L/E Replacement

Left wing leading edge needs to be replaced due to some damage. I plan on buying the new skin and ribs instead of beating out the DENT and adding filler. The plane is flying and painted so I'm thinking... remove wingtip, fuel tank, drill out all rivets attaching the L/E skin and ribs to spar. Sounds not too difficult but riveting the new one on seems a little daunting. It was a piece of cake when the wing was on the jig and no other skins in the way.

Does anyone have experience/recommendations for this task. I thank you in advance for your advice.

Hi Neal,

I?m so sorry to hear about the damage to your plane.

When drilling out the rivets and subsequently punching out the rivet shanks try to use a rounded backer block that will fit around the shop heads to avoid deforming the skin and ribs.

Due to the pre-punched skins I think you?ll find that the new skin will Cleco right back on once the damaged one has been removed. I had to replace a forward side skin just prior to removing the canoe from the jig. It matched up perfectly with existing holes. I would get a bag of oops rivets in case some holes end wallowed out.

Bucking rivets

Sorry about the damage.
Try a set of these..
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7hyZ-sKQmtremd0cEtqaW1NMWc
I also use one of these but do so at your own risk..
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1t8CPfOuU7bVaQFD0s754BSVsNl0_1TnO

Thanks Jerry and Larry, good info...

It does work

I did exactly what you are proposing.

The tank was removed and the LE was drilled out and the wing tipp off.
2 ribs where replaced and I had Opps rivets on hand and pop rivets.

Depending on what you prefer. On the few rivet wholes that didnt look perfect after drilling I up drilled and dimpled to a larger rivet. Sure the rivet head will look a bit bigger but they are flush and after paint nobody can tell the difference unless you are searching for them.

That having said we started on the top, bucking from the bottom side of the wing and thought we would have to use a bunch of pop rivets on the bottom but as it turns our we were able to reach ALL of them from either the sides or through the inspection wholes under the wing. I was not expecting that! Fair warning: I had marks on my arms and shoulder from being in very awkward positions during the bucking... sure was not fun but it did work.