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Mounting vertical stabilizer

JurgenRoeland

Well Known Member
I really don't understand why Vans puts these confusing remarks on their drawings.
On DWG 27 View A-A, they say:

"double check !! for edge distance on both VS-410PP and WD-409"
Yes, I don't exagerate, with two exclamation marks behind it.

On the drawing, you should drill the bolt at 3/8" from the edge of WD409.
Am I missing something or did the minimal edge distance of 2D get reduced for AN4-6A bolts ?

The longeron to bottom hinge bracket should be at 7" 11/32.
Mine is much more than that as I needed that for straightening out the hinges for the rudder. My vertical rear spars rests on the WD-409 so there it's really at the absolute max down position.
But no way you can ever get more on both sides than 0.390" ED which is way below the 0.500.

I know that tolerances are much more on steel parts than on aluminum but why the **** do they always need to create confusion on those plans.
Sorry for the ventilation of frustration. I just needed to get this out of me.
 
"double check !! for edge distance on both VS-410PP and WD-409"
Yes, I don't exagerate, with two exclamation marks behind it.

That is generally an indication to proceed very carefully.... I.E., it is likely something that based on dealing with literally thousands of builders (and the mistakes they make).... typically in a situation where the builder was sure they new what the specific details were but then later found that they didn't........
 
Annoying

Yep. Vans has the FEA so do as they say. Don't do as others maybe do. Sorry, I can't look at my build right now but I totally feel your frustration. I did document mounting mine and the tiny fishing line hung perfectly centered through all three hinges.
 
Yep. Vans has the FEA so do as they say. Don't do as others maybe do. Sorry, I can't look at my build right now but I totally feel your frustration. I did document mounting mine and the tiny fishing line hung perfectly centered through all three hinges.

My fishing line is also perfectly centered through all hinges. I had already cut off the 5/8 cutoff from VS702 (i think you mentioned that earlier to make that smaller and more conservative).
In order to have sufficient edge distance on the an3 bolt in the front holding onto the horizontal stabilo and the bottom rivets on the F781, I had to lower the back of the vertical stabilo right down to the WD409 welding.
No big deal and came out great.
The only remark I wanted to make is that even though I have more space than a builder would normally have, I still have no way to get near edge distance requirements for an AN4 bolt on both the hinge side and the wd409 side.
 
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