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Good to Know before building RV-9 wings?

D

docrichardson

Member
I've seen some info on building RV-9 wings...some threads are old...wanted to tap into the wisdom here to ask is there were a handful of recommendations before I start my wings? Thanks in advance for throwing in comments, and Merry Christmas to everyone here on Vans...you're a gift of advice and good humor!
 
If you already haven't found SmittysRV build log, it was the best build log I have seen yet. just google it.
 
Look carefully at the drawings for rib orientation. If I remember correctly, not all of the ribs marked "L" go on the left wing, and not all of the ribs marked "R" go on the right wing. Perhaps another 9/9A builder can confirm this.
 
rv9builder said:
Look carefully at the drawings for rib orientation. If I remember correctly, not all of the ribs marked "L" go on the left wing, and not all of the ribs marked "R" go on the right wing. Perhaps another 9/9A builder can confirm this.
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Confirmed - "L" and "R" refers to the direction the flange on the rib goes, to make it easier to rivet the ribs to the skin. It does not mean left or right wing.

Put some type of conduit in your wing for wiring, all the way to tip, and leave a pull-string in it for later. You'll end up using it about 3 times.

Get lots of clecoes, and build the wing stand at a proper height so you can work on it standing up. Main spar at shoulder height was just about right for me.
 
Conduit is good, but the Van's location for it needs to be moved slightly. Otherwise, when you go to rivet on the bottom skins, the conduit will be in the way of the bucking bar. Just move the location forward a bit so that you can still get to the rivet hole on the rib flange.

If you have decided to use a pitot with AOA, then make sure the forward end of the main rib gets another hole for the AOA tubing, in addition to the pitot tubing. If you are putting in an autopilot servo in the right wing, you will need to also run wires out there too.

Upgrade the fuel caps! The stock ones are horrible and hard to open.
 
Don't drill the hole in the main spar where the directions tell you for the OAT (Outside Air Temp) sensor. There are a lot of places this can go, you may decide to put it somewhere else. If you decide to keep it in the same spot it's super easy to go ahead and drill it later and install it, but it's a little difficult to fill the hole after the fact...
 
Hey Mark, the one thing that I am very happy I did was to upgrade to the locking fuel caps. These are a dream to operate compared to the stock Vans caps. They are not that much harder to install and will save you a ton of grief some day.

Conduit as indicated by the plans is good too. Be sure and cut it where the Pitot tube is (and the AP servo if installed) so you can pull the wires from there.

That and make sure you have a full supply of riveting buddies for the wings...you will go through them quickly. ;-)
 
Read instructions several times over and over Mark. Follow fuel tank methodology per Vans manual word by word. If it says put more Proseal in the corner don't question just put more in there. Don't ask me how I know.




Go with aftermarket fuel caps as was suggested. I thought locking feature was a nice thing to have but I've never locked fuel caps for 4 years I am flying. I don't even know where the key is. Watch those J-stringers there is a bit of confusion where to terminate them. Watch marking on aileron belcranks they are marked L on R side there is a logic there.


In 5+ years from now, when you fill your tanks first time, you may see this.



You can prevent it by ditching the cork gasket and using Proseal instead. Replace stock phillips screws with hex. Easier to work with them later less prone to stripping. Order stainless steel drains. Your shiny stock drains will look like this after first year of flying. I won't even post how they look now :)





Have fun building wings Mark. It a very satisfying experience.
 
Z-brackets

Not sure if the instructioms are better but the Hurlburt method of installing z-brackets is the way to go.
 
airguy said:
Don't drill the hole in the main spar where the directions tell you for the OAT (Outside Air Temp) sensor. There are a lot of places this can go, you may decide to put it somewhere else. If you decide to keep it in the same spot it's super easy to go ahead and drill it later and install it, but it's a little difficult to fill the hole after the fact...
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The same goes for the Pitot Tube hole! If you are going to go with a Dynon or other heated pitot tube, you will have to install a pitot tube mast that can't use that hole.

Check The Van's site for the location of where you can put your wire conduits.

Also, follow the instructions exactly for building the tanks and do not wipe down the outside of the tanks to clean up excess proseal. Let it harden, and then clean up any excess with razor blades and sandpaper. DO NOT use MEK or any other solvent on it!
 
This is a timely thread as I am in the middle of my -9a wings. Here's a question - my wings are the QB version, so they are largely pre-built. How can I drill properly sized holes in the ribs for Van's conduit? The wings are already skinned around the fuel tanks so access to the ribs in that location seems to be impossible. Any other suggestions for running the conduit? Thanks!
 
Snoho3 said:
This is a timely thread as I am in the middle of my -9a wings. Here's a question - my wings are the QB version, so they are largely pre-built. How can I drill properly sized holes in the ribs for Van's conduit? The wings are already skinned around the fuel tanks so access to the ribs in that location seems to be impossible. Any other suggestions for running the conduit? Thanks!
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This is what I used on my slow-build wings - PVC drain (not supply, drain is thinner walled), and pipe hangers pull riveted to a few of the ribs. There may be enough room through the inspection holes and at each end of the wings for you to do this.

 
I drilled mine after the wings were riveted to the QB stage.

Get some drill extensions for your unibit. Put some tape on the unibit so you know how fat to drill. Drill the end rib, put the extension through the hole, attach the unibit, drill the next hole, and repeat.

It will go pretty fast.

Once you pull the conduit through all the holes, glue it at every rib so the ribs don't cut it over time, due to vibration. Then cut some openings where the roll servo and landing light wires will go.
 
I decided against conduit and ran the wiring in snap bushings instead. It works well because the sheathed 4-wire bundle for the nav/stroble lights is reasonably rigid, and more so when it's lashed to a couple of other wires. Simple, light and painless.
 
rightrudder said:
I decided against conduit and ran the wiring in snap bushings instead. It works well because the sheathed 4-wire bundle for the nav/stroble lights is reasonably rigid, and more so when it's lashed to a couple of other wires. Simple, light and painless.
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All true, but if you have to run additional wires later on, you have a challenge. Also, with LED lights and strobes, you no longer need that heavy shielded wire.
 
N941WR said:
All true, but if you have to run additional wires later on, you have a challenge. Also, with LED lights and strobes, you no longer need that heavy shielded wire.
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Some LED strobes do call for shielded wire, though. Seems like cheap insurance against radio noise.
 
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