RV-6A wing & gear install

[Fisherb]

I will appologize ahead of time as I am new to the VAF. I looked around and did not find this question or answer and I will bet this has been discussed many times. I am ready to install the wings and gear on my 6A project. What are some of the different ways to accomplish this task? How do you hold the fuselage in the air to slide the wings on and insert the bolts and gear brackets, and then the gear without bending anything. Thanks in advance for any help. Bryan

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by Fisherb

as I am new to the VAF. Bryan

Welcome aboard.

I dont know anything about your 6, but the answer will show up soon, this site is just amazing when it comes to getting answers.

[664781]

Bryan,
Pick the A/C up by the engine mount using straps and support everything with saw hourses at the firewall and aft spar bulkheads. Once you have the wings in support them with saw hourses also and make sure every thing is sound. You will be getting in and out of the plane many times putting all the bolts in so you will want everything shored up good.

[Bob Axsom]

Made two saw horses from 2"x6" and padded top with cheap carpet.
Buy one sheet of 3/4"x4'x8' high quality plywood
Buy four car jacks
Buy 2"x4" stud quality boards to be cut for stacking support blocks

Put the horses near the ends of the 8' length of the plywood under the fuselage. Put the jacks near the four corners of the plywood and jack this fuselage support structure to the desired height. Stack 2x4s under the plywood to stabilize the load. After inserting the wing with bolts through the MLG mounts, the spar and the fuselage structure (MUCH easier said than done on and RV-6A) the jacks and support structure are also useful for for getting the fuselage reference plane exactly level (fwd & aft and side to side) for setting the wing incidence angle before drilling the mounting holes in the rear spar and fuselage fittings (do not assume the wings are at the correct fwd & aft angle with respect to the fuselage when you have the 60+ bolts in the main spar attachment location - on mine, one was OK but the other required significant twist to achieve the correct incidence angle - the airplane flies great by the way, ~380 hrs).

I can't insert photos anymore so I hope the description works for you.

Bob Axsom

[Rick6a]

Originally Posted by Fisherb

.......How do you hold the fuselage in the air to slide the wings on and insert the bolts and gear brackets, and then the gear without bending anything. Thanks in advance for any help. Bryan

Bryan,

I don't like to count on extra help being around at the moment I need it so by "walking" the wings into the fuselage, both assemblies being supported by a series of sawhorses and foam blocks, I was able to insert and remove the wings over and over again....solo....until the job was done. The second photo illustrates a string line on the floor used with plumb bobs dangling from the leading edges to align the wings for the correct angle of incidence. Essentially, the only extra help I had was a seemingly never ending stream of visitors!

[pierre smith]

Not to highjack this thread but Rick actually was using the plumb bobs to check for sweep back or forward, not to check incidence.

Regards,

[Rick6a]

Originally Posted by pierre smith

Not to highjack this thread but Rick actually was using the plumb bobs to check for sweep back or forward, not to check incidence.

Regards,

Pierre,

Of course, you are perfectly correct. I meant to convey that at the same time the airplane was leveled and perched upon the sawhorses, I checked for and then worked out a sweep condition, followed by adjusting each wing prior to that all important step of drilling the bolt holes in the rear spars....thus setting the angle of incidence.