[Shockwave]

I'm sure I'm going to have a duh moment over this, but..

How have people found the top and front of the main wheelpants? The openings are crooked on one so that doesn't seem to be of any help. There aren't any reference points or mould lines I could identify.

 

[noelf]

For the main wheel farings, I did the following:
1. On a largish flat surface, draw a long stright line. This will be your center line / reference line for all measurements that will follow.
2. Use a square (framing, carpenters, machinist, etc) and set in on the flat surface. I like the machinist sq. because it will stand up by itself. Position the sq. so that the perpindicular blade just touches the reference line.
3. Now, position the aft edge of the rear half section of the pants on the reference line and slide it towards the sq. Let the pants rest on the bottom wheel opening cut out.
4. Visually check the alignment of the rear, tapered section for parallel alignment with the sq. Shim whichever side needs it to get this back edge to be parallel with the sq. and use a Sharpie to draw a reference line in this back edge.
5. Now, with some trial and error, align the entire wheel pant to the drawn reference line. Measure from the c/l out to both sides, repositioning the pants, until an equal distance to both sides is found from the c/l. Be sure the aft end stays centered on the c/l and the shim is still in place (if it was needed).
6. Without touching the pants from this position, move the sq. to the front opening of the pants, slide the sq up to the front edge, on the c/l and now you can put a small mark on the top of the pants. You now have a reference mark on the back, vertical edge, an a mark on the top front. Connect the two lines, and you have the center line of the wheel pants.

btw, I found it very handy to turn an old bar stool upside down and positioned the wheel pants in them. This held the pants in a convient manor that let me work on the edges and blending of the nose cap.

noelf
RV-6A
98% completed, 4000+ hours, 11 years....getting close.

 

[DGlaeser]

Good question!

I just got done mounting my 7A fairings. I assembled them with clecos, stood them vertically and set a level on top to find the high point for the front. Then I ran a string along the top and sides to mark the aft section.I hope that's close enough I will fly with them for the first time sometime this week.

 

[tinman]

I used a "beam caster" laser and shot the pant from above. I then transferred the beam to the pant with a Sharpie. I used the same laser to align the pant to the displaced centerline of the fuselage before drilling the pant installation holes. The weight must be off the gear for this to be effective, however.

 

[Bob Martin]

finding top and tip

I layed the halfs down on a large sheet of paper, the back of a plans page works perfect. By down I mean the the cut side that mates up to the other half so the dome is up and the large or open side is down on the paper.
then I drew around the outside, with a sharpie, all the way around. Then fold the paper in half lining the side shape lines up to best find the half, then crease the paper. You may have to hold the paper up to a light or sky to see thru the paper to find the marks.
Unfold and mark the crease with a sharpie or what ever you traced around the outside with.....the top intersection of the crease and the shape should be the TOP of the pant, or as close as you can come. So then you can lay the pant part back down in the paper and mark the TOP. Then proceed 3 more times.......you can compare the front half and rear half to see if the marks align, adjust if necessary.

The nose tip was a little more by eye........
I did use a square on the floor or table top and held the mating surface perpenticular to the table and then slide another square up to the nose to find the farthest projection.......Then try to duplicate on the other one and adjust until they look the same. These points are used a lot in the alignment
process so they are important. But a little creative license is in order to make them alike.
Just the way I did it........hope it helps.