Tip Up Side Rail Gap above spacer

[sglynn]

On my RV7A tip up, do I need to remove a 1/16 gap inbetween the bottom of the side rail and the forward spacer on the fuselage?

After much fitting I finally riveted the side rails onto the front canopy frame with the side splice plates. Before riveting the side rails fit down on the two spacers we made which sit on the fuselage canopy deck. But after riviting the side rail hits first at the aft end and doesn't close all the way at the front spacer, near the side splice plate. I have about a 1/16 gap on the pilot side. I can close the gap with pressure down on it. Co-pilot side is okay.

I suppose I could drill out half the splice plate, clamp it tighter down in place and re-rivet. I might have to run the drill thru the holes, but I doubt they would enlarge much. I think this gap is just tolerance play of clecoes in the holes.

I can close this gap with slight down force. So do I need to try and get this side rail to close completely on its own with no down pressure or is a 1/16 gap above the forward spacer okay?

thanks

 

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coin toss but i would address it...

the canopy will move this way and that during fitting but the side rails do get locked in pretty much with the splice plate.

since you are high here it will always be high since the only pressure is at the aft latch... if i were to do it over again i would set the forward shim low a smidgen to help add a bit of pressure when closing.

it probably does not really matter too much since you will use some sort of weatherstrip under the rail but you might fight the latch against over compressing the seal aft to get a positive seal forward.

i would address it before fitting the canopy; although you can do more damage than good screwing with fit it is easy to upsize to -4 rivets after adjustments are made.