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RV-6A Disassembly Question

P

PCHunt

Well Known Member
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I have an RV-6A that will be taken apart for shipping overseas in a 40' container.

Is it possible to remove the wings without removing the Main Landing Gear?

Would it be possible to somehow support the gear cage mount to be able to have the fuselage remain on the gear during shipping?

Thanks,
 
The bolts that attach the wings also support the main gear.
To support the fuselage on the main gear without the wings you will need to make substitute spar stubs and insert them in place of the wing spars.
 
Mel is right.

It doesn't need to be anything fancy because the gear loads are way lower than they are for a flying airplane.

In the past I have made spacers out of hard wood with holes drilled to catch a few strategically placed bolts.
 
Mel said:
The bolts that attach the wings also support the main gear.
To support the fuselage on the main gear without the wings you will need to make substitute spar stubs and insert them in place of the wing spars.
Click to expand...

Which means that you will have to support the fuselage and gear while removing the wings, then put the stubs in place and reattach the gear supports.
 
I am planning to remove wings of a 6A in the next couple of weeks and would like to know how did everyone support the fuselage while removing the wings?

Anyone have pics?
 
A couple of strong saw horse type supports works fine. One under the base of the firewall, and one directly under one of the aft bulkheads (F-610).

Use carpet or similar as padding. Build them to a height that will have the main wheels just barely off the ground (keep in mind that the legs are deflected when it is on the wheels so you need a bit more than what you measure when it is sitting on the wheels.

To lift onto the saw horses have a helper push the tail down. Put the fwd one under the firewall, then lift the tail and place the aft one.
 
dmat said:
I am planning to remove wings of a 6A in the next couple of weeks and would like to know how did everyone support the fuselage while removing the wings?

Anyone have pics?
Click to expand...

I put a saw horse under the tail and lifted the front using an engine hoist tied to the engine mount at the top of the Dyna ring. This puts CG below the hoist point, so no risk of it tipping over/off.

I did the entire final assembly by myself, so had to get creative.
 
It would probably be easier to put the fuselage on a cart for shipping rather than getting it back on the gear. Cart is easy to make. Here is mine during paint prep, I used the same cart to move it to the airport.

FP16042019A0001M.jpg


FP16042019A00015.jpg


During transport, I tied the plane to the cart at the lower corners of the engine mount and wood false-spars, It did great, no issues.
 
Last edited:
All great advice so far.
Spar width is about 1 1/4" so maybe use 1/2" & 3/4" plywood sandwiched together & have it extend outside fuselage as far as practical so you can use as load strap anchor points in the container. Also plan to stabilize the tail from bouncing during the trip.
 
thanks guys. I will take some pics when I start taking this project apart.
 
Aside from the 12, is there a particularly easy rv to containerize and ship? Like if a guy needed to get a plane to say, Hawaii because he's moving there and had to sell his plane on the mainland?
 
Question for all:

I am slowly starting to dismantle the 6A.

Can I take off the flaps and ailerons without taking the wing off?

I am trying to do this is stages through the course of this month after work so that when it's time to jack up the plane to remove the wings, I only have the wings to take off and not all the other incidental parts.

I have never taken apart a wing or put it back together, hence the "dumb" questions.
 
dmat said:
Question for all:
I am slowly starting to dismantle the 6A.
Can I take off the flaps and ailerons without taking the wing off?
I am trying to do this is stages through the course of this month after work so that when it's time to jack up the plane to remove the wings, I only have the wings to take off and not all the other incidental parts.
I have never taken apart a wing or put it back together, hence the "dumb" questions.
Click to expand...

You can remove the ailerons with no problem.
Removing the flaps with the wings installed will depend on how the builder did the hinge-pins. Some people install the hinge-pins from the inboard end so that the fuselage keeps the pins from coming out. Most people remove a few eyes from the middle of the hinge and insert pins going opposite directions. Personally I inserted the pins from the outboard end. These can be removed by bending the pin just enough to clear the aileron hinge bracket.
You will have to research how this was done to know for sure.
 
dmat said:
I have never taken apart a wing or put it back together, hence the "dumb" questions.
Click to expand...

You do have a set of -6 preview plans.....right?

If not (and you really need them) you can get a set on a thumb drive for $10 from the Vans store.
 
philip_g said:
Aside from the 12, is there a particularly easy rv to containerize and ship? Like if a guy needed to get a plane to say, Hawaii because he's moving there and had to sell his plane on the mainland?
Click to expand...

The 7-8 are the easiest. Full carry through spar versions, 3,4,6 are longer. 2 experienced guys who know what they are doing and have worked together before can get an 8 into a 20' container start (plane still fueled on the ramp) to finish (doors locked on the container) in 1hr 15 min. 52 min is my personal 2 man record. You can loaf around and have it done in 1.5 hours. This is strictly tear down and pack times into a container already built out for it with experienced men with the right equipment.

No RV's would fall into the easy category as you requested. Easy planes are the Pitts (30min), extras/xa42's/MX's can be done in under an hour.

2 guys, who have never done it before, for a non ready container, can do an rv in about 2 long days.
 
Kahuna said:
The 7-8 are the easiest. Full carry through spar versions, 3,4,6 are longer. 2 experienced guys who know what they are doing and have worked together before can get an 8 into a 20' container start (plane still fueled on the ramp) to finish (doors locked on the container) in 1hr 15 min. 52 min is my personal 2 man record. You can loaf around and have it done in 1.5 hours. This is strictly tear down and pack times into a container already built out for it with experienced men with the right equipment.

No RV's would fall into the easy category as you requested. Easy planes are the Pitts (30min), extras/xa42's/MX's can be done in under an hour.

2 guys, who have never done it before, for a non ready container, can do an rv in about 2 long days.
Click to expand...

Thanks, sounds like something I should fly to the west coast and hire out then. Appreciate it
 
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