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Wing/fuselage intersection fairing

C

carl nank

Well Known Member
I have reviewed the threads and cannot find anything regarding my problem. Also I do not live anywhere near another RV to be able to visit and see how things are assembled.

I have trimmed my wing fairings and tried to install the rubber that goes between the fairing and fuselage. While it is posible I need to trim a slight bit more, I am having trouble as the curve of the fairing/rubber, goes around the forward curve of the wing.

For one thing, there is no support in that area for the fairing. When assembling it, as you push down, the fairing wants to go down too far and when I pull it back up the rubber piece that is directly against the fuselage wants to flip down while the aft part of the rubber I have curled up ( which I think is the way to try to get it to go).

Let me go to questions if I can properly describe in word what would be simple in a picture.

1. I have the rubber mounted on the fairing with the stub of the rubber that pushes against the fuselage, on the bottom. I am trying to mount the fairing so the stub will curl up as I push down to install screws into the fairing.

2. Is that the correct way to mount the rubber or should the rubber tip be on the top side of the fairing so it is straight accross (flat) on top?

3. is the rubber part that rubs against the fuselage supposed to curl up or down?

I appreciate your help and a picture would be great.
 
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It sounds like you have your rubber upside down. If you look at the rubber in cross-section, the longer section of it is to go on top. When it is in place, the rubber should curl slightly up against the fuselage. If you have the rubber in position as described and you are having trouble with the leading edge of the fairing making a nice even curve, you may need to widen the gap between the fairing and the fuse. As I recall, my gap was in the order of 1/4"-5/8" and it worked out well. I would trim just a bit and then try fitting it again. Don't over trim that gap or your rubber will not stay in place well.

Hope this helps
 
Rubber strip

I installed the rubber strip with the 'flat' on top. The edge touching the fuselage should curl up. Ideally it should look like you smeared a fillet of black stuff between the wing and fuse with your finger. Don't have any pics handy.
 
You've got the rubber strip upside down. The flap that goes against the fuselage should be on top and it will curl up against the fuselage. It can be a bit of a pain to install--sometimes it seems like an extra set of hands would be good. Sorry, I don't have a photo handy......

EDIT: Wow, three replies at the same time! :D
 
That was fast!

Thank you for the replies!

3 out of 3 say my rubber strip is upside down. Sounds unanamous.

Thank you all for the advice. I will do it that way.
 
Take it easy this is one of the artsy parts

When the closure strip is laying flat on a table with the part of the rubber strip that will be visible the surface should be flat across just a little higher than the wing skin. The molded bump or ridge should be on the bottom. The installation has to be made progressively keeping the metal closure strip flat and reasonably close to the fuselage. You can use 1/8" clecoes to hold it in the platenuts as you work it around. The the thin part of the rubber flap that extends from edge of the closure strip should form a filet web between the edge of the strip and the fuselage. The shape of the rubber will be a pleasant curve that you would instinctively expect between the wing and fuselage that will be a positive barrier against air entering that area for most of the run of the rubber (everyhere the wing and fuselage form a "T" intersection - my plane is an RV-6A and at the rear on the bottom rubber flattens out where the bottom of the wing and bottom of the fuselage are in line instead of the "T" like intersection). You are right that there is no obvious hard mechanical support where the closure strip wraps around the front of the wing but as you wrap the strip around the rubber will flare back out of the joint and provide some support - the greater support however will be from the "U" shape of the the metal strip and the wing. You NEVER want to push the metal closure strip into the opening between the fuselage and wing so that the rubber goes past center and gets locked into the joint rather than out of it. This installation requires some craftsmanship to work it out but it is very good once you get it done. It will not collapse into the opening in flight. The only problem I experienced was the rubber coming out of the joint on top of the wing at the rear during a very highspeed pull-up. I then glued the rubber in place with 3M weather strip adhesive and that problem was solved.

Bob Axsom
 
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Thanks to all

I installed the right wing fairing today and everything all of you said is true. It looks real good except one spot, about 4" long, on the top of the fairing aft of the fuel tank, where I obviously need to take a little bit more off of the aluminum as it is too tight to the fuselage.

I will do that and then it will look great!

thank you all for your help.
 
It doesn't get any better than that

It is such a pleasure to see someone like you overcome a challenge like that. Thanks for the feedback.

Bob Axsom
 
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