What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

A hinge is a hinge, right?

DonFromTX

DonFromTX

Well Known Member
Well, I found out they are not. In making seat hinges, I noticed that my two halves did not match, they even had different hinge pin hole size! Decided to read the manual, and sure enough, different hinges are called out on the seat backs!
I started checking hinges and the manual, found I had at least THREE different hinges, two with numbers, one with none. Problem is, NONE of the hinges supplied match the numbers called out in the manual! Apparently hinges are being renumbered with the new numbering system, I am lost on it all.
 
Cut hinges 1/2" long

Cut hinges a 1/2" longer than the plans call for. The 1/2" will be cut off after you determine which end the barrel should be on to match the picture in the plans.
Joe
 
I thought I had a hinge pin problem when I finally wanted to cut and install the hinge pins on some parts that I had installed the hinges on loooong time ago. I started measuring the pins I had lying around and did not find a difference. The different numbers for the seat hinges seem to indicate the width of the flange, not the size of the hinge loops. I recall there were two different sizes called for, a 4rd one I can not remember and I thin there is no 3rd size provided by Van's, so I suspect it to be one of two sizes.
 
Vans definitely gave me three different hinges. They all "looked" alike to me so I never bothered to read those small numbers, besides they did not agree with the plans anyway. As was noted, in addition to the pin size, all three have different flange measurements!
Here is a photo of the three sizes, the top one uses the small pin, the bottom two use the large pin. The one on the right bottom is a -2, the one on the left is a -3, the top one has no id on it anywhere!
Now I have to go back to ALL hinge applications and determine if I used the correct one, and see what I need to order to be correct. Wish I knew what the number should be on the top one. The same hinge would have worked plenty well in all the applications, I think Van is just testing us! Oh, by the way, the two for the cowling use are separate from this mess.
x0pizm.jpg
[/IMG]
 
I don't have access to the plans right now, so where is the top one with the small pin being used?
 
THAT is what has me excited, since I grabbed it and used it without specs! Back in my dumb days, I just thought a hinge is a hinge! Probably had one of those stickers on it I reckon.
 
You may have just learned the most important thing you need to have when building an airplane Don - patience. Even the RV-12 kit, which we all know assembles itself on the way back down when the parts are thrown up in to the air, can bite those who rush through it.

I ask questions of myself and my interpretation of plans, drawings, and instructions at every step. And I assume that the first answer I come up with is wrong, so I go back and ask again. Doing this puts a natural time lag into the process, and has saved me from ruining parts and materials time and time again.

Slow down, enjoy the process, and save those poor defenseless hinges! ;)

Paul
 
Easy for you to say, heck I have kids older than you :D When you are old, you don't know how much time you have to put it together.:mad:
 
Hinge ID

The easiest way I have found to identify hinges is to look at a Spruce catalog and it will give the flange dimensions for a P2, p3 hinge etc.
 
After a complete check, I found I had got 3 ft of the mystery hinge, and used it all on the seat bottom hinge area. Got a stick of P3 as called for coming my way to fix that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top