Firewall recess problem

[ged380]

I am currently putting my firewall together on my RV-7 and have come across a problem. My firewall recess just plain does not fit. The biggest problem is on the vertical rows of rivets the top 1/8th hole needs to go out by about half a hole. I have tried to work it out a bit but due to the design of the part I can't see how this is going to happen.
Did anyone else have this problem? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Captain_John]

Hi Ged,

Odd that you should say this, but mine didn't fit well at first either! Turns out, I had it on the wrong side of the firewall!

Once I started messing around with it, assembling it correctly, drilling it and dimpling it... it fit fine.

The other thing that makes it tricky is the fold. The upper side needs to be on top, if ya know whattImean.

Not to be disrespectful but, are you sure you have it assembled correctly?

I am going through my own problems here right now. I clubbed a bunch of those really easy to do backrivets and am drilling them out as I type this!

CJ

 

[ged380]

I did think that maybe I had it put together wrong but I checked a fellow builders plane and I have assembled it correctly. Interestingly he said his went together with no problems. I am thinking that I may contact vans.

 

[Paul Eastham]

I am currently putting my firewall together on my RV-7 and have come across a problem. My firewall recess just plain does not fit. The biggest problem is on the vertical rows of rivets the top 1/8th hole needs to go out by about half a hole. I have tried to work it out a bit but due to the design of the part I can't see how this is going to happen.
Did anyone else have this problem? Any help would be appreciated.

Yes, I had the same problem, though perhaps slightly less severe. Once dimpled, it looked even less severe. I figured that it's a minor flaw, that the recess is not structural, and kept building...

 

[RV7ator]

The two I've experience were frustrating. They're the worst fitting parts in the kit, but still useable.

I don't think you'll fall out of the sky if you elongated the few holes that are not perfectly congruent. Then, if you can't get the rest to work out, fill 'em with rivets to nowhere, and match drill new holes nearby.

John Siebold
Boise, ID

 

[rzbill]

Stainless is malleable. Reform it until it fits. Mine required a big hammer and some wooden drifts to stretch the upper part of the recess until the flange holes lined up with the firewall. Mine was off 1/2 to full hole on each side at the top, before the whacking began.

 

[Jekyll]

Stainless is malleable. Reform it until it fits. Mine required a big hammer and some wooden drifts to stretch the upper part of the recess until the flange holes lined up with the firewall. Mine was off 1/2 to full hole on each side at the top, before the whacking began.

I do love the elegance of using a bigger hammer

Jekyll

 

[ged380]

I did start to reform the part but I was having trouble forming the part without denting it. I have e-mailed vans but I have recieved no reply.

 

[rzbill]

The MAN

I did start to reform the part but I was having trouble forming the part without denting it. I have e-mailed vans but I have recieved no reply.

Understood. As with other things, it comes down to practice. The aesthetic aspects of the finished part will depend on previous metal working experience and its hard to get that on one part. I'm better than many but I wish I was just 1/10 the metal worker that Kent White is. Metal is like clay in his hands.