RV-10 Flap and Aileron Rigging

[Geico266]

I would like to double check the rigging of the flaps and aileron adjustment or "settings" on my 10. I used the search feature but could not find a good thread on the subject, the response time is very slow on searches.

Could someone point me to a thread on rigging, or where in the instruction manual to properly check and adjust and rig the flaps and ailerons?

The symptoms are a heavy stick (ailerons only) in cruise flight. I have had to have the Tru Trac roll servo worked on twice and I believe it is due to the force required to move the aileron.

This could be all of my imagination, but twice in 100 hours the servo has needed work. I would just like to double check the rigging.

Thanks in advance for any insight and instruction.

 

[Auburntsts]

Page 23-9 in the plans. Basically you raise the flaps to full reflex with the nose of the flaps bumping into the aft face of the rear spar. Then align the ailerons with the flaps. You then can then clamp the trailing edges together and use the WD-730 bellcrank jig to ensure the bellcranks are in the neutral position.

 

[BobTurner]

After you've done the above, sight from the front of the wing and look at the vertical height of the ailerons (at their hinge lines). If one aileron is higher than the other that wing will be heavy. You're looking for 1/32" differences here, it's very sensitive. Van's sells aileron brackets with no pre drilled holes if you need to raise or lower one.

 

[Jesse]

It's also important to check for a twist in the flaps, which can easily happen when the bottom skins are riveted.To check for this, raise the flaps all the way until the bottom skin of the flap is flush with the bottom skin of the fuselage. Then look at the rivet line of the flap spar in relation to the trailing edge of the top wing skins. If the distance of the rivet line vares from inboard to outboard, then you have a twisted flap. You can offset this a little bit by changing the rigging of your ailerons up or down to compensate, but your best option is to build new flaps without a twist. As was mentioned already, any twist will make a wing heavier and require more trim or more aileron servo work.

Also, when you check the rigging of your ailerons with your flaps, make sure the elevator is in trail. The geometry of the control system in the fuselage will raise and lower both ailerons as the elevator is moved, so set the elevator for cruise, which is usually within an inch of in trail (based on the counterbalance arms), based on CD and power settings.

 

[Geico266]

Found the flaps were not adjusted correctly, and I was able to get 1/2" out of the ailerons ( getting them to neutral ) by adjusting the push rods (?) length. Took it for a test flight and it made a good bit of difference in the amount of force needed to move the stick left and right. Now it is the same force and the elevator.

I replaced the servo spring pins that broke causing me to look closer at the rigging. I am quite sure this will no longer be an issue.

Standing in front of the plane sighting down the edge of the wing tip I notice a major swoop up on both tips, but really bad on the right side. I can see "splitting" the trailing edge and aligning them to the correct position.

It this fairly common?

 

[Bill.Peyton]

I had to split the wing tips at the rear and re-form the trailing edge to get them both symmetrical. Once you align your flaps in the reflex position and then align your ailerons to the flaps, the wing tips should fall in place with the ailerons. If they don't you have either twist in the aileron, or the trailing edge of the fg wing tip needs to be adjusted. When you fly, I first would make sure that you have equal side to side weight in the cockpit, and the fuel is the same in both sides. As little as 5 gallons makes a big difference in wing heavy. If after you get everything in alignment you still have a wing heavy I would check the aileron attachment height at the leading edge. As a prior post mentioned, just 1/32" will affect wing heavy.
Do you have aileron trim? Is it also adjusted to neutral when the ailerons are neutral?

 

[Geico266]

Do you have aileron trim? Is it also adjusted to neutral when the ailerons are neutral?

Yes, it is usually way right. The tips are more than a half inch off.

Looks like I have some work to do.

Thanks to all who have responded, I greatly appreciate it.

 

[tfarrell839]

Heavy Wing?

Do you have a heavy wing? If it flys neutral now, it may be better just to leave the wing tip. Making a correction probably won't make a big difference, but could possibly induce a heavy wing situation.

 

[Geico266]

Thanks again to one and all who responded. I greatly appreciate it.

I was able to get most of the heavy wing out. Fuel distribution will correct the rest.

Ready for another adventure, ..... being there for grand kid #5 to make his appearance into the world around 7/4.