Hinge Adjustments

I've just done my left elevator and have the rivets done along the forward hinge line for the trim tab hinge. In the process the hinge tabs are not perfectly aligned. Some are bent a little back, and one has one side crimped over slightly so the hole is a little small.

Any tips for the best tool or process to get the hinge straightened out? I think the bounce of the bucking bar bent them around during the process. The aluminum of the hinge is very soft.

Progress is made. I took the end of a hinge pin and bent it over. I was able to insert this in the hinge tabs along the length of the hinge and make small bends to adjust the hinge tabs to be straight and true. The hinge pin will now go the length. It doesn't slide super easy as it is but with more adjustment it might. But it seems better to adjust only enough to get the pin in and not to overdo it.

The one tab that was slightly crimped I was able to open up using a jeweler's screwdriver to open the slot between the curved portion and the flat part. This has left this tab not quite round but it engages the pin aft and I don't think that it is a reason to replace the whole hinge (at risk of messing something else up in the process).

Aside from the usual statements from someone to just replace it, what is good enough? I think one slightly off tab on a long hinge won't fail the component? Does anyone know for sure?

I'm curious what I can do to make the tab true and round again but I suspect this is beyond what I can do in my shop.

I think my lesson learned here is to rivet the hinge with the hinge pin inserted if I do it again.

I'm curious if there are any clever ideas for riveting the hinge to the left elevator rear spar. On mine the hinge loops stick down enough to make the bucking bar a tight fit on the shop head of the rivets and the bars I have won't let me set the rivet around that corner.

Is there a bar that gets up in there better?

What I did was flush rivet as far as I could, then squeeze the rest. When I squeezed one I caught the hinge loop and bent it. I couldn't squeeze it from the start because the squeezer wouldn't fit due to the length of the rivet head despite the very serious notch I put in my yoke for dimpling the rear spar.

Must be a better way.

JDA_BTR said:

I'm curious if there are any clever ideas for riveting the hinge to the left elevator rear spar. On mine the hinge loops stick down enough to make the bucking bar a tight fit on the shop head of the rivets and the bars I have won't let me set the rivet around that corner.

Is there a bar that gets up in there better?

What I did was flush rivet as far as I could, then squeeze the rest. When I squeezed one I caught the hinge loop and bent it. I couldn't squeeze it from the start because the squeezer wouldn't fit due to the length of the rivet head despite the very serious notch I put in my yoke for dimpling the rear spar.

Must be a better way.

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I just squeezed them. Worked great. Used a narrow die that didn't interfere with the hinge.

I also squeezed them using a 3 inch yoke like this http://www.cleavelandtool.com/3-Pneumatic-Yoke/productinfo/SNY30/#.U4jdXPldWds. I didn't even have to notch the yoke for the rear spar. I actually wondered why there were instructions to notch the yoke when mine fit in completely fine.

Yes - that yoke would do the trick. I don't have that one. I have the flush face one like that but not the one that takes the flat cup.