R

ron sterba

Well Known Member
My RV9A is complete and rigged from wing leading egdes back. The sequence for the instrument panel forward is the question. When we get the correct alignment here we should ask Doug to keep it posted somewhere in the forum. I have my IO 320 installed with oil lines and fuel lines. I have mounted my oil cooler on the firewall which is a Mod from Vans. Oregon Aero seats are installed. The instrument panels I have two of, factory kit and Vans 2" larger (trimmable) one in height, nothing done yet to panels. I bought the larger panel because I wanted to install switches under 10" Dynon and didn't want to cut the rib on top of the Dynon to fit it and a Icom A210. 7 switches and 7 circuit breakers. Relays are on the firewall and battery box made but not mounted.Spark plug wires are in as are the Injection spider and lines. My thoughts are that I have to mount these items and they are Throttle body, Baffle kit ( half assembled ). Catto 3 blade prop, flywheel and spacers, lower cowl and upper cowl,alternator, cables to lower center instrument panel, Air scoop under throttle body,hinges for cowling, forward top skin I think thats last to go in,exhaust pipes and mufflers ( Vetterman ), SafeAir pass thru tubes for probe wires and what ever wires,Transponder antenna,ADSB Antenna and com antenna. Pretty much as its laid out on my table. As I finally see the LIGHT at the end of the tunnel! I'm open FOR ALL of your builder ideas.

Again I can't stress enough how appreciative I am for you folks in my building of my QB. If you all have seen the instruction sheet for the Engine Baffle kit (9A) its like perfect! Hand to nose coordination! I wish Vans would rewrite the plan book for the 9A as they have done on the RV10 and 12. Its so sad to see in this site, builders selling their unfinished projects. They will never know the SMILE! Vans should be concerned that builders are not finishing projects. Some guys are in a RV community and then theres the ones who are not. I thank Doug for this site. OK, I'm going to the man cave NOW to work on the engine baffle kit. Thanks

Ron in Oregon
 
A few ideas...

Ron,

A few little tips

1. If you have your prop mounted you can then start working of trimming and fitting the upper and lower cowls

2. You really need the cowls fitted before you can do too much with the baffles. The cowls will set the height of the baffles as well as "show you" how much to trim the ramps.

3. Drilling your pass thru(s) on the fire wall will be easier before it gets really crowded with wiring and plumbing. Mount the battery box

4. Mount alternator, starter, fuel injection servo and various accessories before the exhaust is mounted

5. No need to have your ignition cables hooked up since you will need them disconnected while you fit and trim baffles and they will just be in the way.
No dessicator plugs in your engine??

6. You are going to want you panel wired up and in place prior to running all the firewall forward wires, cables and such.

7. If you are putting your fuel flow sensor forward of the firewall you'll need to figure out where and have new hoses fabricated

My FWF is done so drop by and you can get some ideas

Kai
 
Thanks Kai, Its coming in focus now.
#1 Panel, cables later,
#2 Flywheel and spacer and Spinner back plate
#3 Fit lower cowl
#4 throttle body (IO-320) and control cable to instrument panel
#5 air intake scoop trimmed for lower cowl
#6 fit upper cowl
#7 Baffle placed on engine and secured
#8 alternator,my Starter is mounted
#9 Figure CHT wire routing to determine pass thru on firewall
#10 Trim for baffle and upper cowling.
#11 De-hydrator plugs in upper spark plug holes.
#12 fuel sensor in cockpit just past fuel valve.
#13 exhaust pipes and mufflers

Does This sound about right Kai? Feel free to add ANYTHING or move around in sequence. Much appreciated that you took the time to list your build. Very helpful. I'll be back to see if the sequence has added items tomorrow evening. Thanks again and I'll take you up on the visit to see your RV8. Merry Christmas.

Ron in Oregon
 
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Ron, reverse 6 and 7. The baffle is too tall for you to fit the top cowl. It takes patience to take the top cowl off and on as you incrementally remove material from the baffles to get that 1/2" clearance under the top cowl.

Best,
 
Pierre thanks on the reversal of 6 & 7. I corrected that sequence above. Today still smoothing out the edges on all the baffle pieces in the kit. Hitting them on the buffing wheel to give the extra touch. I used the list above today just looking at the engine. Trying to pick a sequence was like picking out a set of Lotto #'s. However with Kai and Your help I think I got a winner here! Thanks and ANYTHING you want to add is always much appreciated. Merry Christmas to you and your family and Kai and your family. Thanks.

Ron in Oregon
 
Ron, are you familiar with the "paper clip" trick used in attaining the correct gap between the baffles and the top cowl?

Best,
 
Good advice from others ...

I would add only a couple of points:
a) to fit the cowl, you need the prop extension and spinner backplate on, but the prop will just be in the way .... BIGtime. I waited as long as I could to mount the prop ... and glad I did.
b) It's true that drilling the f'wall holes is easier before the engine is hung, but for some of the wiring pass-throughs, it's hard to see the best location until the engine is on. Since my fwd top fuse skin (TU) was not riveted til last, I drilled two f'wall holes from the backside with a 90degree drill. worked fine.
3) Drilling the f'wall openings is a piece o' cake if you can borrow a set of Rotabroach cutters (or similar) ... they go thru it like the proverbial hot knife. Like, 5 sec maybe.
 
Hello Pierre. got all my baffle pieces edged and ready to rivet together. I'm not familiar with the paper clips concept. Loved to learn from you. Sounds like it maybe a sound short cut a winner of a fitting of the cowl. I'm all ears. Thanks Pierre
 
Thanks Terry then I won't put my CATTO prop on just yet. With the CATTO prop what is there that goes on, I know its the flywheel first then I'm open for direction. On your holes that you drilled on the pass thru where did you drill them on the firewall? I thought maybe just inward a inch or two from the motor mounts. Sound about right? Terry thanks for coming on my thread, much appreciated.

Ron in Oregon QBRV9A
 
Ron,

The paper clip trick that Pierre mentions is useful toward the end to get your baffles fit well. Get a bunch of paper clips and clip them on the vertical parts of the baffles, kind of like a porcupine, sticking out. Useful to have the larger versions of paperclips, like 1.5 inches long or so. Carefully put on the upper cowl, which will push the paperclips onto the baffles. Remove the cowl, again carefully, and the ends of the paperclips sticking out should provide a perfect profile of the cowl. Measure in/down from the ends of the paperclips a half inch (or whatever gap you want), mark the spot with a sharpie. Then remove the paperclips, connect the marks, and trim the baffles.

For the most accuracy, you should do this in steps. It also helps if you can get your hand under the cowl (through the nose or oil door openings) and adjust the paperclips a bit after you put on the cowl, as it is very difficult to get the cowl on perfectly without pushing some of the paperclips on a bit too far. This is especially true on the side baffles. If you're not careful, you can cut off a bit too much.

This works for the final trimming only. The baffles are quite oversized (as you probably know already) so you will have to make some rough cuts first.

Hope this helps,

Greg
 
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Thanks Greg, got the pieces polished and assembled, doubler plates and brackets to those large baffle pieces. Weds i will set the baffle sides in place to get the feeling of the WHOLE thing. As you mentioned theres alot to trim on the top sides and I see that now. So I guess whats next is the setting the whole baffle assembly in place and then the lower cowling as it will come up under the front ram air inlets. I think the flywheel and spacers are next. then throttl body (IO 320) and its air scoop. When I get all of these ducks in a row I'm going to post it in a thread on RV Discussions. Does this sound right on all what I'm doing as far as a sequence? You all are very helpful. Threads have had some pretty good #'s on interested builders. Hope they all take there notes. Greg do you remember the the pieces from the flywheel forward on the crankshaft.I have the 360 lower cowling as well as the CATTO 3 Blade prop on my RV9A. Haven't opened the prop box as of yet. Next couple days I suppose. Thanks to all.

Ron in Oregon
 
ron sterba said:
Greg do you remember the the pieces from the flywheel forward on the crankshaft.
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Not sure which pieces you refer to here. There should not be any baffle pieces forward of the flywheel (except the ramps on the sides). If you're talking other pieces, then the only thing would be the spacer, spinner backing plate, prop, and spinner forward plate (sits inside the spinner, forward of the prop). Then of course the prop bolts with appropriate washers. This assumes you are using a Sensenich prop. On the Catto I'm now using, the spacer bolts to the crankshaft flange, then the prop and spinner bolt to the spacer (same order as above, just bolts to the spacer rather than through bolts to the crank flange). For fitting the cowl etc., you just want to put the spacer and spinner back plate (big one) on to help align the cowl. Anything else will be in the way, as noted already. Simplest thing is to just use shorter bolts (if you have them, but likely not), or cut a couple pieces of scrap wood about the thickness of the prop that you can use as spacers under the prop bolts so the bolts can be snugged down. You only need two bolts in (not all six), just enough to hold the back plate in place for alignment purposes.

FWIW, many (myself included) have replaced or modified the baffle piece on the #4 cylinder head. This is prone to cracking from vibration at the bend where it bolts onto the oil cooler baffle at the rear of #4 cylinder. At the very least, it should be on your inspection checklist. I first reinforced mine, but that didn't stop the cracks etc, so then eventually went to a piece of 0.063 to replace the 0.032 that is in the standard kit. No issues since then.

Cheers,
Greg
 
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Greg Arehart said:
Not sure which pieces you refer to here. There should not be any baffle pieces forward of the flywheel (except the ramps on the sides). If you're talking other pieces, then the only thing would be the spacer, spinner backing plate, prop, and spinner forward plate (sits inside the spinner, forward of the prop). Then of course the prop bolts with appropriate washers. This assumes you are using a Sensenich prop. On the Catto I'm now using, the spacer bolts to the crankshaft flange, then the prop and spinner bolt to the spacer (same order as above, just bolts to the spacer rather than through bolts to the crank flange). For fitting the cowl etc., you just want to put the spacer and spinner back plate (big one) on to help align the cowl. Anything else will be in the way, as noted already. Simplest thing is to just use shorter bolts (if you have them, but likely not), or cut a couple pieces of scrap wood about the thickness of the prop that you can use as spacers under the prop bolts so the bolts can be snugged down. You only need two bolts in (not all six), just enough to hold the back plate in place for alignment purposes.

FWIW, many (myself included) have replaced or modified the baffle piece on the #4 cylinder head. This is prone to cracking from vibration at the bend where it bolts onto the oil cooler baffle at the rear of #4 cylinder. At the very least, it should be on your inspection checklist. I first reinforced mine, but that didn't stop the cracks etc, so then eventually went to a piece of 0.063 to replace the 0.032 that is in the standard kit. No issues since then.

Cheers,
Greg
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This sounds like I can venture into this CATTO prop project with confidence Greg. As you described, I heard that this was a little trickier than the sensenich prop. Now I feel focused on the the lay up here. For me the cracking on the baffle angle won't be a issue because I was told to mount the oil cooler on the firewall and Vans has the kit available. So I did and ordered new oil lines and got them installed. The problems that the flying builders have had are described in the forum threads as YOU SHOULD CHANGE THIS TO THAT.This has us non flying builders stopping and thinking and that's a great thing As for us present time builders we are making changes to something we haven't experienced yet and won't, thanks to you guys thoughtfulness in posting. I have changed the way the canopy is fastened on(Sekaflex)UHM piece for the rudder stop, bracing for the foot step on the tube going thru the baggage floor ribs,parking brake and bonaco stainless brake lines, Andair fuel selector valve. IO engine because of icing in the Northwest.Tires, soon to be Anti-splat nose strut add on. last but not least and that is the 1 1/4" flanges on the firewall cowling hinge. I am told by Roy Thoma that you'll be a whole lot happier when the cowling is re-pinned in a very fast and accurate matter. Looking forward to this mod too. All of you guys make such VALID points that it would behoove us not to pay attention to whats posted. So I am so appreciate that you take the time out to explain. My entire build project is on SD cards from my video camera as well as my note book with all my notes. Good and stupid things i have done, SAFETY is number ONE!!!!:):) Greg using that CATTO prop do you find it quieter in the cockpit? I got mufflers from Vetterman to reduce sound levels as well as floor panels on top of the floor angles to cover the 3/4" sound proofing material. I'm hoping it all is worth it. Take care

Ron in Oregon
 
Ron,

Catto prop is not quieter in cockpit, as most of the noise is from the exhaust. It is, however, very much smoother than the Sensenich.

Greg
 
ron sterba said:
I got mufflers from Vetterman to reduce sound levels as well as floor panels on top of the floor angles to cover the 3/4" sound proofing material
Ron in Oregon
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Methinks you'll be very happy you got the mufflers. I may retrofit those sometime in the future. For now, I'm upgrading my headset to deal with the loud environment cause by the straight pipes.
By the time I realized that mufflers were available, I had all the FWF cable routings and installations done. Was not willing to go back and re-do. Eventually you get to a point where the priority is to get that baby airborne. :D
 
You know Terry you are right about gett'ng r done. I'm glad to heard its a smoother Prop. I was at a lounge have' a nice dinner of Jamaican jerk chicken wings with 1" thick coconut breaded onion rings piled 8" high when the band started playing loudly. Ticked off I got my Android phone and found a APP for DB sound levels. There are a number of them FREE. Mine is called just " db Level " . Well the APP I got showed the band noise WAY high. So got everything to GO, DARN! Got to thinking this APP would work well for our RVs. Just saying. Thanks Terry for getting back to me.

Ron in Oregon
 
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