Gear Leg installation

[rv8gibbo]

I've been avoiding my gear leg installation for quite some time now as I got way to far ahead of myself initially with my RV8 Quickbuild. I have the engine installed, tail, canopy, the list goes on,without doing the initial gear leg fitting (I know stupid mistake I'll give myself an uppercut!). My question is, is it possible to do the initial drilling and installation with the fuse the right side up?

Cheers
Gibbo

[Mikeyb]

Since none of the big kids chimed in...Other than having to drill big holes through thick material squarely while upside down the only thing I can think of is you don’t have access to the tooling hole at the 812 bulkhead at the back of the plane to define a center point to triangulate to the gear legs to square them to the centerline. I think I would put the axles on and use the string wheel alignment procedure as my primary alignment and check it against the plumb line method in the plans triangulating to a plumb line wrapped around the tail wheel tube as a double check.
Mike

[rv8ch]

It's been a while, and I did it with the canoe flipped on its back, but I don't recall this being that tricky.

Since you will be upside down (you are used to that being in Oz), wear goggles, ensure that you have good support under you while lying on your back. Watch out for hot chips landing on your neck.

I had a very experienced builder (Emmett, 2x RV-4 builder) helping me to make sure I didn't do something stupid and everything stayed lined up.

[PhatRV]

Originally Posted by rv8gibbo

I've been avoiding my gear leg installation for quite some time now as I got way to far ahead of myself initially with my RV8 Quickbuild. I have the engine installed, tail, canopy, the list goes on,without doing the initial gear leg fitting (I know stupid mistake I'll give myself an uppercut!). My question is, is it possible to do the initial drilling and installation with the fuse the right side up?

Cheers
Gibbo

It will be a challenge propping up the firewall forward higher up the ground so you can have sufficient access for the gear, if you choose to install the gear right-side up. The airplane in this attitude will be even more nose up, making the repeated reentry into the fuselage more difficult.

Other options to consider:
1. If you haven't riveted the upper fuselage skin, I don't see any problem of flipping the fuselage upside down at this stage other than you need to get more muscle or heavy duty winching equipment to flip it up side down.

2. If the upper fuselage skin is already riveted, BUT the windshield is NOT fiberglass yet, you can drill out the skin, only if you want to flip the fuse.

3. If the upper fuselage skin and the windshied are fully installed, then I think the only option is to propup the fuselage and work right-side up. The issue is that you have to prop up the forward fuse by the engine mount since the landing gear tower locations must be left opened for you to install the gear legs. Much like a rotisserie. I think JCarne had remove his engine a few times during his RV7 build so I think remove the engine and storing it in safe place is probably prudent to safeguard it. Removing the engine makes this option a lot easier.

Good luck

[rv8gibbo]

Many thanks everyone,
I've removed my engine ,canopy and flipped the fuselage, I guess the best way is the right way!