My experience and thoughts and opinions
1) I did not inspect for cracks before I decided to just do the SB kit install. I was going to do the Install anyway so I inspected the area after I took it apart. My thought was I had to do it sooner or later if I ever tried to sell the airplane.
I think I have changed my mind about that now.
2) I inspected and did not have any cracks...buck tails fwd, lots of acro ana over 1200 hrs.
I resolved that I wasnt going to install cherry max rivets so I knew I would remove enough skin rivets to lift the skun enough to back drill the nested doubler and the hinge brackets. Step 26 says to use origional brackets as a templet to drill the holes common to the spar web. Im not sure if you could do that and insure that the hinge brackets would be acurately drilled so that the elevator hinge rod end would align properly.
I did everything as instructed to fit and back drill the nested doubler. ( A 90 Degree drill was used on the hinge bracket holes. I then drilled the hinge bracket pivet bolt holes as instructed using the .040 spacer. Make sure you do this correctly on the correct bracket. I installed the 2 hinge brackets in place on the elevator and the installed the elevator using the center and inboard hinges. Clamped the undrilled hinge brackets in place insuring they were properly positioned. I the drilled the top and bottom holes closest to the center of the pivot points of the out board hinge bracket. I did not drill completely through the steel but only enough to effect a center to drill through later. I took the elevator off,removed the hinge bracket and used my drill press to finish drilling the 2 holes I had started. I did not drill through while the hinge was clamped to the spar because I was concerned that this might "rip" the hole in the spar.
Then clecoed the hinge bracket to the spar doubler and match drilled the two remaining holes. Next i made a 7/16 spacer to similated the rod end and attached the opposite bracket clamped into place and match drilled the second bracket to the doubler. Fit checked everything including installing the elevator again. Trim debur dimple per instructions.primer paint and rivet in place. Maker sure to mark left right up down.
I set solid rivets in all 16 hinge bracket holes. Some with a squeezer and the rest shot with a gun and bucking bar.
I am very saisfied with the result.
A few things...the 2 or 3 -3 rivets at the outbd end of the forward spar were the hardest to shoot..I sould have drilled out more than 3 which would have made easier access.
Bucking the hinge bracket rivets was tricky too..
If you dont know how to drill out rivets without screwing up the hole practice before you start. If you cant set a good -4 rivet in a tight space use the cherry max rivets.
I have sheet metal repair skills I learned years ago. I dont think this job is for those will poor skills. It would be very easy to make a big mess out of this job.
I think I had about 15 hours in labor but i went slow and was very careful.
I think now I wouldnt do anything if I had no cracks and just do the inspections. Thats an individual choice.
Good luck !
Cm
