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Step repair/reinforcement service offered. WD-657-R & L

Russ McCutcheon

Russ McCutcheon

Well Known Member
First off, I have Doug’s permission to post this on VAF even though I’m not an advertiser. Thanks Doug!

As you know or may not know I build these steps for Van’s, we have built these from the beginning. I am in no way interested in pointing the finger of blame at anyone for the steps that have cracked or broken, not Van’s not myself and not you guys. This service is offered to try and give a solution for those that have a problem or anticipate a problem with their step/steps, that’s all.

After looking at the steps on Van’s airplanes and repairing/reinforcing a couple of steps a couple of different ways I have decided to offer the same or very similar reinforcement to what Van’s has employed on their airplanes.

The price will be $30 per step, $60 for a set. The step can be new or it can be used and cracked, even broken off so long as you have both pieces.

The plan is you send in your step/steps (with paint removed) in a box with a check for payment and a paid return shipping label.

Don’t send it in yet, I need to order the gussets from the laser cutter first, they are ready to go but I need an idea of the number to order before we get going. Send me an e-mail [email protected] letting me know what you want, right, left or both steps, when we are ready in a couple of weeks I’ll tell you to start sending them in, in the order you e-mailed me.

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bruceh said:
Awesome! Thanks for "stepping" up to do this. :)
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I'll second that!

If you are building and still have the opportunity to do this, do it! Drilling out rivets and sand blasting off your paintjob is no fun later.

Thanks for offering this Russ!
 
If you don't have the ability to reinforce the steps yourself I would highly recommend you sent them in to Russ. That is a very reasonable price also IMHO.
 
Russ,

Could you show a picture that shows more of the step? I can't tell exactly which part you are reinforcing. Sorry I haven't been following this problem in detail so this may be obvious to others. I just got my fuse kit so its a perfect time for me to fix the problem.
 
rapid_ascent said:
Russ,

Could you show a picture that shows more of the step? I can't tell exactly which part you are reinforcing. Sorry I haven't been following this problem in detail so this may be obvious to others. I just got my fuse kit so its a perfect time for me to fix the problem.
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Just send your step to Russ and look when you get it back. You will not be disappointed!

Thanks for this Russ! It is good to see a capable operation provide this solution!
 
reinforced steps

Russ,

Since you are building these steps for Vans, will the new steps being created, have this fix as standard?

Finishing up empanage now, then ordering wings soon.

Thanks
 
BobK said:
Russ,

Since you are building these steps for Vans, will the new steps being created, have this fix as standard?

Finishing up empanage now, then ordering wings soon.

Thanks
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If Vans was going to do it, they would have. But - -don't ya think if Russ gets lots of broken parts to weld, Vans will find out?

Keep in mind, Vans is Russ's customer, a big one, and not one he wants to irritate. Would you?
 
I recognize that step!

The photo's Russ posted are of MY passenger step that he just repaired. 3rd time I can remember getting to the front page without posting. :)

Ray. Russ welded a crack in the the "streamlined" part of the step just below the flat portion of the step where the step is riveted to the the plane. Then added a reinforcement. This will not be noticeable unless someone is under the wing looking up at the step. There are lost of post's about passenger steps cracking.

WoodManRog, I don't think Russ makes the RV-14 step, and I think the RV-14 step is a different design.

MAYBE if enough folks ask Van's for the reinforced step, they will carry it as an option?

I'm planning to post a review of the service Russ provided for me.
 
Thanks for all the positive comments guys.

I am also getting requests for the -8 and -12 steps, these are not the same, I?m offering this for the WD-657 R & L only.
 
Update

This morning I returned everyone?s emails saying to go ahead and send in your steps, if I missed anyone please email me, if you haven?t emailed me but you want your step/steps updated go ahead and send them in. follow exactly the instructions below.

Ok guys, go ahead and send your step/steps in at your convenience, remember to strip all paint, even down in the hard to reach areas which is where I?ll have to weld, remember your check for $30 per step, $60 for the pair made out to Russ McCutcheon, remember to include a prepaid return shipping label, please use UPS or FedEx as they will sell you and print for you the return label that you can then place inside the box.

We have changed the reinforcement patch from its original design, it turned out very well, look for the photos on the thread on VAF soon.

Russ McCutcheon
515 NE 209th ST
Ridgefield, WA 98642
 
OMG is right, it looks like Vans made a design improvement - I am astounded. It is the right thing to do, of course!
 
Does this mean that if I buy a set from Vans now, I'll get the improved design? I'd returned mine to them a while ago after hearing about the cracking and had decided to go with a stool. But now I might install steps.

Thanks!
Russ
 
Great news that Van's gave you the go ahead to beef them up!!!! I really believe cracked steps are going to be a thing of the past now.
 
Scott is correct, I built the first one pictured in this thread and was ready to pull the trigger with the laser cutter to have a run of parts cut when Rian Johnson head engineer Van?s Aircraft called and said he liked my part but had some ideas and wanted to see what he could come up with, of course I said great and it is great because what he came up with is much more elegant then what I had. It?s Van?s part and they are punching them for my use to update your steps in the field and for use on all steps built for Van?s.
 
RV7a cracked step

Today I noticed a crack on my right side step (RV7A). I understand there is plan to install a gusset reinforcement. This requires removing the entire step, then repainting which is not an easy project. Any chance of a building a splint/brace that can be bolt mounted with the step remaining installed?
 
timotb said:
This requires removing the entire step, then repainting which is not an easy project.
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Having just done exactly that, I can concurr this is not an easy project. I spent the better part of a day extracting the steps (7 hours). Getting all of the rivets drilled out to get under the baggage floors is a lot of work. I sandblasted off the primer/paint to get them shipped off to Russ. I got them back and they look MUCH stronger now with this reinforcement welded on. I spent almost the entire weekend putting it all back together. I had to take off the flaps to get access to a couple of the nutplates that have to be removed. Getting the squeezer down in the tunnel to reset the nutplates was tricky, but doable.

I'm glad I got this accomplished before painting! It would have been doubly tough to have to deal with repainting the steps.

I'm not a structural engineer, but bolting on something would probably not hold up, or be as good of a solution as offered here by Russ & Van's.
 
timotb said:
Today I noticed a crack on my right side step (RV7A). I understand there is plan to install a gusset reinforcement. This requires removing the entire step, then repainting which is not an easy project. Any chance of a building a splint/brace that can be bolt mounted with the step remaining installed?
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I believe that in can be welded in place (you would weld in a small gusset). I thought I read of people doing this in the past. Suggest searching this topic.

Larry
 
Welding these in place could be and has been done, however it would not be optimal, between the position and worrying about melting paint etc. the repair would be compromised.
 
timotb said:
Today I noticed a crack on my right side step (RV7A). I understand there is plan to install a gusset reinforcement. This requires removing the entire step, then repainting which is not an easy project. Any chance of a building a splint/brace that can be bolt mounted with the step remaining installed?
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If you are going to go through the hassle for one side, you might as well do the other at the same time because you know you will be drilling up the other floor pan soon.
 
If I ever have to remove my steps, I'll Dremel out a couple of rectangular access openings to get at the inboard anchor points, then fabricate some covers that attach with screws and nutplates. Seems easier than removing the floors entirely and it'd be a cinch if--perish the thought!--the steps had to come out a second time.
 
N941WR said:
If you are going to go through the hassle for one side, you might as well do the other at the same time because you know you will be drilling up the other floor pan soon.
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I agree wholeheartedly.....do both sides same time. Still looking into doing something without extracting the steps from a finished aircraft.
 
If you do weld in place, I would recommend disconnecting all the batteries to include backups. Cummins, Cat International, Allison ect all recommend this to avoid possible damage to the ECMs during any on chassis welding.
 
Easy step removal from RV7a

UPDATE: Chose not weld in place because of the major risks to the avionics and doubted a quality/strong job. Steps removed Saturday, gussets welded locally on Sunday, and repainted today, Monday. Ready for reinstall Tuesday or Wednesday. Easier job than I expected.

Instead of removing the entire floor, I located the nylon blocks under the baggage floor using pictures, and drilled two, 1 1/4" round holes over each the nut and bolt ends, both sides, such that a wrench could be inserted over each. A 1 1/2" whole would have been easier. Lastly the blind rivets were drilled out from the exterior side. Each step was removed in 30-45 minutes. The floor remains intact.
 
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Updates from the field?

Just looking for any updates from those that have installed the reinforced step. Has anyone noticed a crack after this repair?
 
send them in!

rapid_ascent said:
I tried emailing Russ about my step repair. Is the contact information still good?
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Hi Ray, I don't know how I missed your email, maybe it got dumped in spam for some reason.

360 334 0688

515 NE 209th ST
Ridgefield, WA 98642

Go ahead and send them in any time, You probably know already but just incase, please remove any paint on your steps, send with a check for $30 per step and a paid return label. Now that I?ve discovered Click N Ship from the USPS I would use them but UPS and FedEx are good too.

Russ
 
WD-657-Z

For anyone wondering, you can buy the gusset from Van’s to repair a step in the field. I ordered 2 today, they are in the online store.
 
RyanS said:
Just looking for any updates from those that have installed the reinforced step. Has anyone noticed a crack after this repair?
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My right cracked in under 100 hours. Had it repaired and still going strong at 700 hours. Left is unaffected.

Larry
 
I had Russ reinforce mine before installation on the fuse. Flying just shy of three years, 180 hours and no issues to date. Real quick turn around when I did it. I believe from the time I shipped them to getting them back was less than two weeks.
 
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