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Fitting forward top skin ( Slider)

R

rv9aviator

Well Known Member
I am having a tough time getting the forward top skin to lay down and line up with the longerons. I don't have the top skin drilled to the firewall top flange yet as I didn't see anything relating to it in the fuselage instructions. I am thinking it would help pull the top skin down and make it a little easier to get the rivet holes in the londerons to fit the top skin. It looks like it is going to take a lot of pulling with an awl to ever get the holes to line up as it is. I am not going to rivet the top skin on yet but would like to get all the holes match drilled so I can prime all the forward ribs and skin. I will be using Cam-locks all around on the cowl. Is it OK to go ahead and match drill the top skin to the top firewall SS flange now?
 
wing nut clecos

Hi,
I fought with my top forward skin for the first fitting. Went to the Avery site and ordered a dozen #40's and 6 #30's of the wing nut clecos.

These are very useful as you can "reach" into the longeron through the top skin and progressively pull the skin down and get the other clecos in. I also found it worked better if you start top center and go side to side pulling the skin as tight as possible first, then put the longeron clecos in

Here's the link to Avery's site/product:
http://www.averytools.com/p-849-wing-nut-clecos.aspx

If the link does not work, just go to averytools.com and search for cleco.

resist the temptation to reach up and smack the skin to help it come into position... missed the bulkhead rivet line and now I have a "spare" rear/ forward top skin... grr
 
good idea.

Thanks and I'll try some of those type clecos but I still need to know if it's OK to match drill the row of holes that go in the firewall flange and forward top skin now.
 
I have a 7 not a 9 so take this for what it's worth... but I think everyone has trouble with this skin. I get mine on and off (havn't riveted it on yet, ready to tho) by setting the row of clecos on the center rib. Then progress across the bulkheads, side to side, evenly. At the point where you get to the second ribs, pull the firewall out (forward) so it is not fighting the skin. Get 2 or 3 ratcheting tie down straps and run them around and under the belly, evenly tightening as you progress with the clecos in the ribs and bulkheads all the way down to the longeron.

Even with this procedure, the skins do not want to lay quite flat on the longerons although all cleco's are installed. I'm told the "real" rivets will correct this but I plan on rolling the skin edges slightly to help.

At this point you can push the firewall in under the skin, it's tight!

You can go ahead and drill the skin to the firewall now, but if you are going to install camlocks you will have to fit and install a camlock receptical plate to the same two components. I did it ahead of time and even dimpled both, fit the receptical plate later with little trouble.

Work's for me YMMV, Larry
 
same task ahead of me

Hi,
I have the same task ahead of me. I've decided to wait till I have the flange created for the MillSpec locks I have. Other have said just go ahead and dimple or c-sink the flange later. I'm waiting because I want the holes to match as best as possible.

That being said, when I was working on the fwd fuse skins side and bottom skins, I took some scrap and made a matched hole set of templates & went ahead and dimpled firewall and side/bottom skins. The geometry / curve of the top caused me to pause there.

Do you have the instruction sheet from MillSpec or your vendor? If not I can scan and forward for you, has pics and descriptions of process.

I snagged / printed pictures from various builder web sites along the way too. http://jeffsrv-7a.com/ENGINE.htm has a cowling section. Looks like he "pre-drilled/dimmpled"

as they say 6 of 1 half dozen of the other... I've been advised don't get stuck analyzing

started late 2002, maybe move to hanger this spring... need to fit canopy first... need warm (hot) garage before that though ;^)

Good luck
 
Hi Jim,

You should be fine drilling the forward skin to the firewall now. I did and later drilled my camloc strips and was able to get a good fit.

I found I needed to put a cleco in every hole in the subpanel outside of the outer panel ribs while I was pressing down on the skin. There'd still be a gap between the top and side skin once I'd got a cleco into the longeron, but then by putting a cleco in every hole along the longeron it would eventually pull tighter. Once it was final riveted it came out with a nice fit.
 
Job Done!

30 minutes later and the forward skin is cleco'ed in place and ready to match drill. Mike, your ratchet strap at the firewall with the top of the firewall popped out made it easy to pull down so I could get cleco's in the longerons. I used a few wingnut cleco's to help pull the skin down tight. I cleco'ed all the ribs to the skin working from the center out, and removed the cleco's from the three main ribs to the firewall so I could pop it out past the skin. I worked my way aft from the firewall adding cleco's to the longerons alternating from side to side. After I got all the cleco's in I took a small rubber mallet and worked my way up from the longeron and the firewall just squeezed right back under the skin easily. You two should put this in the tips section as it sure made the job quick and easy.:)
Many thanks
 
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