axlr8r

axlr8r

Well Known Member
I've done a search, but can't find info. to help w/ my question.
I have the Grove Airfoil gear installed on my RV-8 but I don't have any fairings for the gear/fuse intersection or the wheel pant. I've heard that fairing etc. may not be what I need because of construction quality issues. Any suggestions about what fairings to use on the Airfoil gear.
Thanks
Steve
 
fairings-etc grove upper gear fairings

The Fairings-Etc fairings are probably going to work for you. Here are some pictures of an early set - I gave some feedback to them, and I suspect that after four years they have made them even better.

http://www.rv8.ch/article.php?story=20051210141643526

In any case, these are 10E6 times better than I could have done!
 
Just what I needed

Micky. Thanks for the response and the very complete description. I think I'll go w/ them.
Steve
 
My Fairings Etc Grove gear fairings did not fit worth a flip. The gear bolt heads stuck down through the fairings in order to make them fit against the fuselage. It took a LOT of work. It might have been faster in my case to make them from scratch, but after hours of work they look good. Bob at FE said that on some airplanes they fit like a glove, on others not.
 
DIY

Thanks Jim,
That's what I was worried about. If I was going to have to spend a lot of time and effort making modifications to store bought ones I may as well do it myself and save some money to boot.

Steve
 
Gear fairings are easy to make....and they fit when you get done.

Made over foam:



Made over clay:



Either will work in either position. For methods search "fiberglass" in the Tips section.
 
Dan, you da MAN!! As is always the case, your fiberglass work is exquisite. Thanks for continuing to post tips, pictures, etc.
 
Thanks guys

appreciate those thoughts. Little nervous about taking those on, but oh well - just another RV learning experience. Dan, I'm building a fastback, but after looking at the pics of your work I am very jealous. Perhaps I can get my next project to look like that.

Steve
 
Steve, glass work isn't much harder than the paper mache stuff you did in 5th grade art class. Just don't eat the glue <g>

..oh well - just another RV learning experience.
Click to expand...

Precisely. Do it, report back.
 
What About Remaking Fairings?

I have a question about remaking fairings, what is the best way to get the holes aligned with already placed nut plates? I want to remake all four of my main gear intersection fairings.

Hans
 
you can use all manner of location tricks, like the rivet hole duplicator tool.
Or if you can get behind the screw hole with a pen, you can mark a dot on the back side of the new top piece thru that hole.
Fiberglass parts are translucent, so a bright light can back light well enough to show the location of the hole thru the material, then you can mark it from the top.
you can use Van's reference line method. draw a line straight out from the hole, and make a mark on that line that falls outside the new fairing. Measure the distance from the mark to the hole. Install the new fairing, lay a straight edge along the line and mark the new hole location at the measured distance.
You can do it!
 
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