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Possible extra holes in the spar & ribs?

aeroaddict

aeroaddict

Well Known Member
I'm building the rt wing leading edge assembly and have come across an issue that I do not see on the left wing. I did not build the left wing and it is complete minus bottom skins and control linkages.

Two leading edge ribs outboard of the tie down have two extra holes per rib. The attached pics show the spar (poor picture quality) and one of the ribs in question on top of a 'normal' rib. The spar holes have anodize in them, so it came from the factory this way. The left wing leading edge ribs and spar do not have the extra holes from what I can see.

I researched the plans and b/p's and searched here on VAF without success. I also have a email in to Van's but have yet to hear back after 4 days. I would like to keep building but need an answer or clarification.

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They might be tooling holes, used to hold a part in a jig or die during the manufacturing process.
 
Holes

I don't remember extra holes out of the box but I do remember ribs got drilled with two extra holes because the standard holes do not line up with the holes in the spar. It was in the manual I think. I just looked at mine and that pattern of holes looks correct.
 
The large rivets are part of the spar build up by Van's. Spar view is orientated looking up from the bottom flange of the spar. Forward is the flat spar face shown. Outboard is left, inboard is right.

Larry, I'll recheck the manual again, but the curious thing is that the left wing doesn't show any extra spar holes.
 
From memory only 3 of the 5 holes in the rib flange match the holes in the spar in some leading edge rib locations. The two that do not line up (top and bottom ones) are not used, and two new ones are back drilled from the pre drilled holes in the spar. A total of 5 rivets attach the rib to the spar.
Unless that is a sharpie dot in you spar photo, it looks as though someone has drilled two extra holes in your spar using the holes in the rib that were to remain unused, so you have 7 holes in that rivet line for the rib. I think they are to remain unused due to designed edge distances from the main spar rivets.
If you do have extra holes in your spar,wait for Vans to respond.
 
Well that is what I was afraid of. Looks like I'll wait for the reply from Van's. I would think that if I just riveted all holes that it would be not an structural issue, but I'll wait for a reply.
 
Page 7-3 of your manual. ASSEMBLING THE WING SKELETON. MAIN RIB/SPAR ASSEMBLY. 2nd paragraph.
"Most of the ribs simply fit to the spar without modification, However, two W-709 ribs just outboard of the tiedown require two new rivet holes (one near the top, the other near the bottom). Drill these using the holes in the spar as guides. The two holes left unused in the rib are simply abandoned. A similar situation applies to W-711 L&R in the wing walk."

In your spar photo it looks like someone did all that and then back-drilled the "abandoned" holes into the spar using the rib as a guide, and you now have 7 rivet holes in your spar where there should only be 5. you`ll have to check all four rib locations plus the wing walk area where the spar is much more highly stressed and see if the error is repeated there as well.

If that's correct, then in my opinion, Vans are the only people to advise you on this.
 
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You are correct. I went back and checked and found the statement. I haven't check the wing walk area but will do so.
 
Update

Called and talked with Van's today, bottom line; build on. Van's recommended to use structure screws and lock nuts which I will do.

Van's stated they had no empirical data to substantiate any decision one way or the other. After a discussion, logic prevailed; it would be very hard to imagine that no one else had done this before, no reported wing failures on the -7, 3 diameters ED maintained on all 'extra' holes, extra holes are outboard past the bell crank and not inboard towards the high load areas.
 
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