Paris12Man

Paris12Man

Well Known Member
This has most likely been discussed before....but that was before me. Does anyone have any tips or neat tricks on the installation of the Stabilator. My first attempt by myself didn't go very good and I knocked off a few of my gluded on washers. So I stopped and have now enlisted the help of a fellow EAAer and will try this again tomorrow morning. So any suggestions on how to make this easy.....please feel free to reply to this post. Steve:)
 
Paris12Man said:
This has most likely been discussed before....but that was before me. Does anyone have any tips or neat tricks on the installation of the Stabilator. My first attempt by myself didn't go very good and I knocked off a few of my gluded on washers. So I stopped and have now enlisted the help of a fellow EAAer and will try this again tomorrow morning. So any suggestions on how to make this easy.....please feel free to reply to this post. Steve:)
Click to expand...

Think Larry Geiger had the best idea. Place the HS on a banquet table and then either prop up the HS or maneuver the fuselage. Maybe Larry can comment.
 
This was a VERY time consuming and frustrating task for me. See my post and sense my frustration! http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=40471&highlight=stabilator

Suggestions:

Clean the washers and where they go very thoroughly and rough up the surfaces so the glue will get maximum adhesion.

This is for sure a two person job. Move VERY slowly and deliberately.

Expect this to take a while and try not to get frustrated. Do it in the morning before you get tired.

Good luck!
 
Thick grease

I used very thick wheel bearing grease to hold the washers in place and installed the stabilator by myself.
Joe
 
Thick greese..propt the HS up on a table..take your time..do it in the morning..good luck. Well, I think I got it. I plan on having the tailcone on saw horses and then two people bring the HS in slowly. Might need a third person though to stab the bolts through. In BigJohns post he mentions that the HS has to come off again....where does it state this? I was hoping this was it until it was time for painting. Steve:eek:
 
Paris12Man said:
In BigJohns post he mentions that the HS has to come off again....where does it state this? I was hoping this was it until it was time for painting. Steve:eek:
Click to expand...

Page 25-02 in the fuselage kit, the note at top of the page. It says to remove the empennage assemblies in preparation for mating the empennage and fuselage sections. Sorry about that! But the second time will be easier - I hope!
 
I guess I need to ask the question ...... why bother at this time to install the HS? I have already fitted the F1211 assembly to the Stabilator and it fit just fine. I think I can leave the rudder on and just rotate the tailcone to work on the top of the V-Stab and Rudder. Installing things more than once (especially when they are very difficult to install) takes all the fun out of it.
:eek:
 
Washer wrenches

I have a helper and with two of us it's possible-- with some discussion about the designer's ancestry-- to get the washers in place with a washer wrench-- availble from most a/c supply houses. Yes, we did it twice and it didn't get easier the second time. We had NO luck with the superglue technique.

Wayne 120241/143WM
 
Had great luck doing this

Set the HS on 2 padded saw horses. Put a small jack under the nose fork nut and raised it to get the perfect height at the tail. Could rock the HS for the final tweaking, and it worked great first time.

John Bender
 
Delay mounting stabilator

Delay mounting the horizontal stabilator until the point in the plans that the stabilator cables are connected and tensioned. Or you can wait even longer for other reasons like transporting to an airport.
Joe
 
Skin Interference

I tried to fit my stabilator assem on a bench I built from the tailcone crate. My washers all fell out and I discovered the inside of the R stabilator skin was rubbing the side skin of the tailcone.
I emailed vans and they told me to try and reshim for clearance or file the skin.
Anyone else face this problem?
 
I put it on once and left it on. You don't have to take it off to get anything else on. As for the washers, yes used #22 grease...worked fine.
 
It can be easy

Paris12Man said:
This has most likely been discussed before....but that was before me. Does anyone have any tips or neat tricks on the installation of the Stabilator. My first attempt by myself didn't go very good and I knocked off a few of my gluded on washers. So I stopped and have now enlisted the help of a fellow EAAer and will try this again tomorrow morning. So any suggestions on how to make this easy.....please feel free to reply to this post. Steve:)
Click to expand...

Hi Steve,
I did not bother to install the stabilator until the plane was on the gear, and I had to fit the tailcone fairing which comes in the finish kit. The stab skins will definately have to be trimed to clear the fairing. Then I removed the stab because of space limitations and put in back on when the plane was in the hangar. I was able to install the stab both times in a few minutes by myself by supporting it on my work table as shown below and just sliding in into place. With this method you will not be jiggling it around and knocking off the washers. If you do, it is easy to just slide it back out and stick the washer back on or use a washer wrench.
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV/Finish-Kit/9229733_jnRJi#754203359_sdGyr-A-LB][/URL]

...another view:
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV/Finish-Kit/9229733_jnRJi#754203423_QPwor-A-LB][/URL]
It is a good idea to tape some thin cardboard on the tailcone to keep from scratching it with the stabilator.
A click on the photo will take you to my picture galleries.

Tony
 
Thanks all for your suggestions. I've decided to hold off on installing the Stabilator at this time. Empennage kit done and now waiting on Wing and Fuselage kits. I was expecting them in June and just receive a letter stating they are delayed an additional four weeks.
 
Another tip..."bullets"

Everyone probably already knows this one, but here it is again:
859676024_NwZgc-M.jpg

Make these from hardware store bolts using a lathe or drill press. I learned this trick from Jim Cone. He calls them "bullets".
These really help when installing the stabilator. Once the holes are nearly aligned slide these in to hold it while you organize your bolts.

Tony
 
a washer holding tool is very helpful for installing the stabilator and especially for later installation of control systems. Here is a link to the store-bought variety http://www.averytools.com/p-242-washer-wrench-set.aspx I made a set out of aluminum scrap and use masking tape to hold the washer in place, there is also a nice design in May, 2010, EAA Sport Aviation, P. 81
 
Homemade washer wrench...

Jim also showed me these homemade tools, and I made a sketch:
512068932_Z9urY-M.jpg


Tony
 
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