I have my fuselage out of the jig and leveled. Verticle stabilizer and rudder installed and now need to figure out a way to set the rudder deflection to 35 degrees per the manual. I've seen Van's method in the manual, it seems doable but there has to be an easier way. Does anyone have a better method of measuring this or a better idea?
I made a very simple cardboard template using the shape of the vertical rib and rudder rib (viewing down.I used the bottom rib of the vert fin ) layed over a centerline, then marked a line from hinge centerpoint to a 35 degree mark on my trusty elementary school protractor....cut out with scissors to the rib template ,and set my rudder stops to allow it to swing same in either direction. Just hold it on each side of vertical depending on which stop is being adjusted. I did exactly the same on elevator. Dont need to be too technical here, its just a simple measurement.
Good luck !
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Bill E.
RV-4/N76WE
8A7 / Advance NC
Ross, deflect the rudder by hand and shoot for 1 1/4" distance from the elevator and you'll be close enough.
Best,
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Pierre Smith
RV-10, 510 TT
RV6A (Sojourner) 180 HP, Catto 3 Bl (502Hrs), gone...and already missed
Air Tractor AT 502B PT 6-15 Sold
Air Tractor 402 PT-6-20 Sold
EAA Flight Advisor/CFI/Tech Counselor
Louisville, Ga
It's never skill or craftsmanship that completes airplanes, it's the will to do so,
Patrick Kenny, EAA 275132
Pierre and Bill, Thanks for the reply's. I like the "That's about right" approach so my give that a try and see how close it comes out. I did get a suggestion from a friend that is not on the list saying to use a compass and determine what heading the rudder is when it is in trail and then just move it to the 35 degrees that I want. Sounds to simple but matching that against Pierre's suggestion should do the trick. Thanks to all.
That's how we did measure the deflecton of the elevators. We had to trim back the skins of the stabilizers a bit to reach the specified values without intereference of the elevator with the horizontal stabilizer skins. So we had to remove and attach the cardboard template several times. This way it was easy...
Cardboard template in place. The styrofoam rib goes in the horizontal stabilizer. Elevator's anles of deflection can be rad easily.
Cardboard template with styrofoam rib attached by doublesided adhesive tape
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Andreas Uebersax
RV-4 SN2416 in slow progress
Switzerland
VAF donation 2019/12/13
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