Pre-bent Longerons

[JwWright57]

it was a fun Sunday......starting on the fuse sides...matching the door sills to the longerons...right one was perfect, left one...what the heck? The curve was significantly wrong, didn't line up at all. After messing with it for a couple hours it was significantly worse than when i started LOL.

I invented a few new words today ...So I ordered another one, they were only $29 at vans. Hopefully the next one is a lot better. Quality control definitely fell down on this part.

My hats really off to you guys that had to bend them yourselves. I'm not sure I ever could have gotten that right.

[AeroDog]

Originally Posted by JwWright57

it was a fun Sunday......starting on the fuse sides...matching the door sills to the longerons...right one was perfect, left one...what the heck? The curve was significantly wrong, didn't line up at all. After messing with it for a couple hours it was significantly worse than when i started LOL.

I invented a few new words today ...So I ordered another one, they were only $29 at vans. Hopefully the next one is a lot better. Quality control definitely fell down on this part.

My hats really off to you guys that had to bend them yourselves. I'm not sure I ever could have gotten that right.

That, the fuel tank and the landing light were the least-fun part of the build.

Jerre

[rcarsey]

That, the fuel tank and the landing light were the least-fun part of the build.

Just wait till you get to running the control cables for the pilot and co-pilot heater doors!!

I actually enjoyed the fuel tank after i told myself it doesn't need to look pretty because carpet will be covering it... it was a nice mini-project that I could take home and do in the basement.

Prior to that, however, the landing light was on the top of my list. I recommended to Van's to bite the bullet and just sell pre-cut skins -- anyone wanting the daytime-VFR package can just patch up the hole. I'd guess that way more than 50% of orders are for customers wanting lights..

Whether or not they heard me, I do not know.. but they now sell pre-cut skins.

[JwWright57]

FYI I spoke to Vans yesterday and they checked some longerons on the shelf and they all seemed to be off a bit (around 1/4" on the curve). The expectation is that you can cleco/drill them as you go (or slightly rebend them) and it will correct the alignment.

Ironically the right one was perfect which they thought was rare. So of course I assumed the left one would be also. LOL like most things on this build it happens on a weekend where tech support is not open.

[Floresb18]

I received my fuselage kit a couple weeks ago, hope I don't have the same issue.

[JwWright57]

Brandon - if you do, take it very easy on changing the curve. I used way too much force initially, you really don't need that much. Creep up on it very slowly.

[rv9builder]

Originally Posted by JwWright57

FYI I spoke to Vans yesterday and they checked some longerons on the shelf and they all seemed to be off a bit (around 1/4" on the curve). The expectation is that you can cleco/drill them as you go (or slightly rebend them) and it will correct the alignment.

Would it make sense to use the F-01234-1 canopy decks as templates to check the factory's bends before you start to drill/Cleco the longerons? I think that was the standard procedure for RV-12s that didn't come with pre-bent longerons.

[JwWright57]

Yes, Mark that is the step to take and how I found they didn't match.

[rv9builder]

Thanks, Jeff. Did the top of the longeron stay flat when you opened it with a socket and then made the twist? I chuckled at the note to use a metric crescent wrench!

[JwWright57]

Mark - i never got to that part. I messed up the curve so bad (extreme twist) that i stopped there. When you open up the end a twist of 1/2 the open angle is needed. that should be easy to do. The d***mn thing twisted on me without even trying lol