Av8torTom

Av8torTom

Well Known Member
Today I struggled getting the nose ribs into the leading edge skins. When I finally got it all clecoed, I noticed that the skins bulge out a little bit at each rib. Anyone else experience this? I don't like the way it looks.

Thanks,

Tom
 
Nose Ribs

The small flange "teeth" or "tabs" on each nose rib form a series of small angles at the skin.

Feathering/tapering the skin side of each tab will relieve the pressure on the leading edge skin and give a better fit.

It doesn't take much effort to do this by hand using some fine emery cloth and slight finger pressure at each gap in the "teeth." Don't take off too much material-a little bit at each gap will make a big difference.

Mike
 
It was really difficult to get the ribs to fit properly in place. I had some pretty sore and blistered hands trying to get the clecos in! As was said, you need to try to form/taper/feather the tabs to the curve of the leading edge to minimize the buldges.
 
Take them over to the scotchbrite wheel and smooth 'em out, thats how I did it. Nothing to it.
 
Make sure that the rib flanges are at 90 degrees to the web, and use a file to knock off the "bumps" that you will find on the flange edges around the nose.
Bill Brooks
Ottawa, Canada
RV-6a finishing kit
 
What???

I'm not sure what you all mean by "feathering / tapering" the little nose rib flanges. I don't think they're the issue. I think the ribs are too wide and I have a hard time getting those little flanges down against the skin. When I push really hard the skin bulges.
 
Last edited:
Feathering/Tapering

Maybe not the best choice of words....but what you're trying to accomplish is to round off the small angles formed between the "teeth" and the skin. This subtle rounding makes a big different in the overall fit since it allows the forward part of the rib to fit snugly against the skin with no gaps.

This fitting of skin curvature to nose rib curvature should allow you to get everything clecoed together with good hole alignment.

The skin fit will change again after dimpling-you'll be surprised at the change/how easily the leading edge and tank go together.

Working in a cradle is also very helpful since the skin is held in a pre-curved position as you fit the ribs.

Good luck,
Mike
 
Fitting the front of the ribs

Tom - The two tricks I used the make the nose ribs smooth and fit properly was assure gaps (not much) between the "teeth" along the front of the rib, a quick roundoff run across the scotchbrite wheel and finally cleco together asembly starting with bottom front hole then top front hole then work your way back to both trailing edges. A cradle will help after the first two clecos are placed which you slip down in as the you work your way clecoing to the trailing edge. Once this is all deburred and dimpled it seems to just kind of "click" together.

Hope this helps
 
Thanks all

for the suggestions. I don't know how to explain this. When I put the nose ribs inside skin the little nose tabs don't reach the leading edge (using a jig made from a nose rib tracing). When I force the ribs down so that the little nose tabs touch the skin the top and bottom side of the skin bulges. I've "tapered and feathered" the tabs but as I said, that's not the problem; it's as if the ribs are too wide.

I can't seem to get a good picture, but I'll try again.

Tom
 
Maybe Fluting

Thanks for the link Michael. I was actually thinking of fluting the rib webs to help narrow them some similar to what was called for with the HS nose ribs. I will call Vans tomorrow and see what they suggest, cause there ain't NO WAY they're going in the way they are.

T.
 
I don't recall hearing anyone ever having to flute a wing rib web for any model of RV; I think it would be a bad idea. The forms for those ribs have been used for countless RVs and if there were a problem we'd have heard of it by now. Without pictures, I can't tell what you're really seeing. I know that when I did the leading edges on my -6A the skins took a lot to get in place. Only the skins were drilled so I had to match drill the ribs. Once that was done, however, it was really difficult to reassemble the ribs to the skin. The skin did not want to wrap around the ribs until all the clecos were in place; then I had to go back and re-insert the ones near the nose to make sure they were centered correctly. Dimpling made it better and worse; worse until the dimples locked together and then better after that. I'm betting that after you get more clecos in (with a bit of swearing and forcing) that it will start to look better.

Another thing to check is that you have the right ribs oriented correctly with the right skin. There is a definite L/R and top/bottom to everything and the ribs will not go upside down.
 
Thanks

Patrick for your suggestions. Triple checked that I had the correct ribs in the correct orientation. After much swearing I actually DID have everything clecoed together, but that resulted in the bulges on the top and bottom of the leading edge skins. It almost looked like a fabric covered leading edge where you can see the ribs protrude. I won't do anything until I talk to Vans.
 
Talked to Vans

yesterday and they suggested that I narrow the nose ribs slightly by bending the first 3 or 4 flanges with rivet holes in them along the top of the leading edge so that they bend off the web sooner (so to speak). This made ALL the difference in the world. Not only are the bulges gone, but the holes lined-up nearly perfectly with little effort. This had the result of narrowing the rib by about 1/16" about 1/4 of the way back from the nose.

Hope this helps others.

T.
 
I had the same problem with my left leading edge ...Riveting was nice but the gap near the leading edge was disturbing me .I suppose a little sanding could arrange it, if I don't sand too much material risking to weaken the skin, wich participates a lot to the stiffness of the wing . As anyone tried to tape it with a rivet gun or back riveting plate?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.