Installing aileron bellcranks

[Steve]

I'm starting to skin my -9A left wing when I had a thought. "I'll see how well that aileron bellcrank fits while I can see the whole works." GOOD IDEA.
Per the plans, the aileron brackets are installed way back on the naked spar with the tiedown bar. The bellcrank is installed in it's brackets AFTER the outboard top skin is riveted in place. Because of 1. the length of the bellcrank bolt and 2. the centerline of the bellcrank bolt lies hidden behind the spar flange, the bolt could never be installed without unbolting the brackets from the spar. Not easily done as the leading edge is installed at this time. Unless the plans or the brackets have changed over time (200 series s/n wing kit), I recommend installing the bellcranks and their brackets as an assembly before anything else is permanently attached to the spar. Anyone else seen this situation?

Steve

[TerryPancake]

Hey Steve, I am in the middle of -7 QB and I installed the bell cranks a few weeks ago and if the -7 build is near the same, the cranks were installed before the bottom skin is in place and yes after the tie downs. I am pretty sure. I am 1000 miles from my shop right now. My kit/plans are 6 months old.

[kevinh]

Hmm - on my 7A plans, the bellcrank attaches to the spar via nutplates, so installing the aileron bracket after closing the wings is not a problem. FWIW.

[Steve]

That's exactly what I'm saying. Install the bellcrank and it's brackets AS AN ASSEMBLY whenever space permits.
Steve

[keen9a]

The bellcrank bracket bolts are not the only thing holding the tie-downs in. There are four additional nuts/bolts holding the tie-down in place, so the bellcrank brackets can be removed by themselves.

Here's a picture of the LE side of my tie-down with the four nutplates for the bellcrank:

[alpinelakespilot2000]

Originally Posted by keen9a

The bellcrank bracket bolts are not the only thing holding the tie-downs in. There are four additional nuts/bolts holding the tie-down in place, so the bellcrank brackets can be removed by themselves.

Here's a picture of the LE side of my tie-down with the four nutplates for the bellcrank:

Ben--

Not sure if you intended to do this, and the only reason I noticed is that I just installed mine, but (per the plans) the bolts that attach the tie down to the spar should have the nut on the back side and the head of the bolt on the tie down bracket. Perhaps that is a change Van's made from an earlier set of plans, but my recent drawing 11, section A-A, shows this pretty clearly. Again, maybe there is a good reason you chose to do this--just commenting in the unlikely event that there is not. Not sure if it matters myself.

Steve

[scard]

It sure helps to inspect torque seal on the nut/bolt interface if you can easily see it. Hence putting the nut on the aft side of the spar.

just my 2 cents.
Cheers,
Scott

[keen9a]

You're both right, of course. I should have put the nut on the aft side.

Its is also general practice to put bolts in for-to-aft so they'll tend to stay in place should the nut fall off.