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Vertical Stabilizer question VS-808PP

jcarne

Well Known Member
Patron
Good day everyone, I am working on my VS right now and have run into what seems like a conflict. I have also tried searching and looking at build logs to no avail. The plans say to leave the bottom two holes alone until mating with the fuselage. However, in drawing 27A they have a rivet call out that seems to me that I need to install flush rivets in these two locations as I am building an A model. So should I countersink and dimple these two locations as well or leave the area alone for now? Thanks for your help!

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149wgu8.jpg
 
Had to go back and look at my build pics, ok, on lower pic, lower hinge bracket, I show only upper rivets on lower bracket, the two lower on lower hinge you have a question about, are flush and under the lower hinge bracket. now then, you can search this but this happened to me, the two lower AN3 bolts that go through the tie down internal bracket and hinge get drilled in the fuse assembly while you are mounting and setting up the VS, I used my 90 deg drill and went through the inside of the fuse to the outside drilling through the tie down pilot holes to the VS. apparently a lot of folks forget to drill theses two lower holes and install the two lower bolts!
 
My opinion FWIW. On my RV-8 I did not install rivets in those holes. The bolts support the lower part of the hinge bracket. On the A-model the rivets would need to be installed.
 
Thanks guys for the replies. Brett I think I see what you are saying about the bolts for the tie down. The upper two definitely go through the hinge and therefore I am not worried about the plane falling out of the sky if I miss the two rivets in question. The thing that still makes me wonder is they have that rivet call out on the pic below but if I wait until I install the VS with the fuse there will be no way to make the rivet flush as all of the other ones in that area. If you recall the doubler is countersunk and the spar is dimpled to give you the flush rivet in that area. So Brett (or anyone else with an A model) does your airplane right now have 3 rivets on top, one on bottom, and the two bolts? Sorry if I'm not understanding. :)

149wgu8.jpg
 
Yes

Thanks guys for the replies. Brett I think I see what you are saying about the bolts for the tie down. The upper two definitely go through the hinge and therefore I am not worried about the plane falling out of the sky if I miss the two rivets in question. The thing that still makes me wonder is they have that rivet call out on the pic below but if I wait until I install the VS with the fuse there will be no way to make the rivet flush as all of the other ones in that area. If you recall the doubler is countersunk and the spar is dimpled to give you the flush rivet in that area. So Brett (or anyone else with an A model) does your airplane right now have 3 rivets on top, one on bottom, and the two bolts? Sorry if I'm not understanding. :)

149wgu8.jpg

Yes we have an "A" and you can put those rivets in the lower corners and yes they need to be flush on the back side so that the VS lays flush with the rear most bulked when installed. Hope this helps. Yours, R.E.A. III #80888
 
on mine, where you have the yellow box, arrow at lower area, I have the rivets flush, under and not through the lower hinge bracket, and above it I have the rivets going though and including the lower hinge bracket.
 
Rivets

Mine is an "A" model. Rivets were installed flush on the forward side.
Have not reached the mounting stage yet but it looks right.
 
Thanks guys I will go ahead and install rivets here to match the other ones in the hinge bracket since I am building an A model. In my mind the only reason there is a question here is because on a taildragger the bolts may interfere with these two rivets as the bolts are in a different location.
 
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