Main gear leg & intersection fairings
 

For those of you that used RV Bits main gear intersection fairings from Cleveland, along with the main gear fairings which gear leg fairing did you use? The instructions specify "main gear rod";
I tried the "RV8 main gear" based on other information and was not able to make them fit; they seem to not have enough cord dimension.
If you used the "rod" as specified did they fit OK?
Thanks
Dick Sipp

I have done two planes with that option. You do have to remove tiewraps on the main gear legs in order for them to fit, and they do fit very snug. I used a hinge on the rear edge, with an ability to pull the pin for removal.
I think on the last order I determined that the leg fairings were used on more than one RV.

I bought the 'GEAR LEG FAIRING ROD" set. Although I have not yet completed the intersection fairing installation, I did fit everything up and the leg fairings I bought fit fine. They do get shortened up though.

Thanks guys appreciate the advice.

Fuselage to Gear Leg Fairings
 

I installed fuselage to gear leg fairings today. $79.98 from Texas Areoplastics @ BuyPlanParts.com. BPP allowed me to buy only the upper fairings out of a complete set of four. I don?t want to install intersection fairings at the wheel pants.

Installation was simple using Rivnut for 6-32 truss head screws. 1/32? rubber edge trim HR69C was sourced from eBay.
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Looks good Jim. Thanks for the update and resource information.

Jim,

What holds the rivet nut in place and from spinning?

The Rivnut is installed with a special tool that forms an upset ring on the back side. See pic of test sample I did before actual installation on the plane.
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Typically the rivnut has a small tang under its head that indexes into a matching slot filed into the base hole. This serves to keep the rivnut from turning. With a bit of finagling, you may be able to modify a screw and standard pop-rivet puller for use in setting rivnuts -- this may save you from having to buy a special rivnut tool.

ps -- We're still here in Santa Rosa but some of our local RV builder/owners have lost their homes and shops to the fire. Bad scene.

You can buy the tool at Harbor Freight, but be sure to use Aircraft grade rivnuts. The ones that come with the HF tool are junk.

I couldn't find the Thread Setter on HF's web site. Do you have any part numbers or search terms for the tool and/or aircraft grade rivnuts?

thx,
-dbh

David,

Aircraft Spruce has an inexpensive rivet nut setting tool and also sells the rivet nuts keyed and unkeyed.

Here is a link to the tool: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...ickkey=3755027

Here is a link to the rivet nuts: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal.../rivetnuts.php

Happy building,

Experienced aircraft techs consider rivnuts the poorest fastener choice you could put on an airplane.

They consider un-keyed rivnuts to be an instrument of the devil. :mad:

Ditto...they are easy to install; but the price you will pay in your after life...will not be worth it🤓

+3 on the rivnut issue. 'Aircraft quality' is one of my least favorite terms.

Yeah, they're easy to install. And at about the 5 or 6th attempt to remove the fairing, you'll have aircraft quality problems getting the screws out without a drill or a dremel tool.

+4 regarding the use of rivnuts on an aircraft. For the record there are no rivnuts on my RV-12 because of the previously mentioned long term issues with them .... was just providing an answer to the question of where to find the tool.

I'll throw this out, in case you've got an already 'blind' situation & want other options.

My purchased -4 had/has a bunch of rivnuts in blind locations, especially for intersection fairings. Now, this isn't a show plane, and the fairings only 'kinda' fit to start with. As each rivnut has failed/spun, I've removed it, and replaced with a nutplate mounted on the *outside* of the skin. Find some 3/32" pop rivets & use them to mount the nutplates. For near-zero load situations like intersection fairings, you can get rid of your aircraft quality rivnut issues.

I know; it sounds horrible. But if your fairing is thick enough, or the mount point is in from the edge far enough, it can work. Once it's done, only you and the airshow judge will notice.

Charlie

hF part #1210

https://t.harborfreight.com/45-piece...-kit-1210.html