Spares required due to builder errors

[McSteff]

I was looking for a thread that answers the following question: What spare parts am I likely going to have to order from Vans as a first time builder who inevitably will make mistakes along the journey?

I am living in Oz and want to order a couple of spares upfront and include them in the crates (I am buying all kits at once). That'll hopefully save shipping time and money....

I heard the tubing is a good thing to have a little extra.

What else? Thanks for passing on any advice from people that have been through this before...

Regards

Steffen

 

[Mark Dickens]

I'm sure you can get replacement stock there in Oz...it's just standard stuff, but if you want Van to send some extra, I'd get a 2 or 3 6ft sticks of angle stock (.063x3/4x3/4), some conveniently sized sheets of .032 and .040 2024-T3 sheet for fabricating things, and yes, for replacement parts too.

 

[rgmwa]

Extra male and female spade connectors, splices, ring terminals and molex pins. Vans only supply just enough to get the wiring done if you don't make any mistakes.

 

[Bill_H]

Definately all the electrical connectors. But if you are careful, you won't have a problem. Be careful cutting hinge pieces. Look ahead in the plans and lay them out - big pieces first - and you will have plenty left over. Ditto for tubing. I ruined only one part - I countersunk the stall switch mounting plate on the wrong side. $7 part plus shipping, learned my lesson about marking. You will have plenty of rivets. Keep good track of your bolts though. I bought a bunch of extra #6 &#8 plastic washers and used them for all screws on painted surfaces - like wheel pants. Also I used round headed rather than counter sunk screws on the panel attachment so I got a couple of bags of those too - from AC spruce. Doesn't hurt to get a bunch more of the washers #6 &#8 as well (I forget the AN numbers) just so you are not hunting for them. You will have some extra nut plates but not many and none of the special ones like for corners. You will need more tie wraps than vans provides, get those at any hardware store in a variety of sizes. On some of the special purpose screws you will have no extras at all, have a good sorting and labeling system.

 

[yankee-flyer]

Extra plastic brake line, roo

Bill's list is pretty good, but I found out the hard way that there's only enough plastic brake line if you use from both rolls at the same time. If you try to use all of one roll you'll have a piece left that's too short to go anywhere and not enough on the second roll to finish. Aircraft Spruce. Chief, and other supply houses have the same materials once you figure out what they are. DEFINITELY extra electrical connectors of all types if you're like me and too old to squeeze a really tight crimp. A GOOD crimping tool is a good investment, too.

Wayne 120241/143WM

 

[jay.pearlman]

one more for the list

Get the hinge pins that are extruded rather than rolled.
If you have a sliding canopy, get an extra pin block and an extra slider block.

 

[DonFromTX]

Bill is obviously a more skilled craftsman than I, I DID need to get more rivets, and another hinge as well. There ARE ways to screw them up.
Some extra nutplates are recommended as well.

 

[videobobk]

Beyond what has already been said, never order one part at a time. Figure a way to move on, and only order when you need a few parts. Shipping will eat you alive! I would try to join forces with other builders there, or even in NZ to pool your needs and cut shipping costs.

Bob

 

[DaveWelch]

Extra Dimple dies...

Beyond what has already been said, never order one part at a time. Figure a way to move on, and only order when you need a few parts. Shipping will eat you alive! I would try to join forces with other builders there, or even in NZ to pool your needs and cut shipping costs.

Bob

...for a couple of reasons.
First, you'll want to grind off a corner of a male #40 dimple die to dimple nutplates. By "corner" I mean a chordwise 45 degree slice across the bottom of the die cylinder, maybe about 1/3 of the way in from the edge. Without that clearence, the edge of the die wedges against the exterior of the threaded body and puts a sideload against the tip of the die. After the tip snaps off, you'll dimple a few more and wonder why they aren't centered.
Second, like all things round they will fall, roll and lodge in the last place you look. No point in tearing up your hanger (or my basement) looking for the thing rather than building while you await the next delivery.

If not mentioned earlier, I also ended up ordering more coiled aluminum tube for the fuel lines. It took a few "trial runs" to get the hang of tube bending so the lengths would come out right.

Enjoy your project!