Elevator Horn Fitting Problem

[Anna]

Hello,

I have got a big problem with my elevator assembly on the RV8:

The WD-605-1-L elevator horn doesn?t fit anyway with to the two spars (E-705 and E-702)! I tried to cleco the assembly with and without the skin. All the holes are displaced however I try it. I put the E-705 so that the elevator horn could be mounted flush with the forward face of the E-702 spar. Has anybody else had this problem, too? What can I do to make it fit? It would be great, if anybody has an answer to me?

Thank you very much for your help and best wishes from Bavaria!
Anna

[Anna]

Here a picture:

[APACHE 56]

Anna,
First I'd direct my question to Vans considering the criticality of this part.

I had a similar issue concerning a weldment and Vans explained that the welded parts sometimes deform during the cooling process. Considering the angle you have to work with I don't know if you can maniuplate it to a good fit or not. Perhaps others have had a similar situation.
Don

[bret]

Mine was like that, it will fit, just got to work in the clecos, It is a tight fit but that is what you want.

[David-aviator]

The WL-605's have a lot of powder coat paint on them. I couldn't get more than 2 clecos through them either but they went in fine after clearing out the holes with a #30 drill bit.

Have you riveted ribs 702 and 705 together under the weldment? That could be what's causing the slight misalignment.

In any event, the misalignment is not much, mine were off a little but after running the #30 through and final rivet with the -4 rivets, the entire structure in that corner is as solid and brick you-know-what. You will not be able to get the rivets through the holes without clearing out the paint.

[s10sakota]

I actually just had this exact issue on my RV-7A. I e-mailed Ken at Van's and he sent me out a new horn and rib since we didn't know which one had the misaligned holes. As it turns out, it was the rib.

Even the new horn didn't fit with the old rib. Once I used the new rib, the original horn fit right on.

I told Ken I will send back the new horn since it is not needed.

My advice is to get a new horn and rib.

[ILikePike]

ditto bret! It should fit tight.

[bird]

the horns with #30 drill separately, then put together with a cleco in every hole, if you can do that then you are good to go. Then remove cleco and drill one at a time and put cleco back in the hole. They should come out fine. If the holes are off so bad that you can not get a cleco in every hole at the same time then a call to Van's is needed.

bird

[aarvig]

This is normal. Had the same issue (not really an issue) with my RV-9A. Its a tight fit but once you work all the cleco's in it will align.

[Anna]

Thank all of you for your help!

The fit have to be tight and on the right elevator it was ok. But I don?t get the left elevator assembly fit whatever I do? So I wrote VAN?s and ordered the parts for the left elevator new. Hope it will work then?

Best wishes from Bavaria
Anna