Joshua's RV-9A Project

Finished the gear mount install by drilling the right side skins and bolting in place.  The right side weldment had a gap between it and the fuselage side (not uncommon, or so I’ve read), so I fabricated a shim out of some scrap stock, to fill the gap and prevent the side skins from bowing in under the torque of the bolt.  As a result, I upsized the bolts and added a thin washer, to get proper thread engagement.  Drilled and countersunk the forward holes, and installed those screws as well.

Next, I re-installed the brackets that hold the cover plates ahead of the main spar; the bottom screw is tricky to get in, as the screwdriver can’t get a straight shot due to the tube of the gear tower being in the way.  I tried a number of types of screwdrivers, including a right-angle gizmo, but a thin-shaft regular driver ended up working the best, even though it was cocked at an angle.  The clockwise side of the head got a bit boogered, I believe, so these screws will be one-time use: if they ever need to come out they will be replaced.  I also sanded a curve into the bottom of these brackets, to provide additional clearance to the gear leg tube which is very nearby, and was barely rubbing on the right side.  Test-fit the forward covers and filed the slots at the bottom slightly, to provide better clearance from the floor stiffeners.

Looking around for other odd tasks, I decided to put in the gusset plates that reinforce the seatback brace-main longeron joint, and drill those holes to final size for rivets.  Five holes per side, not difficult; the forward two on each side are countersunk.  Those plates are now clecoed in place, and I believe the canopy decks can be riveted at any time.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 20th, 2010 at 9:10 pm and is filed under Cabin & Interior. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.