Lower main gear intersection fairing question

[kirkbauer]

I have just finished 48-11 Step 1 where I added some layers of fiberglass on top of the lower gear leg intersection fairing. I'm not happy at all with the trailing edge once it has cured and I have it cleco'd in place (see attached photos). In one photo I clamped the trailing edge just to see how it would look if it was closer together. Note that I have trimmed the flange that rests against the wheel pant but I have not trimmed the trailing edge or upper edge of the intersection fairing yet.

My first question: how far up the gear leg fairing should the intersection fairing go -- any ideas on how much to trim off the top of this?

For my second question, I'm looking for opinions on how to proceed from here because the instructions are frankly not very descriptive. I have a few ideas:

• It seems pretty common to split this part in two pieces and permanently epoxy each half to each half of the wheel pant. This would not only solve this problem because I could permanently attach the trailing edge but it would make it easier to remove the wheel pants. I already have doors that will allow me to check and fill the tires so I only expect to remove the wheel pants annually. It still wouldn't hurt if the wheel pants were easier to remove, though.
• Alternatively, looking ahead it seems they specify safety wire on the trailing edge of the upper intersection fairing. I could use safety wire on this trailing edge as well.
• I could go with the RV-14 method of using epoxy to secure a nut inside that area so that I could screw the trailing edge tightly together.

Any other ideas or opinions?

 

[Richard Connell]

I have just finished 48-11 Step 1 where I added some layers of fiberglass on top of the lower gear leg intersection fairing. I'm not happy at all with the trailing edge once it has cured and I have it cleco'd in place (see attached photos). In one photo I clamped the trailing edge just to see how it would look if it was closer together. Note that I have trimmed the flange that rests against the wheel pant but I have not trimmed the trailing edge or upper edge of the intersection fairing yet.

My first question: how far up the gear leg fairing should the intersection fairing go -- any ideas on how much to trim off the top of this?

For my second question, I'm looking for opinions on how to proceed from here because the instructions are frankly not very descriptive. I have a few ideas:

• It seems pretty common to split this part in two pieces and permanently epoxy each half to each half of the wheel pant. This would not only solve this problem because I could permanently attach the trailing edge but it would make it easier to remove the wheel pants. I already have doors that will allow me to check and fill the tires so I only expect to remove the wheel pants annually. It still wouldn't hurt if the wheel pants were easier to remove, though.
• Alternatively, looking ahead it seems they specify safety wire on the trailing edge of the upper intersection fairing. I could use safety wire on this trailing edge as well.
• I could go with the RV-14 method of using epoxy to secure a nut inside that area so that I could screw the trailing edge tightly together.

Any other ideas or opinions?

I got them all installed, aligned clecoed, glued in one piece as you suggest. Then faired it all in. Got it as close as practicable then split them with each pant half.
I then layed a thin glass lip under the edge on the inside permanently attached to the rear half so the front half overlaps. (This is the only bit I don’t have photos I can find…)
Has held up fine for 400h or so. Probably had them off maybe a dozen times.

 

[andoman]

If you decide not to split and bond to the pant, that trailing edge can be made to behave with a bit of heat.
My fairings are whole and split at the trailing edge. In the past I have used a piece of safety wire to keep them closed tightly. I recently switched to #6 screws and nuts with a couple of washers top and bottom.
So much drag! So much weight!

 

[Carl Froehlich]

If you can, split the fairings after fit up and permanently glass each half to the wheel pant, then do the body work to make them pretty. A butt joint works well. Trim the fairing trailing edge as needed. This makes life a whole bunch easier.

Carl

 

[MED]

I have just finished 48-11 Step 1 where I added some layers of fiberglass on top of the lower gear leg intersection fairing. I'm not happy at all with the trailing edge once it has cured and I have it cleco'd in place (see attached photos). In one photo I clamped the trailing edge just to see how it would look if it was closer together. Note that I have trimmed the flange that rests against the wheel pant but I have not trimmed the trailing edge or upper edge of the intersection fairing yet.

My first question: how far up the gear leg fairing should the intersection fairing go -- any ideas on how much to trim off the top of this?

For my second question, I'm looking for opinions on how to proceed from here because the instructions are frankly not very descriptive. I have a few ideas:

• It seems pretty common to split this part in two pieces and permanently epoxy each half to each half of the wheel pant. This would not only solve this problem because I could permanently attach the trailing edge but it would make it easier to remove the wheel pants. I already have doors that will allow me to check and fill the tires so I only expect to remove the wheel pants annually. It still wouldn't hurt if the wheel pants were easier to remove, though.
• Alternatively, looking ahead it seems they specify safety wire on the trailing edge of the upper intersection fairing. I could use safety wire on this trailing edge as well.
• I could go with the RV-14 method of using epoxy to secure a nut inside that area so that I could screw the trailing edge tightly together.

Any other ideas or opinions?

I have a 14A and split the wheel fairings as you describe. Makes it very easy to remove and install the pants. One comment on epoxying a nut in the fairing as described in the 14 plans - don’t. The nut they suggest is so small it is hard to keep from spinning it in place. If you decide to keep the fairing intact and close the gap at the rear, using a nutplate works much better than the tiny nut.