Easy Leg fairing align procedure.

It is a few years since I posted my "Leg Fairing Align procedure" and there must be quite a few new builders who have not stumbled on the post, so I thought it would help if I reposted it.

Here's a brief summary. For the complete procedure and pics email [email protected]

Pete.
Using the string to establish the fairing parallel with the ?steamlines?.
The string thing is standard Vans procedure. My variation is the use of 1/4" poly tubing to give more accurate and easily determined results.*Without the poly tubing bring the two strings together, it is very difficult to measure the distances between each string and the trailing edge, as you cannot get you head in at right angles to read a ruler, as the fuse is where you need to put your head to avoid any parallax error. But if you just slide the poly tube along the sting until one string is touching the fairing you can eyeball the gap to the other- say 1/16"- and rotate the fairing to make the equal gaps.
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Timely post.

Fitting gear leg fairings is on my todo list for this weekend. Should have been done a while ago.... I've been procrastinating. Because, well, the airplane is flying!

Thanks for the tip!

Pete,

Great idea. I'm just ready to align my fairings on the revamped 9, so will use this simple and effective technique.

greg

fodrv7 said:

It is a few years since I posted my "Leg Fairing Align procedure" and there must be quite a few new builders who have not stumbled on the post, so I thought it would help if I reposted it.

Here's a brief summary. For the complete procedure and pics email [email protected]

Pete.
Using the string to establish the fairing parallel with the ?steamlines?.
The string thing is standard Vans procedure. My variation is the use of 1/4" poly tubing to give more accurate and easily determined results.*Without the poly tubing bring the two strings together, it is very difficult to measure the distances between each string and the trailing edge, as you cannot get you head in at right angles to read a ruler, as the fuse is where you need to put your head to avoid any parallax error. But if you just slide the poly tube along the sting until one string is touching the fairing you can eyeball the gap to the other- say 1/16"- and rotate the fairing to make the equal gaps.

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Since I haven't tried this method, I might be wrong, but I think it could be possible to induce an error if the tubing was not slid precisely up the strings and because of the strings not being pulled tight to teh same degree.
Because of the sweep of the gear leg (and fairing) you need to tape the strings at the fairing leading edge to keep it from sliding down the fairing. This makes the relative tightness of the strings change when the alignment of the fairing is changed. With the string lines tied together with the tubing... if one string is pulled tighter than the other it can pull the strings off center.

The process described in the manual works just fine for me... I just use a small steel scale that measures in 1/32" to check the distance of the fairing T.E. to the two strings.

At least that is my opinion after trying numerous different ways installing fairings on 20 or so different RV's over the years.

Stick with it.

rvbuilder2002 said:

The process described in the manual works just fine for me...
At least that is my opinion after trying numerous different ways installing fairings on 20 or so different RV's over the years.

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If it works for you, stick with it.

Pete.