Shims between gear mounts on A-model?

[Pilottonny]

Hello,

I am installing and drilling my 9A landing gear mounts and are finding that I have a 0,063" (1,6 mm) gap between my landing gear mounts and the F9101 web-gear attach, where the 5 AN3 bolts go through the skin, the lower longeron, the web and the gear mount. This is with two wing bolts in, so there can not be any misalignment. I could not find anything about the need for shims on the drawings, in the manual or on this Forum. Has anybody come across this?

I made up two shims, out of some 0,063 alu, which seems to solve the problem. Would there be any reason not to use shims in this area? (maybe I will need slightly longer bolts?)

Thanks in advance for your replies,

Regards, Tonny

 

[frankh]

Talk to Vans

Doubt if it would be a problem and if I remember correctly from my 7a they provide you with an extra set of longer bolts...I.e the ones they call out are AN4-12a....they provide those AND a set of AN4-13a's...So you should be just fine.

The above is from about 18month ago memory though

Frank

 

[rv12iS-builder]

Hello,

I am installing and drilling my 9A landing gear mounts and are finding that I have a 0,063" (1,6 mm) gap between my landing gear mounts and the F9101 web-gear attach

Regards, Tonny

If you contact Van's, please let us know what they say. I noticed the same thing on my kit, but I haven't figured out what to do about it yet.

Thank you,

 

[sportpilot]

5 bolts

Tony this is the fit we got on Cleve's RV 9a and we did not need a shim on the 5 bolts

The 5 bolts thru the skin and longeron

 

[jlfernan]

I also had a gap when mounting mine, although mine was more like .032. I spoke to Bruce with Vans and asked about shimming it. It my case it wouldn't matter, that when I torque the five bolts, it will close the gap. I ended up with a hair of a gap at the aft most bolt, but I don't feel it will be a problem. Just check after you torque these bolts that you still have a gap between the hole in the floor skin and the tube from the weldment. When I torqued mine, the tube interfered with the skin.

The AN4-13A bolts mentioned above are for the weldment to center section attach. In this case they are correct, the 12's are too short. Two seperate areas, two seperate answers.

 

[Pilottonny]

Shim is OK !

I spoke to Bruce from Vans today about the gap between the gear mount and the attach web.
He told me that if the plate at the end of the tube (with the two screws) is flat against the gear attach web and the gear mount is perfectly sitting against the main bulkhead, with all the bolts going in and there is still a 0,063" gap between the gear mount and the gear attach web, it is OK to put a shim in.

So that is what I am going to do.

Regards, Tonny.