Modifications that you have Made to your RV-12 after Certification? E-LSA Only!

[f1rocket]

Nice job Rob of showing all the parts and documenting the improvement. I like it. I think I'll add this to my list of improvements for my next annual.

[tomkk]

Originally Posted by Jetguy

For all you guys who want more fuel the easiest and cheapest way is to add an aux tank after you are done building. ...

I like the idea but how do you fill the tank? If you remove it to fill, the caps and straps have to come off and an extra set of caps would be needed to keep fuel from spilling and refilling in place seems a guaranteed overflow into the baggaage area sooner or later ...

[Jetguy]

Originally Posted by tomkk

I like the idea but how do you fill the tank? If you remove it to fill, the caps and straps have to come off and an extra set of caps would be needed to keep fuel from spilling and refilling in place seems a guaranteed overflow into the baggaage area sooner or later ...

Well you have to be methodical and have patience. Since you use quick disconnects for the vent and the pick up hoses when removing for fueling chances of spillage is reduced. If you remove it and fill it to the max then you will probably have some leakage around the fill cap. The tank will actually carry 7 gallons but it marked for 6 gallons. So if you only put in 6 gallons and lift it up by the handle on one end to the vertical then gently place it into position while exercising patience lower it back down to the horizontal in the baggage compartment then will probably not spill a drop. Remember you don't have to fill it all the way up, just adding 3 gallons means you can fly approx 4 hours before landing. 3 gallons weights 18lbs, pretty easy to maneuver the aux tank at that weight.
I have my own fuel setup in my hangar so for me filling the aux tank in the baggage compartment is not a problem, but even when using self serve 100LL with a little practice like making sure the nozzle is done dripping and then flip it inverted until over filler neck then rotate it into aux tank usually works fine. Again you only use it when you need it not every time you fly.

[Bill_H]

RV12 tail tie-down compression strut here: http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...d.php?t=134079

[Bill_H]

Oil Cooler Shutter modification.
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...d.php?t=134583

[engineerofsorts]

I could post a picture, but it wouldn't show anything...

The faired or un-faired nosegear leg is subject to scraping when removing the lower cowling.

Van's sells transparent TAPE UHMW 3"X10', which I applied to the top side of my painted nose gear fairing...made it slicker than greased snot on a Teflon doorknob, and I no longer worry about scratching up the paint on either the fairing or the cowling.

[JBPILOT]

I have found that a piece of black electrical tape on each side, lightly attached so it comes off easy, works great.

[Piper J3]

Made new bushings for control sticks. Fore/aft motion between the two sticks was about ??. Really noticeable when you moved sticks slightly when trimmed in level flight. This was bothering me for a long time. I bought 0.245 x 0.375 brass tubing from McMaster-Carr. Used knurling tool on a lathe to raise the outside diameter. Finished dimensions are now 0.379 OD x 2.030 L which makes a nice slip fit into the control stick. I was going to ream the ID but strangely enough it fit the thru bolt as supplied. Now the pivot point is smooth and there is no relative motion between the control sticks. Added benefit is the slight knurled surface holds grease for lubrication for the pivot.

Love this airplane....

[AirHound]

Originally Posted by Mich48041

This radiator baffle is quickly and easily attached or removed by pushing the hinge pins down and out of the hooks.
Blocking the air flow through the upper portion of the radiator keeps the coolant hotter and cabin heat warmer.


I used similar hooks to prevent the bottom cowl hinge pins from coming out.

Nice, is the piece 100% fabricated or an available part?

[AirHound]

Originally Posted by Bill_H

This mod makes it possible to remove the center instrument panel section without removing then reinstalling the three control cables to the engine. You may or may not anticipate ever modifying that center panel.

Some of us Skyview types have both the original center section (with the GPS cutout) and the new one without it. This mod shows:
a> Make SLOTS extending downward from the engine control cable holes in the new (final) panel piece. The slots cut all the way to the bottom of the panel piece.
b> Cut off the bottom of the OLD center panel piece. It will serve as a backer plate to block those slots.
c> Cut that backer plate so the control cables can be installed flat on the primary panel piece WITH their backing washer, at the top of the slot. Then, the backer plate should be cut to hit that washer and prevent any downward movement of the cable.
d> 2 nutplates, two screws to secure the backer plate.

With great care in the cutting of the slots (dremel and thin cutting disk, thin hacksaw blade), it could be possible to do this by loosening but not removing the cables on an existing installed center panel section.



This second picture is showing the back side of the backer piece with nutplates attached.



Assembled. The "hole" looks big because it accomodates the backing washer. But the cable is at the top of the slot in the exact same position as before the hole was slotted.

Good-day!

Regarding post#163 by Bill H, page 17 of 29.

I have the panel with the GPS cutout (left pic). However, the hole pattern above the throttle is like the one on the right (right pic) with two rows. Is it practical, without removing the panel, to just mark and cut (carefully) across and between those two horizontal rows of holes and achieve the same results? Would the single horizontal row of screws fixing the now lower control panel be strong enough to allow operation of the controls with out the lower panel flexing/bending?