I just started the nose wheel S.B. on my 2002 RV9A today. My plane has the old style brackets for attaching the nose wheel fairing to the fork, using the axel - which is a real pain. The original builder (I'm 2nd owner) followed the instructions at the time, and riveted the old brackets to the wheel pant and didn't use nut plates, as some of you later and smarter builders did. I also see that each side of the old forward brackets now have small cracks radiating from their corners, otherwise it would probably be easier to just replace the revets on the old brackets with nut plates.
Anyhow, it looks to me, that to utilize the new brackets, I have to:
#1. Place the new brackets inside the fairing so that the holes for the axel and allen screw are aligned with the old bracket holes. Mark the various corners of the new bracket onto the inside of the fairing.
#2. Drill out rivets in fairing holding old brackets in place. Discard the old brackets and fill old holes in fairing - 8 each side + one 1" hole for filling tire valve, which will now covered by the new bracket location.
#3 Add nut plates to the new brackets. Drill new holes for machine screws, which will now hold the fairing to the brackets (4 each side) + 1 new hole for filling the tire valve.
The accuracy of this process concerns me, since laying the new brackets on top of the old ones doesn't place the corners right down onto the inside of the fairing for scribing. There has to be some judgement involved, trying to scribe with the bracket as far as 3/8" away from the inside wall.
Am I also looking at this correctly, or am I missing something? Is there an easier way to do this. Also, in order for this to be correct, both the allen screw and the axel have to be positioned exactly in the same spots, using the new fork as they formerly were with the old fork. From posts I've read, that appears to be the situation. Has anyone else out there done this conversion from the old brackets - reveted to the wheel pants to the new brackets?
Any help is appreciated.
Rick Luck
RV9A
N109RV, 229 hrs
Anyhow, it looks to me, that to utilize the new brackets, I have to:
#1. Place the new brackets inside the fairing so that the holes for the axel and allen screw are aligned with the old bracket holes. Mark the various corners of the new bracket onto the inside of the fairing.
#2. Drill out rivets in fairing holding old brackets in place. Discard the old brackets and fill old holes in fairing - 8 each side + one 1" hole for filling tire valve, which will now covered by the new bracket location.
#3 Add nut plates to the new brackets. Drill new holes for machine screws, which will now hold the fairing to the brackets (4 each side) + 1 new hole for filling the tire valve.
The accuracy of this process concerns me, since laying the new brackets on top of the old ones doesn't place the corners right down onto the inside of the fairing for scribing. There has to be some judgement involved, trying to scribe with the bracket as far as 3/8" away from the inside wall.
Am I also looking at this correctly, or am I missing something? Is there an easier way to do this. Also, in order for this to be correct, both the allen screw and the axel have to be positioned exactly in the same spots, using the new fork as they formerly were with the old fork. From posts I've read, that appears to be the situation. Has anyone else out there done this conversion from the old brackets - reveted to the wheel pants to the new brackets?
Any help is appreciated.
Rick Luck
RV9A
N109RV, 229 hrs