouldn't hapen on the trip. Instead, the leading edge of the duct tape formed and airscoop and the trailing edge formed a duck bill whoopy cushion sound maker. The result was loud buzzing sound just like a model airplane engine. After I landed it took a while to figure it all out. Later 3M contact cement worked much better.
 
It is more common than you might think

I installed mine tight and since no bonding or mechanical attachment was called out on the drawings I didn't add anything. This has been written up before but mine would come out and beat on the fuselage especially. This is a recursive process where you have to cut, fit, install platenuts for the closure strip and make the installation before you know it will work and you want to glue the thing together. Then you have to take it back off and glue it and let it cure before you reinstall it or the installation stress will pull the rubber away from the closure strip surface. I tried Pliobond but it isn't really adequate. That was my initial adhesive but at the end of the 2005 AirVenture Cup Race I pulled up after crossing the finish line at well over 200 mph and it blew out (200 mph seemed to be the magic number where mine would blow out) during the phase 1 test period. I finally installed the rubber seal strips on the aluminum closure strips with 3M yellow Weatherstrip adhesive following the proper procedure and that solved the problem. Now several years later the rubber looks like it was molded in place and I take take off the aluminum plates for annual inspections and the rubber requires no special attention at all.

Bob Axsom
 
I finally installed the rubber seal strips on the aluminum closure strips with 3M yellow Weatherstrip adhesive following the proper procedure and that solved the problem. Now several years later the rubber looks like it was molded in place and I take take off the aluminum plates for annual inspections and the rubber requires no special attention at all.
Bob Axsom

What Bob said! I just dabbed the 3M on in several spots between the rubber's "split" on the 7 so it stays stuck on the metal fairing when it's removed for inspection. I had the rubber strip come loose on my old Cherokee 140. It was the only time I've scared the wife while flying. She was not at all amused by the high speed drumming. On the 7 my seal fit tight enough I really struggled to install it during the build, yet the tail end started coming out during phase one. I caught it before it started beating on anything that time and reverted to the same fix I used on the Piper.
 
The similar arrangement...

No, nothing used to hold them in place. I might put a tiny screw through the rubber and through the fairing, just at the end.

...on my Grumman uses a single avex pop rivet at each end. I guess if the end doesn't lift out, the rest will be OK...:)
 
same on certified plane

Exact same problem happened 2X on the Beech Skipper, although at 90 mph instead of Bob's 200mph!. The original seal is 30 years old and essentially dryrotted to the point that there was nothing left to hold the glue. We had to spend $0.45 per inch for the correct seal (with 8130!) and then used the black 3M to hold it in place. Seems very solid now.
 
Interesting. Same thing happened to me this morning - drumming on takeoff. I figured it was something to do with the airplane having sat on the ramp for several days, with that side in the sun. Guess I'll glue those rubber strips on....

greg
 
Happened to us a few times - always the Left. Suspect not ideal gap between the fairing and fuselage?

There was an issue where the fairing touched the fuel tank support, cured by slightly re-profiling the support. Now glued on (not sure what glue).

I thought it was just us - so this thread reassuring. For those who have not expeirenced it, it can build up from a slight vibration to loud enough you think someone's attacking you with a hammer! Easily diagnosed by putting your hand down on the fuselage in the affected area and you can feel it :eek: Despite it happening a few times (glue hopefully means not again) nothing more than marks on the paint that can be wiped off :eek:

Andy & Ellie Hill
RV-8 G-HILZ
 
I had the same problem. Instead of using the 3M adhesive, I first tried 3M elctrical tape on the inside surface....all the way around. Has worked so far.
Was worried that the 3M contact adhesive coated parts would be tough to position after the 15 minute drying time and 'instant stick' feature of this product.
 
I have never had mine come out as described. However, on the right side, it seems to come out a little, at times, about at the spar spot... When I refuel, I just make sure I check that side and with a little rubbing/push, it's back in... Guess the fit is tight enought, but maybe not at that spot... The left side doesn't do it at all... go figure... Maybe the 3M glue will be put in use...
 
Mine did the same thing last summer (500hrs and 6 years). I slowed and made a precautionary landing at Hemet. It was 100 deg OAT on the ramp. I didn't know what was causing the problem. I ended up removing the rear bulkhead with a hand screw driver in that heat looking for the problem. After the 3rd failed test flight I finally figured out what was causing the noise and just removed the dern thing. It was getting old and very soft. I flew without one for a few weeks until a new one arrived in the mail. I used a bead of RTV to attach the new one.
 
I used sikaflex polyurethane sealant, but it didn't adhere at all to the seal (stuck great to the fairing however). Looks like I'll have to give RTV a go, because I think my chances of getting the fancy 3M 1300L is going to be pretty slim here.

Tom.
 
I used sikaflex polyurethane sealant, but it didn't adhere at all to the seal (stuck great to the fairing however). Looks like I'll have to give RTV a go, because I think my chances of getting the fancy 3M 1300L is going to be pretty slim here.

Tom.

Necrothread, but I found that goop (from the glue aisle at Home Depot) worked well.
 
Yep.

I did it to myself once while fueling at a local stop. I got up on the wing to get something out of the foot well in the 8 and did not realize I had pushed the seal and gap fairing down a little. after take off the back half of the seal got into the air stream and flapped on the top of the wing. I did not know what the &%#@ was or had broken on me and slowed down till it was not so noisy. When I got home I looked and found the seal out of the track some two or three feet. I put it back in and pushed down on the fairing, sure enough it was that simple to take the pressure off the seal so that it would come out of the track once you got up to speed. I have not had it come back out again, but yes now I try to be a little more carful and also try to check to see if I stepped on the fairing while getting in. Had me going for a while and making very smooth and shallow turns and control inputs. Nice long gentle approach to landing also. Hope this helps, Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888
 
No, nothing used to hold them in place. I might put a tiny screw through the rubber and through the fairing, just at the end.

This is indeed what I did 8 years ago. One truss head screw through the rubber at the aft end. Easy to take off at inspection time.
 
So truss head screw and no bonding at all. Interesting. Frankly, I'm kind of over trying to glue this thing anyway given my last experience.
Are we talking a #4 size screw here, or smaller still?

Tom.
 
So truss head screw and no bonding at all. Interesting. Frankly, I'm kind of over trying to glue this thing anyway given my last experience.
Are we talking a #4 size screw here, or smaller still?

Tom.

I believe I used about a number 8 SS sheet metal screw and just went into the sheet metal of the fairing. The friction of the rubber on the screw prevents it from wanting to back out. If I think of it I'll find out and maybe post a picture next time I'm at the plane.
 
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