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Wing Tip lens installation

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alex48

I'm New Here
How do we install the nut plate rivets? Will using a bucking bar will place fiberglass in danger of cracking? Is there an easier way to install lenses?
 
Wing lens

Very nice but do you think 1 screw will hold it? I saw pictures on the forum where they used 18 nut plates per wing.
 
I used three nut plates per lens... just use "Soft" rivets or small C/S pops as you're just holding a nut plate in place for a lens. :)
 
I used the Click Bond system for my wingtip nut plates. My light lens nut plates are standard Spruce plate nuts, but I used the Click Bond adhesive to attach them to the wingtip. Actually any good epoxy will do...JB Weld, etc. Just be sure to scuff the backside of the nut plate before bonding.
 
Smear of 5min epoxy & flox under the nutplate and nutplate pop rivets. Pull the rivets just enough to snug the nutplate. Let it harden then finish pulling the stems,
 
Backing strip and bucked rivets...

I used a strip of .20 with a bit of epoxy as a backing strip and bucked rivets for two screws.
 
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Two screws

per lens, no metal backing strip. After more than 4 years and 1100 hours, no problems.

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Bill
RV-7 N151WP
Lee's Summit, MO
 
wing tip lens installation

On last three airplanes I have used just two nutplates, one top and one bottom like Jamies. Just make sure you get a good fit between the mounting flange and lens. No extra reinforcing of fiberglass necessary for riviting the nutplates. I have noticed most of the ones that have all the screws in them are the ones that did not lay flush to begin with. If I were to do another one, I would round off the corners of the lens and the flange.... Just a little more of that detail work.:(
 
You can drill and tap flox as an alternative to a nut plate

Leighton, our local fiberglass guru showed me that a flox mixture (flocked cotton mixed with epoxy) can be drilled an tapped. I secured my wing tip lenses by putting a blob of "flox" on the inside of the corner, and drilling / tapping for #6 screw after the epoxy had cured. Two screws per lens. (Scuff and clean the surface before putting the epoxy on, build a dam with packing tape to help shape the flox mixture if desired).

I'm not recommending this to replace ALL nut plates, but this is a low stress area that is already fiberglass and the drilled / tapped flox works well here.

Regards,
 
alex48 said:
Very nice but do you think 1 screw will hold it? I saw pictures on the forum where they used 18 nut plates per wing.
Click to expand...

So far so good. Mine has over 60hrs with no problem. Other Rvs on our field are the same with many more hrs than mine. Just do it as per plans and you should be fine.
 
Lenses

Thanks or the help. I guess I have to start all over since I already drill it for too many nut plates. I will get new lenses and start all over.
 
rzbill said:
I bought a bag of PASK302 rivets (3/32" c'sunk flat head blind) from Hanson Rivet and Supply for jobs like this. Very handy.

www.hansonrivet.com
Click to expand...

Bill, Thanks for the link to Hanson Rivet & Supply. I would think that their PAAD302 rivets [aluminum shank] would be a safer choice for use in fiberglass. The pull pressure is 40 psi lower for the PAAD302 rivets. Less likely to crack the fiberglass, with the lower pull pressure.
Charlie
 
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