Rudder fairing question.

How much clearance should I have between the lower rudder fairing (forward part) and the tail wheel rod? In flight and on the ground.

How much clearance should I have between the lower rudder fairing (aft part) and the tail wheel rod/tail wheel? In flight and on the ground. I will be installing a tail wheel pant in the future.

Pictures are always good.

I don't have the answer but I put 3/4 of an inch between the front of the rudder and the rod which I feel is excessive. It looks a little odd with that much of a gap and cutting that much off the front causes the tail light to angle forward at the bottom rather than follow the line of the rudder trailing edge.

I am making the tail light assembly, so I can fix the angle. I figured 1/2 inch in the front would be enough. I have the old style fairings.

I have about .10"

I'm on my second rudder (built a 2nd one with 0.020 skin after the 0.016 original developed cracks) and have (again) about about a tenth of an inch clearance between the forward portion of the lower fairing and the root of the tailwheel spring (arm). On the 2nd rudder I started with negative clearance during the initial fitment (but after the fairing had been riveted and bonded in place!) and had to sand a flat in the fairing (and add a patch from the inside). The good news is that very little clearance is probably acceptable as the spring will deflect very little at the root.

Good luck,

Dean Pichon
RV-4

Not much

It has been some time since I did it, but I think I just continued the fuselage line. There is very little clearance at the front. Mine is probably too low because the tailwheel cables will hit the rudder at full deflection.

AX-O said:

How much clearance should I have between the lower rudder fairing (forward part) and the tail wheel rod? In flight and on the ground.

How much clearance should I have between the lower rudder fairing (aft part) and the tail wheel rod/tail wheel? In flight and on the ground. I will be installing a tail wheel pant in the future.

Pictures are always good.

Click to expand...

Axel,

With the weight off of the tail wheel, I have about 3/16" in. at the closest point between the tail spring and lowest point of the rudder bottom fairing. The distance between the top of the tail wheel attachment bolt and tail spring is about 2 1/2 inches.

It's been like this on my -4 since the beginning (19 yrs.) with no contact or interference.

JT

Less than 1/8"...

Weighted distance 3/32"
Unweighted distance 1/8"

Working fine for 21 1/2 years.

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Tom
San Antonio
Building RV-7A
Flying RV-4

thanks guys