Wings on Wings off

I have finished one wing and for the other I decided to see how much I could get done with it on the airplane and it is so much faster to do the upgrade to the wing with it on the airplane. In two days I have replaced the spar angle and riveted it back in, finished the bell crank upgrade, added the lower L angles, drilled the top skin for the l angle, and installed the rear spar upgrades all on the airplane. The only task left is to pull the wings and install the root doubler and re install the nose ribs and re skin and it is done. Trust me doing this on the table is a pain.

I have tons of video and pictures I will share in a day or two once I get it uploaded.


Jeff

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stephen R. Smith on November 30, 2009 at 11:00am
Hello Jeff,

Thanks for the post. I had the same idea. Did you prop up the wing to eliminate weight on the spar while doing the surgery?

Steve
Permalink Reply by Jeff Garrett on November 30, 2009 at 1:08pm
Yes but it will hold itself up I just used them as support.

Jeff
Permalink Reply by Frederick Schutt on December 1, 2009 at 12:01pm
Jeff

Just one question- what is your motive in jumping the gun on all of these mods? The drawings are still drafts, subject to change, and parts could also be changed. Does not seem to wise to me.


fred
Permalink Reply by Jeff Garrett on December 2, 2009 at 8:13am
Well Fred the short answer is, Hanger space... It just happened the RV-4 we have been working on went to paint and I had the hanger for 2 weeks. Heat and tools is my motive. I also thought what the heck I might as well video tape it while I'm at it since people were calling me asking simple questions like how to remove the fuel filler neck. As you know alot of people are 2nd and 3rd owners so what is simple to us is not so clear to others.
As for the upgrades... they are pretty straight forward for the wings so I felt like that was ok to do using the draft and a couple of things didn't work but because I was doing it on a newer wing I called Zenith and let them know. We still wouldn't have known if the upgrade would or wouldn't have worked on wing lockers if I had not have done the upgrade so I am glad I could help in that respect also.

Jeff
Permalink Reply by Frederick Schutt on December 2, 2009 at 5:07pm
Jeff

Thanks for your reply. You are right- We do need all the info and ideas-advice that we can share.
Good luck on your progress.

Fred

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