Slider Roll Bar Attachment - Help!

[JVolkober]

Ok, I been at it for a couple of hours trying to get the spacer, washer and nut on the rear 1/4" bolt that attaches the roll bar to the canopy rail. I cannot find a method for getting the nut on with the limite space under the canopy rail. I see no relevant postings, which indicates to me that this is not generally a problem so I am probably missing some obvious trick. Can anyone give me a suggestion on how to handle this. I'm just about ready to cut away part of the flang on the canopy rail to get more space to work with. I'm working on an RV9.

[Paul K]

I have a 7a but I believe they are the same. It helps to roll the fuse on it's side and then use a magnetic socket on the top of the bolt. The magnet will hold the washer onto the bolt, holding the spacer in place also, so you don't have to hold onto as much stuff. Not much room in there for fingers! It also helps to turn the bolt so all you have to do is hold onto the nut, not have to turn it. I have tried everything from tape on the end of a finger to customizing a wrench. Good luck

[Kyle Boatright]

Originally Posted by JVolkober

Ok, I been at it for a couple of hours trying to get the spacer, washer and nut on the rear 1/4" bolt that attaches the roll bar to the canopy rail. I cannot find a method for getting the nut on with the limite space under the canopy rail. I see no relevant postings, which indicates to me that this is not generally a problem so I am probably missing some obvious trick. Can anyone give me a suggestion on how to handle this. I'm just about ready to cut away part of the flang on the canopy rail to get more space to work with. I'm working on an RV9.

I wouldn't go cutting away canopy flanges. I remember this (and attaching the canopy rails) being a PITA on my -6. I think I used tape and/or rubber cement to attach the nut to the underside. I think I used an awl or a ground down (and pointed) bolt down through the hole to align the nut as I attached it.

[Rick_A]

I remember doing that job and it was a really challenge. You need to superglue the nut and washer together and then either bend a piece of scrap aluminum and glue the nut and washer to it , or glue the nut/washer combo to your finger.

[ArVeeNiner]

I put a dab of grease on the spacer which held it in place long enough for me to get the nut on.

[newtech]

Originally Posted by Rick_A

I remember doing that job and it was a really challenge. You need to superglue the nut and washer together and then either bend a piece of scrap aluminum and glue the nut and washer to it , or glue the nut/washer combo to your finger.

This is a me too post. Super glueing the nut and washer and spacer together was the only way I could get mine to go together. I think I remember using fuel lube to stick the nut and washer to my finger. Used this technique in more than one place.

[JVolkober]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Being rather compulsive, I continued to work on it while waiting for suggestions. In the end, I use Scotch spray adhesive to hold the parts together. Even with that, I probably spend at least another hour per bolt.

[Bob Axsom]

Good job. I have several special tools and methods developed over the course of building our RV-6A. Some were only used once and some continue to be used as I continue to maintain and modify the airplane. The first time you have to grind the end of a wrench down to a fraction of its original thickness or some other such alteration of a perfectly good tool there is a lot of doubt but if it provides a solution you just do it. Like your recent experience you will continue to develop skills and an instinct about how to address the difficult or awkward manufacturing problems. It gets easier. The hardest task for me was the installation of the 60 odd bolts tying the main wingspar, fuselage, main landing gear weldments, and spar splice plates of the RV-6A together.

Bob Axsom