Help! Flap bracket screwup
I got carried away match drilling the flap brackets (925A) to the ribs and drilled the center bracket to the rib using the prepunched holes in the rib for alignment. I did this before riveting the outer brackets and using a string to insure alignment, as instructed. Oops! Finally following the instructions, I checked the alignment after riveting the outer brackets and found the center bracket (clecoed in place) is about .040-.050" low (the string is high in the hole with the wing upsidedown on the table), but OK fore & aft.
Options: Discussed the first 3 options with Van's & thought of the 4th after we hung up.
1. Go with it as is. Would force a slight curve in the flap and put a little strain on the flap motor and brackets.
2. Make a new bracket. Van's does not have any 925A's without holes prepunched.
3. Drill out and replace the rib. We all know the problems with drilling out rivets and there are about 35 or so rivets to drill.
4. Drill out holes in the bracket to take a 5/32" rivet, use the slop to properly align the bracket, clamp it in place, then redrill the rib to 5/32" thru the bracket to insure alignment. May not get enough slop to make it align exactly. Need appropriate 5/32" rivets and an angled 5/32" rivet set which I may be able to borrow.
I doubt that all of my screwups are original. Any of you have a similar problem? How did you fix it? Does it really work OK with this amount of misalignment? So, what would you guys do?
Thanks.
Richard Scott
I got carried away match drilling the flap brackets (925A) to the ribs and drilled the center bracket to the rib using the prepunched holes in the rib for alignment. I did this before riveting the outer brackets and using a string to insure alignment, as instructed. Oops! Finally following the instructions, I checked the alignment after riveting the outer brackets and found the center bracket (clecoed in place) is about .040-.050" low (the string is high in the hole with the wing upsidedown on the table), but OK fore & aft.
Options: Discussed the first 3 options with Van's & thought of the 4th after we hung up.
1. Go with it as is. Would force a slight curve in the flap and put a little strain on the flap motor and brackets.
2. Make a new bracket. Van's does not have any 925A's without holes prepunched.
3. Drill out and replace the rib. We all know the problems with drilling out rivets and there are about 35 or so rivets to drill.
4. Drill out holes in the bracket to take a 5/32" rivet, use the slop to properly align the bracket, clamp it in place, then redrill the rib to 5/32" thru the bracket to insure alignment. May not get enough slop to make it align exactly. Need appropriate 5/32" rivets and an angled 5/32" rivet set which I may be able to borrow.
I doubt that all of my screwups are original. Any of you have a similar problem? How did you fix it? Does it really work OK with this amount of misalignment? So, what would you guys do?
Thanks.
Richard Scott
Last edited: