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RV-7A: When to install the F-712E tail tie-down bar?

R

roee

Well Known Member
The manual says the F-712E tail tie-down bar should installed after the vertical stabilizer has been fitted to the fuselage. It seems a lot easier to rivet the tie-down bar to the F-712 bulkhead before even installing the bulkhead in the fuselage. Then later when installing the vertical stabilizer, I could drill the bolt holes through the whole assembly. Any reason not to do it that way?
 
That's basically what I did. Rivet the tie-down in the four places then drill for the bolts when the whole assembly is together. I think that's a better way of doing it.
 
I didn't do it that way, but I wish I did :) Don't drill the bolt holes that will attach VS.. just rivet holes.. it'll make things a bit easier.
 
That is the way I did it. Riveted it on when I built the bulkhead. Drilled later during VS attach.
 
Tiedown

Rivet it when you build the bulkhead... you'll be glad you did! OOPS you're a QB... still get it in there asap...
 
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Tie down riveted but....

I also riveted the tie down to the bulkhead but still just have the bulkhead clecoed in place. I wanted to make sure there isn't anything else needed in this area before I rivet it. I did drill all the rivet holes but left the ones open for the bolts and have not drilled them to size. Should the rudder stops be completely flush with the back of the exterior panel? Mine extend about 1/16 of an inch.
aftbulkheadcleco.jpg
 
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Sounds good

Thanks all for the replies.

"Rivet it when you build the bulkhead... you'll be glad you did! OOPS you're a QB... still get it in there asap..."​
In the QB the aft bulkhead comes installed with only a few temporary pop rivets, I guess so that the non-A guys can get their misplaced nosewheel in there :). I had to remove the aft bulkhead anyway to adjust the flanges and to get decent access to put in a couple of missing rivets on the next bulkhead forward. Seemed like a good opportunity to put in the tie down bar.

"I like the looks of that! What is "Delrin" and where do you find it?"​
Yeah, that's a cool design for a rudder stop! Delrin is a strong machinable plastic. You can get it from McMaster-Carr http://www.mcmaster.com/
 
F-712 removal

roee said:
In the QB the aft bulkhead comes installed with only a few temporary pop rivets, I guess so that the non-A guys can get their misplaced nosewheel in there :). I had to remove the aft bulkhead anyway to adjust the flanges and to get decent access to put in a couple of missing rivets on the next bulkhead forward. Seemed like a good opportunity to put in the tie down bar
Click to expand...

Hi Roee and all,

I am just at this stage now and have removed the pop rivets for the F-712 with my new rivet removal tool :D ........(as well as the aft baggage floors)

BUT how on earth do you now get the F-712 out as the rear skins taper.....or has anyone fitted the F-712e tie down bar "in situ"....although that still leaves me with the problem of getting to those last 2 bottom rivets on the F-711c bars :eek:

Thanks David
 
It's a tight squeeze, but you can get the F-712 bulkhead out if you angle it. If I recall, first push it forward a little to where the tail cone is wider, then angle it and it comes out pretty easily. To put it back in, reverse the process.

In any case, you can get those two bottom rivets on the F-711 bars with the F-712 bulkhead in place. Even though I had my F-712 removed at the time, I found it easier to install the two rivets with the manufactured head (rivet gun) on the forward side, and the shop head (bucking bar) on the aft side. There's plenty of room back there for the bucking bar and adequate arm access through the side inspection panels.
 
Does that tie-down come with the fuse or the finish kit?

I don't recall seeing it in my -8 fuse kit anywhere.
 
Long dead thread, but I'll answer the last post in case anyone cares...

The tie down bar came with my QB Fuselage kit. :)

I also noticed how much of a pain it'd be to rivet the tie-down bar with the F-712 bulkhead in place. I tried removing the bullkead and gave up the 1st try, but wanting the tie-down bar riveting to go as easy as possible, I tried again last night. Got it.

Unfortunately, the QB factory had riveted the bulkhead in the spot that goes under the tie-down bar. Where the plans say not to for the 7A. So I had to drill this rivet out and remove the dimple left behind. :-(

You can see the offending rivet hole/dimple here:
IMG_3075.jpg
 
grayforge said:
Long dead thread, but I'll answer the last post in case anyone cares...

The tie down bar came with my QB Fuselage kit. :)

I also noticed how much of a pain it'd be to rivet the tie-down bar with the F-712 bulkhead in place. I tried removing the bullkead and gave up the 1st try, but wanting the tie-down bar riveting to go as easy as possible, I tried again last night. Got it.

Unfortunately, the QB factory had riveted the bulkhead in the spot that goes under the tie-down bar. Where the plans say not to for the 7A. So I had to drill this rivet out and remove the dimple left behind. :-(

You can see the offending rivet hole/dimple here:
IMG_3075.jpg
Click to expand...

It's been quite a while since I riveted all this together, so my memory may be hazy, but I recall putting a thin, tapering shim between the stringer and the skin just forward of the bulkhead for a rivet or two, to prevent a "step-off" visible on the outside of the skin. I did this in quite a few places, IIRC, throughout the build.

May not make much if any difference, but it seemed like the right thing to do...
 
Skip the tie-down bar and..

.... install the tailspring-mount.

Later on, if you want to change the -7A to a -7, the process is MUCH easier.
Otherwise you'd have to drill out LOTS of rivets and probably destroy something in the process.

Ofcourse there's lots of other things you'd to change to make it into a TD, but the tailspringmount is the most difficult thing to mount afterwards.

I know you're not thinking about a TD now, but maybe in a few years...?
Or maybe the next owner will?
 
Both good thoughts!

Regarding adding the shims... I'll have to remove a rivet that the QB factory already set. Not a big deal.
 
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