Silly Question

[DonFromTX]

I will be putting on my rudder and stabilator soon, was wondering from soneone who has done it already, which should go on first - or does it make any difference?

 

[rgmwa]

I don't think it makes any difference Don, but it may be a slightly easier to access the rudder hinges if the stab is not installed.

 

[DonFromTX]

Thanks. I had sorta assumed that the stab would be first to make it easier. I appreciate your input.

 

[DBRuth]

rudder first

I installed the v stab first, then rudder, then stabilator. It's a challenge for me to get all the washers positioned and the bolts in. I worked on racecars for 20 years and thought I was pretty good at awkward assemblies, maybe I'm just getting old.

 

[DonFromTX]

I KNOW I am getting old, that is why the question. I need every advantage I can get at 76.
I have been putting off crawling back into the tail to secure the nav antenna wire for several weeks!

 

[MacPara]

I would suggest installing the Stabilator first. It is actually pretty easy if you spend some time on providing support for the Stabilator that allows you to focus on getting the washers in place without holding the Stabilator at the same time. I used sawhorses and a collection of stubs of 2x4s and such to prop it up just right. Also using superglue on the washers before the installation would help to keep them in place, but only if the whole assembly just has to slide into place. Any sideways force on the glued-on washers will make them come loose again. That's why the right Stabilator support is so important (when you do it all by yourself at least).
Next step should be to assemble the rudder and the vertical stabilizer on a workbench. Maybe it was just me but this step drove me literally insane. It took me a couple of hours to get the washers into place on that one and that was when the stabilizer was on the tailcone already. It turned out to be much easier to do the washer/hinge game when the assembly was on a workbench. Installing the completed assembly on the tailcone then is a piece of cake. Just be careful that you don't let the rudder cables snap back into the tailcone when you try to connect them to the rudder horn. That might ruin your day ... I left some rope attached to the end of the rudder cables until I was done with the hook up, just in case they had slipped out of my hands before I could get the bolt in ...