Is this repair going to be acceptable?

Ok, Im working on attaching E-703/E-704 to the E-702 spar... Its a very tight spot... and after several squeezing attempts, bucking attempts, and a very poor attempt at back riveting... every rivet lays over sideways... Needless to say, the holes are showing the abuse! My plan is to put a double made out of .032 on both sides of the spar and use longer rivets... Of course I'll debur the jagged holes as best as possible, and re-prime... but I wanted to see if anyone else had any good ideas before I drill extra holes in the spar.

There will be two more rivets right behind the two clecos in this pic:

OK...

Fisrst things first...

1) Breath and don't panic..This is an esay repair but what you are proposing is not quite adequate.

2) Make a little mock up and practice riveting with your offest head in the rivet gun.
Do this till you get this close quarter riveting down...Reduced the air pressure on the gun to about 40psi so it doesn't jumpt around.

3) If you think about it you need to replace the strength of 4 holes so your first doubler is good as long you have a total of 6 holes in it....two where the little black dots are, the two original holes (which basically don't do anything) and two holes thru the spar at 90 degrees to the clecos.

4) On the other side the doubler needs to be longer so that it pics up the two holes that correspond to the felt pen marks on the other side.

All your doing is replacing the damaged holes in each piece with holes in the doubler..But secure the doubler to the piece with the same number of fresh holes.

The repair will be stronger than the original...

Cheers

Frank

How about just using bolts in those holes? When you open them up enough for 3/16" bolts, if it leaves you with clean holes, bolts ought to be fine.

Bolts good but..

I will bet that the aluminum in this area has been badly work hardened from the riveting and rivet removal efforts and would eventually crack without added doublers. I am guessing that the AI's will suggest long overlapping plates, with additional rivets, as well as bolts in the original damaged holes.

Kerry Stevens

I went down that road and back a couple of times on the same pieces. Wound up ordering new parts. The suggestion to practice on a mock up is a good one. I wish i'd done that.