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Main fuselage order options

RViator60

Well Known Member
I'm halfway through the wing kit and planning to pull the trigger soon on the main fuselage kit. I'm interested in opinions on useful options/alternatives to consider in the standard build kit. Things like upgrading the fuel valve, brakes, and control stick come to mind, although I really not sure.
 
Not sure I have heard any issue with the kit fuel valve, it works just fine and have not read about them being changed out. The kit wheels and brakes work fine although it sounds like most people are swapping out the brake and fuel lines for Aircraft Specialty / TS Flightlines lines which I did as well. The stock control sticks are fine but you can but ones already cut down and grips installed from Tosten.
Compared to the mind numbing monotony of the wing kit, the fuselage is quite fun to build.
 
Here are some potential changes from the fuselage kit:

  • PH Aviation flap actuator (replaces the one in the kit and avoids the need for the position indicator kit)
  • Beringer wheels, brakes, master cylinders, parking brake valve, and antiskid valve (replaces some materials and the master cylinders from the fuselage kit, along with wheels and brakes from the finishing kit)
  • Metal fresh air vents, although I don't know if the plastic ones that came with my 2018 fuselage kit are still standard or not
  • Quarter-turn fasteners instead of piano hinge for some or all of the cowl attachment (this is an endless debate topic, but if you're going to do that then you need to start with the fuselage kit)

I also suggest picking out your interior paint now so you can paint the interior after you put in the baggage floors. Having your avionics plan figured out will also be helpful so you can work behind the subpanel before putting the forward top skin on, instead of reaching up underneath it.

If you're going to use the WH-00125 premade wiring harness, buy it now so you can put it into the fuselage as you go. I spend a few minutes one day every week trying to figure out how to route the control stick wires through the fuselage without removing the connectors that came on them. That would have been nearly trivial to do between sections 28 and 29 when the forward lower fuselage structure was sitting on my workbench, instead of now with the sidewalls on and the plane sitting up on the landing gear.

The fuselage went fairly quickly for me and it definitely kept me on my toes. The tasks are somewhat varied, but there is no fiberglass. You build a few big chunks and then one day you have a giant thing you can't move by yourself but you can sit in it and make airplane noises. Then you attach the empennage and floors and you have an unseaworthy canoe on your hands. Compared with the canopy where you sand for weeks on end and don't see visible changes, the fuselage gives a lot of visual gratification for your efforts.
 
The current Andair valve supplied with the kit is excellent. In fact, it was the go-to replacement valve for many years back when Van's supplied a primitive brass unit that wouldn't have been out of place on a tractor. I know that I used an Andair valve in my old -8 which first flew in early 2002.

Keep the kit wheels and brakes (perfectly adequate), but buy one of everything that Aircraft Specialty makes for the -14. It's all high-quality and will drop right into place. You'll eventually need all of the their FWF hoses and other bits, too, so order those, as well, as soon as you know your FWF configuration.

The stock control sticks will need to be cut down to suit your selected stick grips. The Tosten units do come pre-mounted and that'll suit some folks. I found them to be less than attractive and button-limited, so went with the Infinity grips which I used on my -8. They do take some fiddling to install, but it's really not that big an ordeal and they're extremely functional, comfortable, and good-looking, to boot.

You've only asked about the fuselage kit, but thinking ahead to the finish kit, you might want to have Van's delete the stock tires and tubes and just go right to a better product. I like the Michelin Aviator tires and Airstop tubes. You should also consider the SC-15 canopy for the UV protection it provides without going to an overly-dark tint.
 
If you plan on using SDS, EFII or another fuel injection product that requires a return line, then you will need to delete the fuel selector and replace it with a duplex valve.
As well, if planning on ordering the Thunderbolt 390, allow at least 10 months lead time. I believe the stock 390 can be ordered with the standard lead time

Kerry
 
Quarter-turn fasteners instead of piano hinge for some or all of the cowl attachment

One of the biggest complaints about the piano hinge is how hard is is to initially take the cowl on and off.

If you follow the instructions, and use boelube, after a dozen or so times removing and reinstalling the cowl, they wear in quite nicely.

I'm glad I chose to stick with the piano hinge, it really keeps everything fitting tight and I can get the top cowl off in about 3 minutes.
 
If you plan on using SDS, EFII or another fuel injection product that requires a return line, then you will need to delete the fuel selector and replace it with a duplex valve.
You would also need to plumb in the return line through the fuselage, which would be easier to do early on.
 
I also like my hinged cowling. It is a beast to remove when engine is hot due to it just being dang hot in there! But the fit is great.
 
If you plan on using SDS, EFII or another fuel injection product that requires a return line, then you will need to delete the fuel selector and replace it with a duplex valve.
As well, if planning on ordering the Thunderbolt 390, allow at least 10 months lead time. I believe the stock 390 can be ordered with the standard lead time

Kerry

On the note of the RV14 Duplex setup. There are a lot of little items required to make it fit easily. Here is an image of the first of 2 pre production kits that are currently being installed by beta testers.

For the cabin duplex setup, we will be including the following items.

1. New Fuel Valve Mount Bracket
2. New Doubler Ring
3. New center tunnel cover
4. Trim ring (if using the aero classic carpet)
5. 4 CNC bent Rigid duplex tubes
6. New Cnc machined clips to capture the duplex tubes in existing holes on spar
7. Flex hoses to plumb entire cabin to Andair Duplex valve
8. All additional AN hardware/passthrough fittings to make this kit work.
9. Wing root mounted fuel pre filters with shutoff valve for servicing.
10. CNC machined fuel pump tunnel angle mounting kit.

RV14%20Duplex%20Kit.jpg


Happy Building!!!
 
Some of these are fuselage and some finishing kit. It is all a blur.

1. I went with all the parts one could buy from Aircraft Specialty--I think that $39 for the U-1024 is a real deal.
2. Locking push-pull lines for the air vents--this is critical to keep heat out of the cabin in the summer--or so I have read from Tim Olson
3. Replace plastic air vents with aluminum (already stated), but well worth it.
4. Replace all pass thru with the ones from Aircraft spruce (https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/ssfirewallkit12-04762.php). The one from vans are sharp and there needs to be one extra one. I put all wires thru a main central pass thru and the push pull controls through the stock pass thrus. I am concerned that the cables might need to be replaced at some point.
4. I have stock main wheels and a Berringer front wheel. The stock wheel will not allow one to put on the air cap--maybe van's changed that. I would consider all wheels Berringer.
5. I have not done this, but I still might. Change out the door latch for the one from JD Air. https://www.jdair.com/handles-latches/ This would have been much easier to do when assembling than after the fact.
6. Skybolt fasteners along the top cowl/FW intersection. Maybe piano hinges are fine, but these are very nice. If I were building again, I would put along the FW/bottom cowl intersection.
7. If you go with the Tosten grips, do it when you order. I have an extra pair of sticks in the garage.
8. I punted on the routing of the stick wiring per the plans. I put the wires to the sticks throughs the bulkheads and out a lighting hole.
9. Install the rudder control from Aerosport (https://www.aerosportproducts.com/product/rudder-trim/)
10. make sure the coax cable supplied with the empennage kit is long enough for the transponder antenna (you probably won't know until the fuselage kit is done). Mine was too short. I had to order more coax any any, so I cut that one up for other uses. Or put the transponder antenna under the seats in the fuselage area and close off the hole in the back of the plane.

There are probably plenty of more suggestions on changes and/or additions.
 
Great list, Ken!

You can remedy #4 by deleting the nose wheel from the finish kit and ordering the proper one right from Matco. What you want is the NW511.25 wheel and then the tube/ valve stem with cap will fit inside the nose yoke arms. While you are ordering from Matco, you might as well order the axle and .25 spacers (2) then you can torque the nose wheel down properly without binding up the bearing or under tightening the bolt that holds the axle. Tim O. did a great write up on doing this mod. https://www.myrv14.com/buildlog/20151006/index.html

I have a reference in my build log as well: http://www.mykitlog.com/users/displ...&project=2494&category=11558&log=243224&row=6
 
Some of these are fuselage and some finishing kit. It is all a blur.

1. I went with all the parts one could buy from Aircraft Specialty--I think that $39 for the U-1024 is a real deal.
2. Locking push-pull lines for the air vents--this is critical to keep heat out of the cabin in the summer--or so I have read from Tim Olson
3. Replace plastic air vents with aluminum (already stated), but well worth it.
4. Replace all pass thru with the ones from Aircraft spruce (https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/ssfirewallkit12-04762.php). The one from vans are sharp and there needs to be one extra one. I put all wires thru a main central pass thru and the push pull controls through the stock pass thrus. I am concerned that the cables might need to be replaced at some point.
4. I have stock main wheels and a Berringer front wheel. The stock wheel will not allow one to put on the air cap--maybe van's changed that. I would consider all wheels Berringer.
5. I have not done this, but I still might. Change out the door latch for the one from JD Air. https://www.jdair.com/handles-latches/ This would have been much easier to do when assembling than after the fact.
6. Skybolt fasteners along the top cowl/FW intersection. Maybe piano hinges are fine, but these are very nice. If I were building again, I would put along the FW/bottom cowl intersection.
7. If you go with the Tosten grips, do it when you order. I have an extra pair of sticks in the garage.
8. I punted on the routing of the stick wiring per the plans. I put the wires to the sticks throughs the bulkheads and out a lighting hole.
9. Install the rudder control from Aerosport (https://www.aerosportproducts.com/product/rudder-trim/)
10. make sure the coax cable supplied with the empennage kit is long enough for the transponder antenna (you probably won't know until the fuselage kit is done). Mine was too short. I had to order more coax any any, so I cut that one up for other uses. Or put the transponder antenna under the seats in the fuselage area and close off the hole in the back of the plane.

There are probably plenty of more suggestions on changes and/or additions.

For anyone who is looking to do a full Beringer wheel and brake system installation, we have a manual that depicts the various configurations available. With the help of one of our customers, we are working on a new manual that will be more detailed specifically for the Beringer installation, but it will be bit before it is complete as we are currently being pulled in many different directions on a variety of projects.

The link below shows our cabin and firewall aft offerings for the RV14/14A. FWF options are in another manual. Page 19 of this document is where Beringer specific items start.

http://www.aircraftspecialty.com/PDF%20Documents/RV14%20Brake%20and%20Fuel%20Manual.pdf

As a Beringer dealer, we can sell you all the Beringer specific components you will need in conjunction with pre fabricated hose assemblies. Our dealership with Beringer allows us to delete all the unused fitting and "do it yourself" hose that typically comes with the Beringer kit. We credit those out and apply them toward the pre built assemblies for an all inclusive package price.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.
Happy Building,
Steve
 
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