Slider Forward Fuselage Rib Question

[AndyWW]

One of the funniest parts of the RV-7 construction manual is in the slider forward fuselage instructions where it says "Twist the F-7105A subpanel and fit the F-7108 rib through the center of it…the guy who designed it swears it is possible."

I managed to get the parts together to drill everything, but now that I have primed and riveted the F-7108A angle to the F-7108B rib, I can't seem to figure out how to do it. Can anyone remember well enough to explain how it's supposed to work so that I don't destroy my beautiful parts in the process?

For extra credit, here's a (probably easier) follow-up question: do I need to wait until the parts are assembled before riveting the little clip F-7108C to the rib and the panel, or could I rivet it either to the rib or the panel before assembling (to make the riveting a bit easier)?

Thanks so much for any help.

 

[Desert Rat]

I think I remember having to twist the sub-panel like I was tearing a piece of paper, and then sort of sliding the rib in at an angle. Maybe? I dunno, I've slept since then.

 

[John Tierney]

I remember pushing forward ones side, pulling back the other, and scraping off primer in the process. There may have been some dirty words.

 

[rapid_ascent]

Push the right side forward and pull the left side aft. Then try to get the angle into the slot. Then you should be ok. It may help to have a helper.

 

[AndyWW]

Push the right side forward and pull the left side aft. Then try to get the angle into the slot. Then you should be ok. It may help to have a helper.

I tried fairly hard with this, to the extent that I was worried about permanent deformation of the sub-panel, but it didn't want to go through. Perhaps I am still doing it wrong.

It seems to me that there are 4 possible ways this could be attempted. Two of them involve sending the firewall end of the rib through the panel slot first, with aft end either high or low, and I can't really see how either of those work but mention them for completeness just in case I'm missing something. The other two ways are to send the aft end of the rib through the slot first, with forward (firewall) end either high or low. The picture I sent was the start of an attempt to do this with firewall end high, and I think is what Ray is suggesting above.

Can anyone remember definitively which of the 4 ways they used successfully? If I'm going to force it (and sacrifice a lot of primer in the process!) if possible I'd like to feel like I'm treading a well worn path rather than trying something that might end badly...