[woodsideraff]

We are ready to drill the elevator pushrod attachment and noticed about 0.15" deviation from a straight line at the right elevator inboard edge.

Vans assures me that this is totally acceptable. Nevertheless, I'm curious to know what other builders are obtaining.

 

[N941WR]

Did you stagger the clecos from one side to the other?

I found that when putting all the clecos on one side, it would pull the flight controls into a slight bend.

(Click to enlarge]

Then when it came time to rivet them up, I half set one in the very middle, one on each end, and then split the difference between the middle rivet and the end rivet and half set that one. I also marked each hole and alternated the direction the rivets were installed, again to keep them from "pulling" the control surfaces. After all the rivets were in and half squeezed, I went back and finished squeezing them.

The trick to squeezing them was to grind a pair of rivet sets to an angle that matches your control surfaces.

(Click to enlarge)

 

[woodsideraff]

The trailing edges are not bent; they are straight within a couple of thousands. It is just that the right elevator has a tilt of 0.15" across its 50" with respect to the left, (or vice-versa).

If my math is correct, there is a misalignment of .02 degrees.

 

[Jesse]

If Van's says it's fine, then it's fine. That amount of misalignment should not matter.

 

[N941WR]

.02 degrees?! Build on.

 

[HAL Pilot]

I purchased two sections of angle aluminum from my local hardware store. They are approx. 5'5" long. Place said angle aluminum on the skin just above the clecos with a bit of clearance for your squeezer feet. Clamp onto skin between cleco's. Might have to find some smaller clamps that fit between the cleco's. I also alternated the factory head on the rivets.

Edges came out dead straight.