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New builder with VS-705 VStab nose rib issue

spacedoc

Member
Hi all- I'm finally starting the tail build of my RV-14A. A few hours in and I already have a question for the VAF hive mind!

I'm having issues fitting the VS-705 nose rib inside the skin. It's the front part of the rib (past the notch in the flange) that's causing problems. It looks like this isn't an uncommon issue. Per some other posts on the topic I tried fluting the front of the rib to bring the front flanges in, but it's not enough.

I did manage to get everything clecoed together but I sort of had to manhandle things into place and ended up scratching up the inside of the skin quite a bit. I'm not too worried about that- I'm planning on priming and will make sure I sand/scotchbrite those scratches out. I'm primarily concerned about stresses on the skin where it wraps around the end of the rib if I build as-is.

So a couple of questions- should I build on? Or modify the rib? I'm leaning towards modifying it since I don't want to feel like I'm taking shortcuts this early in the build... Does anyone know a source for long reach fluting pliers? I think the fluting will work but my Avery pliers don't reach very far (the flutes are a bit short of the tooling hole in the rib). Or if anyone else can recommend a way to bring the thickness of the web in at the front of the rib I'm open to ideas.

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi all- I'm finally starting the tail build of my RV-14A. A few hours in and I already have a question for the VAF hive mind!

I'm having issues fitting the VS-705 nose rib inside the skin. It's the front part of the rib (past the notch in the flange) that's causing problems. It looks like this isn't an uncommon issue. Per some other posts on the topic I tried fluting the front of the rib to bring the front flanges in, but it's not enough.

I did manage to get everything clecoed together but I sort of had to manhandle things into place and ended up scratching up the inside of the skin quite a bit. I'm not too worried about that- I'm planning on priming and will make sure I sand/scotchbrite those scratches out. I'm primarily concerned about stresses on the skin where it wraps around the end of the rib if I build as-is.

So a couple of questions- should I build on? Or modify the rib? I'm leaning towards modifying it since I don't want to feel like I'm taking shortcuts this early in the build... Does anyone know a source for long reach fluting pliers? I think the fluting will work but my Avery pliers don't reach very far (the flutes are a bit short of the tooling hole in the rib). Or if anyone else can recommend a way to bring the thickness of the web in at the front of the rib I'm open to ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Its a reallllllly tight fit with the web fully extended out to the tip of the flanges.. what I did was file the rib back considerably on both sides where the web meets the flanges to form the angle. This made the front 1/4" of the flange more flexible and everything fit very nicely thereafter.
 

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My approach was to flute the web of the front of that rib, which narrows it. It was still a tight fit afterward, but the amount of man-handling was considerably less.
 
Not from an RV, but based on advice from Gus Fennel, formerly of Vans:
Smooth the rib using a disc sander so it follows the skin profile. Yes it will thin the flange around the notches, but with some care it will make it fit smoothly.

V


IMG_5.jpg
 
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