Tall Man Mod

Dayton Murdock · #1 10-15-2018, 06:11 PM

Hi All
Has everyone done the tall man modification to there RV-4, If so what does it intail?

rbibb · #2 10-16-2018, 06:27 AM

There really ist much you can do without it cascading pretty quickly.

Simplest thing is moving the front seat back a bit. By a bit I’m saying maybe less than an inch. No more. Front seatback rests in rollbar. You can’t move it much as the crossbar for the canopy frame must clear it when closed. That is where things cascade....

I moved my front seat back by changing the bottom hinge location and moving rollbar location aft. Maybe 3/4” IIRC.

I’m 6’5” and fit. Now my inseam is 34” so that allows my legs to fit. Don’t even think about adding depth to the panel. You’ll need the knee room.

I sit in single 2” cushion and head just clears canopy with headset on.

It’s tight but comfortable. 3 hour cross country legs comfortable....

But you don’t have room to move around much.

You sorta are one with the -4 anyway. It basically goes where you think it should.

Scott Hersha · #3 10-16-2018, 06:58 AM

I moved my RV4 front seat aft 2 1/2? at the top and just over an inch at the bottom, which made seating slightly more reclined. That was more comfortable in my opinion. The roll bar weldment had to move back and the canopy crossbrace also had to be relocated further aft. To support the new roll bar weldment in the new location, the supports and reinforcements on the side panels had to be modified further aft. It?s not an easy job and you have to think about what you are doing because this is a structural part of the airplane. Your back seater won?t appreciate it. My aft stick had to be removed for good. I considered it a single seat RV4, even though I still had a back seat - comfortable for small people, but they can?t fly from back there. For me, it made the RV4 more enjoyable to fly for longer periods, and I didn?t feel like I was wearing the instrument panel. I?m 6?1?, 195 lbs, 32? inseam.

flynwest · #4 10-16-2018, 07:32 AM

Dayton? Is that you?LOL

rocketbob · #5 10-16-2018, 07:42 AM

Same problem exists in the Rocket. I made the front seat angle match my RV-6's seat angle (which I found very comfortable) by bringing the seat bottom aft. I had to cut off the seat belt anchors to do that.

Like others here mention there are other cascading changes but since I fabricated the rollbar and canopy frame it was no big deal.

I also cut apart the stick weldment and moved the front back almost 3" to make the position more comfortable.

The RV-4 I have in my shop right now has a number of interior room mods to and its very comfortable. I will try to take some pics tonight.

rv7charlie · #6 10-16-2018, 08:51 AM

You can recline the seat back a fair amount by moving the rails to behind the rollbar crossmember. I notched the angles to snug them against the back of the crossmember, and used a pair of adel clamp style straps to tie it to the crossbar.

CAUTION: After any mod to the seat back, check for interference with the back seat control stick before flight. You can help the issue a bit by shortening and/or bending the back seat stick, but then you have to watch for hitting the back seat (or the passenger).

I found that reclining the seat made it a lot more comfortable, at the slight penalty of visibility on landing (I'm only around 5' 9").

Charlie

smokyray · #7 10-16-2018, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dayton Murdock

Hi All
Has everyone done the tall man modification to there RV-4, If so what does it intail?

Dayton,
At 5"10" my RV4 seat height with 3" cushions was tailor made for me. However, I have assisted several "Height challenged" 4 Bros with the same tricks mentioned above.
You can even recline the front seat to near F16 30 degree angle by making a slight mod to the roll bar. Of course, several dudes removed the RB altogether. I wouldnt.
That said, aside from installing 1" thick NASA foam seat cushions or seat back mods, the former Todd"s (now Lance Logan"s) Aerocanopy "tall boy" canopy is the goo for the RV4. Really adds cranium room for the front and rear seat for what its worth...

https://www.aerocanopy.com/

V/R
Smokey

rbibb · #8 10-17-2018, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokyray

Dayton,
At 5"10" my RV4 seat height with 3" cushions was tailor made for me. However, I have assisted several "Height challenged" 4 Bros with the same tricks mentioned above.
You can even recline the front seat to near F16 30 degree angle by making a slight mod to the roll bar. Of course, several dudes removed the RB altogether. I wouldnt.
That said, aside from installing 1" thick NASA foam seat cushions or seat back mods, the former Todd"s (now Lance Logan"s) Aerocanopy "tall boy" canopy is the goo for the RV4. Really adds cranium room for the front and rear seat for what its worth...

https://www.aerocanopy.com/

V/R
Smokey

But it sure looks dorky to me....lol

smokyray · #9 10-17-2018, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbibb

You sorta are one with the -4 anyway. It basically goes where you think it should.

My first F-16 instructor's description of flying the airplane...

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbibb

But it sure looks dorky to me....lol

Each to his own I suppose although I used to tell my kids "before calling someone dorky, look in the mirror."

V/R
Smokey

PS:The Viper, the RV4 or RV3,are snug but The Sonerai, now that was "wearing the airplane."

Lufthans · #10 10-18-2018, 04:19 AM

6'4" with 36" inseam here.

I kept ours stock. The pedals as far forward as they will go without hitting the firewall. I can use the stock bottom cushion, and simply remove the one behind my back. Interestingly, the aluminum backrest isn't all that uncomfortable, even at 3-hour flights.

I'm actually quite comfortable and feel no need to hunt for extra inches anywhere...

Hans