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E-921 gusset...

Michael Burbidge

Michael Burbidge

Well Known Member
The instructions don't mention fabricating this part, but the plans give the dimensions. So I assume I need to fabricate it. It is supposed to be made out of .063 aluminum. The challenge I'm facing is how to bend it. It is supposed to have a 68 degree bend in it. With that thickness I can't seem to bend it that far. Further more I cannot get a tight enough radius on it.

How did you bend this part? I thought about putting it in the vice and banging it with a mallet. Is that acceptable?
 
Yes - using a vice and mallet will work. You don't want a sharp joint, so I like to put a piece of wood with a small radius edge to get a nice bend.
 
The vice works just fine. I think I used my Vise Grip hand seamer for that though. Try and get close to the correct bend angle, then test fit into the elevator frame. I clecoed my frame parts together with the skin clecoed on, displaced a few inches to one side so I could get the correct frame/angle set up, then kept test-fitting the gusset to the frame until I got the angle correct.

Elevator skin clecoed to the frame, offset several inches, to get correct shape/angle:
http://www.aclog.com/rv-9a/images/Empennage/emp/DCP_1245.JPG

Gusset drilled into place:
http://www.aclog.com/rv-9a/images/Empennage/emp/DCP_1246.JPG
 
I put mine in a vise and used a couple pairs of pliers to work it over to about the right bend, you can't really get (and don't really want) too sharp of an angle on the bend. I left mine long on both ends until I had the bend I wanted, then cut the ends to fit so the bend was in the appropriate location, then drilled, primed, and riveted.

1001047tz0.jpg
 
I'm building an RV-9 and ready to install the E-921 gusset. The kit includes two E-921 and the inventory confirms two. Where is the second E-921 used?
 
The gusset is only on the left elevator that has the trim tab. Not sure why Van's says there are two in the inventory. Maybe the material is used to fabricate something else later on?
 
Want one

I got two in my kit, still have the second one.
Maybe I should just throw the other one in the back of the fuselage and through quantum mechanical principles, there is finite probability it will find its proper place.
 
Good to know one is enough

Thanks. I will keep the spare in case the first one wears out or someone needs one. Now I can continue building with one less fear of an "Oh, carp!" moment.
 
Trim Tab Gusset

The plans for the RV9 show one gusset on the inboard side of the trim tab. That is how I built mine. After 600 hours of flight, I noticed a crack in the elevator skin at the outboard end of the trim tab. Got to looking at the structure and noticed that the only thing holding the trim tab at the outboard end is the elevator skins. Vibrations and trim forces combined to propagate a crack in the elevator skin. I called Van's with an idea to fabricate a gusset on the outboard end of the trim tab and Sterling responded with the details of that very thing in the RV14 plans. Needless to say, I made a gusset and riveted it in place. This seems like it would be a good thing to do during the construction phase.
 
How did you install the gusset? I just finished riveting my elevator so the installing a gusset outboard ship has sailed. I could maybe install it outside and attach it with blind rivets.

Ranger said:
The plans for the RV9 show one gusset on the inboard side of the trim tab. That is how I built mine. After 600 hours of flight, I noticed a crack in the elevator skin at the outboard end of the trim tab. Got to looking at the structure and noticed that the only thing holding the trim tab at the outboard end is the elevator skins. Vibrations and trim forces combined to propagate a crack in the elevator skin. I called Van's with an idea to fabricate a gusset on the outboard end of the trim tab and Sterling responded with the details of that very thing in the RV14 plans. Needless to say, I made a gusset and riveted it in place. This seems like it would be a good thing to do during the construction phase.
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