Mangled Floor Stiffeners

[RV7ator]

The six floor stiffeners used in the 7 and 9 require joggles in their ends. Van's does an absolutely hideous ruination of perfectly good angle stock by crushing one flange in a brake, distorting the end into sort of a joggle. They are ugly, twisted, don't lie flat - gaposis exists between "joggle" and the mating surface - and bulges stab into the floor metal for concentrated abrasion and stress (and bulges on the outside).

So why isn't there any commentary on any lists regarding this junk? Just hold your nose and cram the stinking things in? Hard to believe a community of fastidiousness builders would tolerate these abominations.

Perhaps I mentioned I don't like this product. I plan to section, rejoggle, and rivet on reinforcements bridging the cuts. Any other suggestions, particularly regarding the efficacy of welding the 6061 alloy (by a pro welder), would be appreciated.

John Siebold
Boise, ID

[dan]

Is it really that bad? Got photos? I'm curious just how bad they are.

FWIW, mine (RV-7 #70379) weren't all that ugly, or maybe we just have different standards.

I guess the question I have is, from a safety & practicality standpoint, IS IT SAFE? These are pieces which you'll never see once they're riveted in, covered with foam and/or carpeting, etc. If they are structurally sound, then why try to reinvent the wheel?

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D (650 hrs)
http://www.rvproject.com

[az_gila]

John ... check out a set of older RV-6 plans... this joggling is a later production improvement for the RV-7.

The RV-6 uses angles attached to the spar at the rear, and a short length of angle (with a spacer between this angle piece and the stiffener) at the front at the lower firewall angle.

This is more work, but if your parts are really distorted on assembly.....

gil in Tucson