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RV-4 elevator damage - need advice

Jumbo

Well Known Member
Hi all,

after having carried out some paint work the painter rode his car into the elevator of my RV-4.

14j57rd.jpg


kbyhj.jpg


As I speak the elevator is being taken off and the stabilizer section is being checked for cracks and bends - no wrinkles or so to be vsible from the outside for now.

Re the elevator I either contact Vans to order and get a new one or mayby someone has the parts or a full elevator at hand?

Thanks fro looking at this and any hint how to get this sorted is very much appreciated.

Heinz
P.S. It is a pitty that I can´t fly the RV now and I am looking into getting the elevator repaired as a temporary soloution and than get a new one or a replacement one on in the winter :confused:.
 
Last edited:
RV-4 Emp kit in Italy

Hi Heinz,

too bad.
Luca had a similar problem, the painter walked on his RV-8 rudder...
He had to rebuilt it, much easier with pre-punche items.
I have RV-4 elevators parts in northern Italy.
If you are interested, pm me.

Valerio.
 
Other things to check

This kind of damage warrants (IMHO) pulling the horizontal stab and doing a detailed visual inspection of the hinges, attach points and entire elevator control system. All these component were loaded in a way it was not designed for, before metal started bending.
Check the stab for looseness by placing you finger where it attaches and feeling for relative motion while wiggling the stab before its pulled apart.
Check each control system connection the same way by locking the stick and loading the elevator up and down, again before pulling apart. A drop of oil on the rivets holding the rod ends in will aid in spotting any loose fasteners. (this works really well, you can spot the surface of the oil moving before seeing relative motion.)
Check the skins using a strong light held close to the skin to show wrinkles as a shadow, especially at rivet line intersections. Compare to unstressed areas. (This will also show any sin during construction) the direction of wrinkles should make sense.
It is amazing how damage can transmit. A few years ago two C208 taxied by each othe and struck wing tips. The .020 leading edges were crushed about 30", and the aft spar attach fuselage box suffered a compression failer. This is a built up box beam from .080 aluminum. It tore the beam almost in two.
I know it stinks, hopefully the painters insurance will cover.
 
Sorry to hear this.

Looking at the first photo there seems to be some distortion in the leading edge of the horizontal stab.......... it may be a trick of the light but thats exactly where I would expect it to distort given the load carried through by the left hand elevator hinge.

As has been said damage may not be limited to what is obvious.

Best of luck.
 
yep - all will be checked

Gents,

thanks for your input and indeed I will get a professional to get everything checked.

Heinz
 
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