claycookiemonster
Well Known Member
I had been really dreading this! It had been nearly impossible for me to get the ribs in place during fitting, and that was without Pro-Seal. Also, I couldn?t see how much Pro-Seal was going to be left on the ribs after fighting to slide them in one at a time while the skin (with all other ribs clecoed in place) was in the cradle; seemed like most of it would get sheared off during all the sliding around. It just seemed like a colossal, stressful mess. Rick Galati?s ?Take your Time?
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=7602&highlight=fuel+tanks
method took quite a bit of pressure off, but still I was worried. Finally, after much fear and dread, I think I?ve found an easier way to get all the ribs Pro-Sealed, installed and clecoed without stress or mess. Here?s how:
First: When you?re ready, put the tank skin ON TOP of the cradle, not in it! Let it open up, but have it oriented so that if it were closed it?d drop into the cradle and fit. Clean all mating surfaces on the skin and ribs and get all your Pro-Seal stuff (gloves, mask, etc) organized and ready to go. I found that I used about 90 to 100 cc?s of sealant per tank; have enough ready.
Second: Lay a healthy bead of Pro-Seal right over the line of rivet holes on the skin for all five interior ribs. Yup, every one ? we?re going to do all the ribs at once! Go from the edge right around the nose to the other edge, but remember the ribs don?t go to the last hole at the edge of the skin, that?s for the baffle so don?t go there! Take one of the five interior ribs (doesn't really matter which one) and lay another bead of sealant from aft edge right around the nose to the aft end. Set that rib aside for just a moment and get a cleco ready in your cleco pliers. Now, holding both the Pro-Sealed rib and the pliers w/cleco, place the rib into the tank and cleco it into place thru the most forward hole; top or bottom, doesn?t matter. Add a second cleco on the same side so the rib is held by the two most forward holes, and then do the same on the other side. The rib will now be standing up inside the opened tank skin held by two clecoes on each side right at the front of the tank.
Do all the remaining ribs the same way. Can you see where we?re going? When this has been done, all the ribs will be standing up inside an opened tank skin; each held by two clecoes in the most forward holes and all mating surfaces on skin and ribs are coated with Pro-Seal.
Push the tank skin about halfway into the cradle and begin adding clecoes at the front of the ribs, perhaps three or four at a time to each rib, alternating between top and bottom side. They should go in easily and will begin to close the skin to the ribs. When you?ve got about half of them in, you can press the skin all the way into the cradle and cleco the ribs all the way to the last hole. Presto! No muss, no fuss, no lost sealant, no sweat.
It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to do a tank this way, well within the working time of mixed Pro-Seal, and instead of getting scraped off, the sealant is pressed right into place where we want it. There will probably be enough sealant oozing out around ribs to provide filet material, put those Popsicle sticks to work. One last reminder, there needs to be a path for water to flow towards the drain along the lower aft edge of the ribs where there?s a corner cut off ? make sure you don?t get sealant blocking this, you?ll only have to remove it later.
Now I have to say that as of now (12/13/07) the tanks aren?t finished or leak-checked, so perhaps there?s a flaw in this method I haven?t found yet, but it was simple and easy, and that counts a lot in my shop! The Pro-Seal went exactly where I needed it to go and didn?t go anywhere else. Finally, I found that I could do both tanks within about 45 minutes. That?s got to get me a few gold stars. Good luck out there!
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=7602&highlight=fuel+tanks
method took quite a bit of pressure off, but still I was worried. Finally, after much fear and dread, I think I?ve found an easier way to get all the ribs Pro-Sealed, installed and clecoed without stress or mess. Here?s how:
First: When you?re ready, put the tank skin ON TOP of the cradle, not in it! Let it open up, but have it oriented so that if it were closed it?d drop into the cradle and fit. Clean all mating surfaces on the skin and ribs and get all your Pro-Seal stuff (gloves, mask, etc) organized and ready to go. I found that I used about 90 to 100 cc?s of sealant per tank; have enough ready.
Second: Lay a healthy bead of Pro-Seal right over the line of rivet holes on the skin for all five interior ribs. Yup, every one ? we?re going to do all the ribs at once! Go from the edge right around the nose to the other edge, but remember the ribs don?t go to the last hole at the edge of the skin, that?s for the baffle so don?t go there! Take one of the five interior ribs (doesn't really matter which one) and lay another bead of sealant from aft edge right around the nose to the aft end. Set that rib aside for just a moment and get a cleco ready in your cleco pliers. Now, holding both the Pro-Sealed rib and the pliers w/cleco, place the rib into the tank and cleco it into place thru the most forward hole; top or bottom, doesn?t matter. Add a second cleco on the same side so the rib is held by the two most forward holes, and then do the same on the other side. The rib will now be standing up inside the opened tank skin held by two clecoes on each side right at the front of the tank.
Do all the remaining ribs the same way. Can you see where we?re going? When this has been done, all the ribs will be standing up inside an opened tank skin; each held by two clecoes in the most forward holes and all mating surfaces on skin and ribs are coated with Pro-Seal.
Push the tank skin about halfway into the cradle and begin adding clecoes at the front of the ribs, perhaps three or four at a time to each rib, alternating between top and bottom side. They should go in easily and will begin to close the skin to the ribs. When you?ve got about half of them in, you can press the skin all the way into the cradle and cleco the ribs all the way to the last hole. Presto! No muss, no fuss, no lost sealant, no sweat.
It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to do a tank this way, well within the working time of mixed Pro-Seal, and instead of getting scraped off, the sealant is pressed right into place where we want it. There will probably be enough sealant oozing out around ribs to provide filet material, put those Popsicle sticks to work. One last reminder, there needs to be a path for water to flow towards the drain along the lower aft edge of the ribs where there?s a corner cut off ? make sure you don?t get sealant blocking this, you?ll only have to remove it later.
Now I have to say that as of now (12/13/07) the tanks aren?t finished or leak-checked, so perhaps there?s a flaw in this method I haven?t found yet, but it was simple and easy, and that counts a lot in my shop! The Pro-Seal went exactly where I needed it to go and didn?t go anywhere else. Finally, I found that I could do both tanks within about 45 minutes. That?s got to get me a few gold stars. Good luck out there!
Of course, if I'd had leaks it would be a different story!
