Lifting fuselage

[pierre smith]

Mornin’ guys/ladies,
My Finish kit is on order and I’m curious about how to raise the fuselage in order to install the landing gear. The tail cone is not attached yet, per Van’s advice. I have a forklift and an overhead hoist.
How did you guys do it?

Regards,

[rleffler]

When I lifted my RV-10 fuselage, my son and I just picked it up and placed it on an EAA workbench. Getting off the workbench was a little more interesting, but not a big deal. Simply slide it forward and let gravity assisting until the nose wheel touched. We did have an extra person available to pull the workbench out of the way to lower the mains.

If you had the assistance of 2-4 folks, it shouldn’t be that difficult for your rv-12 since it’s lighter.

During the build, I used some 1 x 6 boards a few inches wider than the fuselage to to store the empennage hanging from the ceiling. I cut small notches in the end to place straps. The notches at the end prevent the straps from compressing the sides and held the straps away from the sidewalls. You could do something similar with your forklift.

[lr172]

With my 6 and 10, I used an engine hoist with a strap on the engine mount. Doing this, there is very little weight on the tail cone. Even my wife could hold it while I lifted the front and then set it on a saw horse. I put another saw horse under the wing spar carry through area and set it down on that for leg mounting.

Larry

[wirejock]

On my 7a, I use the rotisserie. I lift the tail and Sweetie puts a sawhorse under the center section. Then lower the tail and the rotisserie comes off the ground. If it needs to be higher, add couple of 4x4s under the rotisserie and repeat. That all ends pretty soon. Gear and engine will be going on.

[Caummisar]

Originally Posted by rleffler

When I lifted my RV-10 fuselage, my son and I just picked it up and placed it on an EAA workbench. Getting off the workbench was a little more interesting, but not a big deal. Simply slide it forward and let gravity assisting until the nose wheel touched. We did have an extra person available to pull the workbench out of the way to lower the mains.

If you had the assistance of 2-4 folks, it shouldn’t be that difficult for your rv-12 since it’s lighter.

Was the engine mounted when you installed the gear?

[AlpineYoda]

My hangar has a forklift. I placed an old pallet under the baggage door / RV-10 rear step and I covered the pallet in cardboard and styrofoam blocks to protect the metal skin. I picked up the whole fuselage (no engine at that time, just complete tail and fuselage) inch by inch, testing that it would not easily rock off the forklift and fall, until it was high enough to insert the gear.

It did take me 3 or 4 tries to find exactly the right place for the pallet and lifting point to match the CG.

[daveyator]

A 12 fuselage is pretty light. Got a friend to help and put it up on a couple of well padded, carefully placed saw horses and all was good.
Cheers, DaveH