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Elevator damage
- Thread starter adrianolsantos
- Start date
Vans just told me they have in stock. Should leave the warehouse in 3 days at most.
Next question, how old is that tail kit? I'm not 100% sure if all 6's had a prepunched elevator (I think not). Van's should be able to figure out the year of your tail kit from the build number, and hopefully that'll tell whether it is prepunched or not. If it isn't, no way will the PP skin line up (in my experience).
I will check with Vans.
How hard do you think it is to do the trailing edge bend on that skin? Does the skin comes with the bend or I have to do it?
I am not the builder so I don’t have any idea.
Depending on the age of the kit, the original skin may or may not have been pre-punched. If the rivet holes were layed out by the builder then the new pre-punched skin holes will not match the existing spar, ribs, stiffeners etc.
It may therefore be easier to buy all new parts from Vans and build a new elevator, paying attention to the location of the hinge bearings.
It may therefore be easier to buy all new parts from Vans and build a new elevator, paying attention to the location of the hinge bearings.
The skin comes from Vans with the trailing edge bent, partially. The builder completes the trailing edge bend after the stiffeners have been riveted on.
For reference, my RV-6A emp kit from late 1992 is number 22320 and the skins were NOT pre-punched.
I have done this repair a couple of times. Luckily it’s not the side with the trim tab.
You will need a skin. Either get one from Vans or buy some 020 sheet aluminum locally to make one. Anyone with a metal bending brake can do this.
You will need some angle to make stiffeners. You can also buy some sheet locally and bend your own angles like the skin. I think they are 032
You should be able to reuse the spar and the tip and counter weight.
The rv6 instructions detail how to make the stiffeners and the skin lay out. You need to get that if you don’t have it. However, you will have the old one to use as a pattern. You will also need to make the jigs to hold the skin on the spar to correctly drill and rivet it together. Also you will have to roll the leading edges.
Don’t forget both AN rivets and some blind rivets will be needed to complete it.
Not being a builder, you may want to find someone local who is to help you.
Repairs like this are typically more difficult than making the first one since you need to match to existing parts.
Good luck
+1. Regardless, I would only want to DIY that if I had access to a good bending brake to get that radius just right.
elev666
Well Known Member
I forget which one of the Vans guys I spoke to at Oshkosh , but he said that there’s three times as many Tail Kit sold as what there is RV six is flying, so there’s a real good chance if you put a feeler out at your local EAA clubhouse, you’ll find all the parts you need maybe already built!
I’m a little confused. The part # in the first post lists E-601PP-L which should (correct me if I’m wrong) be for the LEFT elevator. The picture shows damage to the RIGHT elevator, pt# should be E-601PP-R for prepunched skin or E-601-R for undrilled skin.
Also, unless this a very late production kit that might have offered pre punched skins, the holes in your spar & end ribs likely won’t match the PP skin.
If you plan to reuse the original spar & ribs it would be easy to use the original skin as a template to drill the rivet holes in a new blank skin. Be sure to flatten or cut out any persistent skin warping to get a flat pattern.
Try to connect with a local builder who could advise & potentially supply the required tools as that would be a fair investment for this small repair… unless you want to build your tool collection for future builds!
Good luck.
Also, unless this a very late production kit that might have offered pre punched skins, the holes in your spar & end ribs likely won’t match the PP skin.
If you plan to reuse the original spar & ribs it would be easy to use the original skin as a template to drill the rivet holes in a new blank skin. Be sure to flatten or cut out any persistent skin warping to get a flat pattern.
Try to connect with a local builder who could advise & potentially supply the required tools as that would be a fair investment for this small repair… unless you want to build your tool collection for future builds!
Good luck.
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I just went through this for the left elevator on my 6A. Advise you check with Vans to see if your tail kit was prepunched. If it was, this is a relatively easy fix. All you need is a new skin and a skill set to drill out rivets carefully. I was even able to reuse all the stiffeners. As insurance, you may want to order a 4ft long pice if .02 angle if you need to remake a couple. Since you aren’t the builder, be advised you will need a back riveting plate and backriveting set for your gun to drive the rivets for the stiffeners.
If it is not pre punched, a strap duplicator can be used to locate rivet holes for the spar and end ribs. A bit more work, and as noted previously you would need to construct a fixture to assure the skin is drilled with no warps. I found that the prepunched skin established the flatness of the elevator without totally relying on the fixture.
FYI, it took a couple of weeks for me to receive my skin.
If it is not pre punched, a strap duplicator can be used to locate rivet holes for the spar and end ribs. A bit more work, and as noted previously you would need to construct a fixture to assure the skin is drilled with no warps. I found that the prepunched skin established the flatness of the elevator without totally relying on the fixture.
FYI, it took a couple of weeks for me to receive my skin.
It’s not hard to make the trailing edge final bend. You can make a bending jig from good quality, straight and unwarped 2x4’s and a strap hinge if you don’t have access to a brake.
The biggest issue is making sure the trailing edge shape is correct and the skin follows a straight edge all the way from the spar to the bend. It has to be over bent to allow for spring back and should lay flat on the spar without forcing it.
I would strongly recommend you jig the piece. It takes very little twist or warp to cause issues with your hinge alignment.
I didn’t have the time to repair mine when I had a hangar “incident” so Synergy Air did the repair. They are only a couple hours from me.
It was expensive, but came back ready to bolt on and painted.
The biggest issue is making sure the trailing edge shape is correct and the skin follows a straight edge all the way from the spar to the bend. It has to be over bent to allow for spring back and should lay flat on the spar without forcing it.
I would strongly recommend you jig the piece. It takes very little twist or warp to cause issues with your hinge alignment.
I didn’t have the time to repair mine when I had a hangar “incident” so Synergy Air did the repair. They are only a couple hours from me.
It was expensive, but came back ready to bolt on and painted.
