Hi all,
As a first time builder, I am reluctant to give anyone advice. That being said, I spent the weekend getting the gear brackets drilled to the fuselage. This is an -8 with grove gear and a pre-punch fuselage.
Van's instructions explain how to get everything setup and aligned. They then say to match drill a 3/8" hole down through the outer bracket, through the lower longerons and through the gear plate. I think this is the wrong way to do this. I, at least, was unable to keep the wearplate/bracket in the right place while drilling this really big hole. They way I then went about this was as follows:
1. Insert the 7/16th bolt at the inboard end.
2. Set up the gear in the proper alignment as described in the instructions.
3. Mark around the outer wear plate with a pencil to make sure you know where it is supposed to be.
4. Use a 1/4 transfer punch to locate the exact center of the two outer 1/4 bolts in the outboard wear plate.
5. Drill the center with a 1/8th bit.
6. Drill again with a 15/16th bit.
7. Ream with a 1/4" ream.
8. Bolt this end with a 1/4" bolt.
9. Repeat the process with the other end.
10. Use a 3/8th transfer punch through the bracket hole.
11. Remove the bracket, drill this out with a 1/8th bit.
12. Put the bracket back on, making sure you have a bolt or something through the other end to keep it aligned.
13. Drill it out with a 23/64th bit
14. Ream to final size with a 3/8th ream.
15. Bolt this up and repeat with the other 3/8th bolt.
Using this approach, I have my gear bolted on with 2mm difference in length as measured to the tail and within a string-width of exactly aligned horizontally.
I have one 3/8th hole that is slightly oblong, which is how I know that I couldn't hold it in place while drilling.
The inboard wear plates are a lot simpler. All you really need to do is mark a line to make sure you have it positioned parallel to the existing bolt holes. Then, transfer punch through the 5/16ths bolt hole, drill to 1/8th, again to 19/64th and ream to 5/16ths. Place a bolt, transfer punch, drill, ream. The outboard holes are most easily done by using a 1/4 transfer punch up from the underside, then remove the wear plate and drill it on a drill press. I once again recommend starting with 1/8th, go up to 15/64th and ream. Makes a nice, round, smooth hole in exactly the right spot.
Thoughts on this?
Regards,
Michael Wynn
RV 8 Fuselage
San Ramon, CA
As a first time builder, I am reluctant to give anyone advice. That being said, I spent the weekend getting the gear brackets drilled to the fuselage. This is an -8 with grove gear and a pre-punch fuselage.
Van's instructions explain how to get everything setup and aligned. They then say to match drill a 3/8" hole down through the outer bracket, through the lower longerons and through the gear plate. I think this is the wrong way to do this. I, at least, was unable to keep the wearplate/bracket in the right place while drilling this really big hole. They way I then went about this was as follows:
1. Insert the 7/16th bolt at the inboard end.
2. Set up the gear in the proper alignment as described in the instructions.
3. Mark around the outer wear plate with a pencil to make sure you know where it is supposed to be.
4. Use a 1/4 transfer punch to locate the exact center of the two outer 1/4 bolts in the outboard wear plate.
5. Drill the center with a 1/8th bit.
6. Drill again with a 15/16th bit.
7. Ream with a 1/4" ream.
8. Bolt this end with a 1/4" bolt.
9. Repeat the process with the other end.
10. Use a 3/8th transfer punch through the bracket hole.
11. Remove the bracket, drill this out with a 1/8th bit.
12. Put the bracket back on, making sure you have a bolt or something through the other end to keep it aligned.
13. Drill it out with a 23/64th bit
14. Ream to final size with a 3/8th ream.
15. Bolt this up and repeat with the other 3/8th bolt.
Using this approach, I have my gear bolted on with 2mm difference in length as measured to the tail and within a string-width of exactly aligned horizontally.
I have one 3/8th hole that is slightly oblong, which is how I know that I couldn't hold it in place while drilling.
The inboard wear plates are a lot simpler. All you really need to do is mark a line to make sure you have it positioned parallel to the existing bolt holes. Then, transfer punch through the 5/16ths bolt hole, drill to 1/8th, again to 19/64th and ream to 5/16ths. Place a bolt, transfer punch, drill, ream. The outboard holes are most easily done by using a 1/4 transfer punch up from the underside, then remove the wear plate and drill it on a drill press. I once again recommend starting with 1/8th, go up to 15/64th and ream. Makes a nice, round, smooth hole in exactly the right spot.
Thoughts on this?
Regards,
Michael Wynn
RV 8 Fuselage
San Ramon, CA
