F-711 rivet spacing

[MTBehnke]

I'm trying to cleco the aft fuselage side skins to the aft fuselage assembly. I'm finding that on one side of the F-711 bulkhead (second to last) the two vertical rows of rivets on the bulkhead halves are spaced different than the skins. On the left side the space between the rows are 20/32", matching the skin rivet holes. On the right side the space is 22/32".

Not sure why it's off, everything looks the same from one side to the other in terms of how the flanges are bent, where the holes are drilled, etc. I don't think I can reshape the flanges to get a closer spacing.

Any thoughts?

[guy_deraspe]

Welcome to the club.

if you look in the archive you could find a few posts on this one.

I called Van's and they told me (I cannot remember the exact words) I could "reshape" the bend of the bulkhead halfs until the holes fit, using wooden block and soft hammer. I did try, scrap the parts, order new ones, got the same problem, but was successful at the second trial of "reshaping". I think others were successful with a softer method using hand seamer.

I also kind of remember reading somewhere that now Vans provide the rear half of F-711 with no holes at all on the flanges, so you have no hole alignment problem, you just drill through using the hole pattern from the side skin.

Good luck

Guy Deraspe
RV-7A, fuselage front section