Here's a suggestion for you fellows who haven't gotten to the AST section yet. I had a bad time with riveting the control horns to the AST ribs as called out in Step 3. It is very awkward getting the squeezer positioned behind the flange in the rib, which is already attached to the skin at that point. This, and my inexperience at that point, resulted in gaps between the riveted parts. Two attempts resulted in the same problem, and damaged parts. It should be noted here that these parts have to be riveted tightly together, with completely flush rivet heads, in order for them to fit together when the AST halves are mounted to the stabilator hinges on Page 11-04.
Anyway, I ordered new end ribs and control horns from Van's, and started over. This time I riveted the ribs and horns together BEFORE riveting the ribs into the end of the servo tabs. This simplifies the procedure and makes it very easy to get the squeezer positioned properly for a good tight rivet set. I then installed the completed assemblies into the ends of the AST's and riveted using the LP4-3 rivets. In two spots behind each horn, I used the little wedge tool and the hand squeezer because the rivets go in quite close to the horn. After all was said and done, the AST assemblies now fit prefectly onto the completed stabilizer hinges, but believe me, there is no room to spare!
Anyway, I ordered new end ribs and control horns from Van's, and started over. This time I riveted the ribs and horns together BEFORE riveting the ribs into the end of the servo tabs. This simplifies the procedure and makes it very easy to get the squeezer positioned properly for a good tight rivet set. I then installed the completed assemblies into the ends of the AST's and riveted using the LP4-3 rivets. In two spots behind each horn, I used the little wedge tool and the hand squeezer because the rivets go in quite close to the horn. After all was said and done, the AST assemblies now fit prefectly onto the completed stabilizer hinges, but believe me, there is no room to spare!
