I know I have seen some threads on this but I can't find them. I am wondering how the airplane flies without the wing root seal? I would like to paint first, but that will be awhile. Also, I seem to recall a product from Home Depot that was used successfully. Anyone know what that seal is specifically? I also recall someone using glider tape as a seal? Thanks in advance.
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RV-12 Wing Root Seal
- Thread starter Dave12
- Start date
Jetguy
Well Known Member
White, Red, Yellow, Green & Blue
It flys fine with out the seal on. You can go to the electrical section at Home Depot and get colored tape if you want to use it. They only have it 1/2 in wide. Ace hardware has it in 3/4 wide. Your choice:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1286649&cp=2568454.2632224.2632267
http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical...T_ID&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&langId=-1:)
It flys fine with out the seal on. You can go to the electrical section at Home Depot and get colored tape if you want to use it. They only have it 1/2 in wide. Ace hardware has it in 3/4 wide. Your choice:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1286649&cp=2568454.2632224.2632267
http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical...T_ID&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&langId=-1:)
Seal for Wing
Dave, It's in the hardware section at Home Depot on the aisle with weatherstrip. Comes in a plastic bag. It's slightly narrower and slightly less dense than the stuff in the kit. I think it cost about $2-3 for enough to do both wings. I couldn't find black or gray so I got white. Since plane is white, no big deal. Your wings should go on much easier.
For what it's worth there's an RV-12 on our field going on 20 hours which has never had wing seal on it, pending paint.
Jim
RV-12 N233TX
25+ hours flying
Dave, It's in the hardware section at Home Depot on the aisle with weatherstrip. Comes in a plastic bag. It's slightly narrower and slightly less dense than the stuff in the kit. I think it cost about $2-3 for enough to do both wings. I couldn't find black or gray so I got white. Since plane is white, no big deal. Your wings should go on much easier.
For what it's worth there's an RV-12 on our field going on 20 hours which has never had wing seal on it, pending paint.
Jim
RV-12 N233TX
25+ hours flying
Installing the dreaded wing seal...
I considered using a hardware store weatherstrip for the wing seal if it turned out that I just could not get the wings on using the factory seal. However, the tailpipe expander tool really looked like it should work to pull the wing into the seal and if so that would be preferrable to weatherstriping which I thought would not provide as tight a seal and would degrade rather quickly. To install the seal, I used Vern's idea of two strips of 1/8 inch masking tape to mark the outline of the wing, pulling off the inner tape strip and aligning the seal to the outer tape:
The inner masking tape in place:
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12Project/Color-Scheme/11643931_KpABS#1291175506_nzQLx88-A-LB]
[/URL]
The wing removed, an outer strip of tape applied, and the inner strip pulled off, leaving a reference line 1/8 inch larger than the wing:
Applying the seal:
The tailpipe expander will pull the wing into the seal so one of the pins can be started. The tool is not a brutal solution, does not damage the bushings. The wing back on:
As stated in other posts and in the plans, trim the skins where necessary to have 1/8 inch clearance for the seal which is 3/16 inches thick.
Tony
I considered using a hardware store weatherstrip for the wing seal if it turned out that I just could not get the wings on using the factory seal. However, the tailpipe expander tool really looked like it should work to pull the wing into the seal and if so that would be preferrable to weatherstriping which I thought would not provide as tight a seal and would degrade rather quickly. To install the seal, I used Vern's idea of two strips of 1/8 inch masking tape to mark the outline of the wing, pulling off the inner tape strip and aligning the seal to the outer tape:
The inner masking tape in place:
[url=http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12Project/Color-Scheme/11643931_KpABS#1291175506_nzQLx88-A-LB]
[/URL]The wing removed, an outer strip of tape applied, and the inner strip pulled off, leaving a reference line 1/8 inch larger than the wing:
Applying the seal:
The tailpipe expander will pull the wing into the seal so one of the pins can be started. The tool is not a brutal solution, does not damage the bushings. The wing back on:
As stated in other posts and in the plans, trim the skins where necessary to have 1/8 inch clearance for the seal which is 3/16 inches thick.
Tony
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Hi Pierre,
The 12 doesn't have wing root fairings. The wing skins come right up to the fuselage. If the skins are trimmed precisely according to the plans, and the rubber strip is placed correctly, there is a nice seal between the two surfaces. Once compressed, the seals provide a nice transition between the wing and the fuselage. I suspect most of the problems people have with this result from not properly and accurately trimming the wing skins to fit.
John
5/16/11 - I was replying with this post to a post that Pierre had entered into this thread showing pictures of his RV-10 wing root fairings. Hence the reference above. By the time I sent this post his entry was GONE! Like dissappeared! Honest! Or have I been sniffing too much Proseal.....?
The 12 doesn't have wing root fairings. The wing skins come right up to the fuselage. If the skins are trimmed precisely according to the plans, and the rubber strip is placed correctly, there is a nice seal between the two surfaces. Once compressed, the seals provide a nice transition between the wing and the fuselage. I suspect most of the problems people have with this result from not properly and accurately trimming the wing skins to fit.
John
5/16/11 - I was replying with this post to a post that Pierre had entered into this thread showing pictures of his RV-10 wing root fairings. Hence the reference above. By the time I sent this post his entry was GONE! Like dissappeared! Honest! Or have I been sniffing too much Proseal.....?
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RudiGreyling
Well Known Member
RVators, I can't remember that we had to "TRIM" the wing skins! I don't think that is normal procedures. Please check with vans before doing this. We had to leave our seals in the sun a bit to soften them up, but it after we applied them it was not a big deal to get the wings to fit again. Just another datapoint for you guys...Rudi
30-03 and 30-04
Joe Gores
You might have an old set of plans. There is a revision 30-03 Step 4 that says to file the wing skin to achieve a 1/8" gap. http://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/revisions/RV-12/30-03.pdf
Joe Gores
