Thanks everyone. I'll give Van's a call today.

Difficulties
 

Yesterday, I tried to complete the SB without total success.

The aircraft is yet to fly so obviously there were no cracks. After removing one of the heater boxes, I managed to get the top bolt out and remove the suspension unit. Doubler fitted OK and suspension unit replaced. However, I simply cannot get the top bolt back in through the top hat.

Compressing the suspension by lifting the tail seems to work but it is not possible to keep everything steady enough to feed in the bolt through all the piping at the back of the engine. I have tried ratchet straps but they don't seem to be strong enough. I am in a cold UK and the suspension is new. With the extra width of the doubler, I think I am at the limits of the "tight" tolerances.

Any useful tips would be much appreciated.

First, I assume you have just one large washer under the "top hat", not two. Are you certain the plate fits okay and is not hung up on one of the nearby welds, holding it down a bit lower?
I did not need to remove the heater boxes to get the bolt out (?)
Make sure your top hat is a smooth fit over the shaft. File the shaft if needed (I had to remove some stray paint). Grease the shaft for corrosion protection, and to make it easy to move the top hat.
I was able to lift the tail with my shoulder under it, then pull a stand with boards underneath to hold it up. That compressed the front enough to get the bolt in (mine has been in service, I used 2 washers). Alternative is to use rope and pulleys, or ratchet straps, between the nose wheel and the engine somehow. Access is a bit limited but certainly not the worst, I had no trouble getting to the bolt hole (bolt head on the right side was easier than on the left, for me).

Good luck, it should work.

Paul,
I am perplexed why you had to remove the heater box. The bolt should slide out easily with it installed.
As Bob said, make sure you only have one washer installed and that the shaft is free of burrs, etc. Make sure you put a little lube on the shaft to make it easier to get it off later on. I actually fabricated a spacer washer that was about half the thickness of the Vans provided washers. I needed this additional amount installed after 300 hours or so. I was able to compress the assembly by by having someone under the tail using his back and someone at the prop pulling down. The guy putting his weight on the prop flange weighed over 200lbs and probably had 3/4 of his weight on it pulling down. As bob stated, make sure the plate is seated properly on the mount. After painting the plate, I used a bead of high temp RTV to hold the plate in place.

The doubler plate is definitely fitted flush and flat. Only one washer on top. I have some after-market stainless steel heater boxes and I suspect they may be a little larger than the standard. Trying to get the bolt out, it just contacted the forward edge. I have just taken out the securing bolts so I can "ease" it but it is still attached by cables and ducting and getting in the way somewhat and not making things any easier.

The doubler is effectively a second washer and I have asked VANS if I can remove the top washer or fabricate something thinner.

Incidentally, I had no trouble what-so-ever on the initial build

Try pulling out the washer. The doubler plate is the same thickness, so you may not need the washer yet. The easiest way I have found to compress the elastomers is to put a big (2" wide) racket strap from the prop hub to the front of the nose gear and tighten it down. Before you compress it, you want the hat to be about a half hole off from the nose gear hole.

A couple of pages back I showed my installation using ratchet straps (the photo only shows two but I used four altogether). I didn't use particularly heavy-duty straps but they are available to some pretty fantastic loads. I did install one washer. Since your mount is on the fuselage, you have that for leverage and it seems to me that a couple of straps should complete the job.

A bit after the fact now, but I left it and went back to it a few weeks later.

Decided to try a couple of farm jacks under the rear fuselage to lift it and compress the nose-gear. With a couple of judicious taps, the top hat lined up and the bolt went in. Whole job took about 45 minutes.......... :rolleyes: