Van's Air Force
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Wing removal
- Thread starter usgeese
- Start date
Kyle Boatright
Well Known Member
Basically, it is a reversal of the installation process. Here are the basic steps:
1) Remove seat pans.
2) Remove wing/fuselage gap fairings.
3) Disconnect the aileron push-pulls under the seat pans.
4) Disconnect fuel lines, vents, etc. which go out into the wings.
5) Disconnect electrical connections leading into the wings.
6) Remove main spar attach bolts and rear spar attach bolt. Make sure to support wings as final main spar bolts are removed. Also, a partner to support/jiggle the wings may assist in removing some bolts. Note, removing these bolts will take hours - they are a tight fit in a tight working space.
7) Support wings while you slide the spars out of the fuselage. This step is at least a two person job. Everything else can be done by one person.
1) Remove seat pans.
2) Remove wing/fuselage gap fairings.
3) Disconnect the aileron push-pulls under the seat pans.
4) Disconnect fuel lines, vents, etc. which go out into the wings.
5) Disconnect electrical connections leading into the wings.
6) Remove main spar attach bolts and rear spar attach bolt. Make sure to support wings as final main spar bolts are removed. Also, a partner to support/jiggle the wings may assist in removing some bolts. Note, removing these bolts will take hours - they are a tight fit in a tight working space.
7) Support wings while you slide the spars out of the fuselage. This step is at least a two person job. Everything else can be done by one person.
pierre smith
Well Known Member
Hi Chuck...
...you'll need saw horses or similar to support the wingtips as you remove the wing attach bolts.
First, drain the fuel tanks and remove the wing root fairings. Remove the floorboards under the seats to expose the attach bolts. You'll see 16 or 17 bolts along the top of the spar and a matching number along the lower spar cap...all these have to come out, plus one 1/4" bolt attaching the rear spar to the fuselage.
Removing the flaps and ailerons is recommended, since you're shipping...wrap and store them. If there is wiring for nav/strobe/landing and taxi lights, either label and cut them or if there's a plug-in, disconnect them.
The big bolts in the center splice can be a bear to remove but squirting some penetrant will help and an impact driver, like a rivet gun on the head of the loosened nut will help while you rotate the bolt.
There is also a leading edge bolt that supports the inboard end of each fuel tank that needs unbolting.
Best,
...you'll need saw horses or similar to support the wingtips as you remove the wing attach bolts.
First, drain the fuel tanks and remove the wing root fairings. Remove the floorboards under the seats to expose the attach bolts. You'll see 16 or 17 bolts along the top of the spar and a matching number along the lower spar cap...all these have to come out, plus one 1/4" bolt attaching the rear spar to the fuselage.
Removing the flaps and ailerons is recommended, since you're shipping...wrap and store them. If there is wiring for nav/strobe/landing and taxi lights, either label and cut them or if there's a plug-in, disconnect them.
The big bolts in the center splice can be a bear to remove but squirting some penetrant will help and an impact driver, like a rivet gun on the head of the loosened nut will help while you rotate the bolt.
There is also a leading edge bolt that supports the inboard end of each fuel tank that needs unbolting.
Best,
Jerry Cochran
Well Known Member
Splice Plates
You will have 4 steel "Splice Plates" that join the wing spars in the center. Be sure they are marked as to orientation or the new owner may be confused. They look identical but are not because they have been matched to the spars.
Be gentle with removing the bolts. Use brass punches of proper diameter if available maybe at big box. Ditto on penetrant. However your buyer might want new spar bolts unless yours are perfect. Van's says this is critical.
You will have 4 steel "Splice Plates" that join the wing spars in the center. Be sure they are marked as to orientation or the new owner may be confused. They look identical but are not because they have been matched to the spars.
Be gentle with removing the bolts. Use brass punches of proper diameter if available maybe at big box. Ditto on penetrant. However your buyer might want new spar bolts unless yours are perfect. Van's says this is critical.
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My understanding is the bolts are one time use only. Mine actually have little plastic caps on them to make sure the threads don't get scratched prior to install. Once they've been torqued (and thus stretched) they're done. Personally I would smash them with a hammer to make sure they don't find their way back in. New ones are cheap insurance.
presidio
I'm New Here
This fellow's information might be of interest to at least a few other folks (me, for one). It would be nice if he would share his recommendations in the forum. Would you suggest that to him, please?
Wing removal 6A
For the time before my wings went on permanent and the couple of time they came off and on during construction, I made up a set of false spars from wood planed to the correct thickness. Allowed me to attach the landing gear with the wings off as well as providing lift-points during some moves of my own.
My false spars have been to a couple of other builders - I'll loan them to anyone willing to pay the shipping.......
I have pictures too......
For the time before my wings went on permanent and the couple of time they came off and on during construction, I made up a set of false spars from wood planed to the correct thickness. Allowed me to attach the landing gear with the wings off as well as providing lift-points during some moves of my own.
My false spars have been to a couple of other builders - I'll loan them to anyone willing to pay the shipping.......
I have pictures too......
The other folks here gave you good advice, so I'm just going to vent my $0.02 worth. You're very lucky you have a -6 versus a -6A. Not only will you be able to remove your wings without taking the weight off the main gear, but you won't have the main gear weldments to work around. I just finished a long, excrutiating process installing all 72 bolts, most of which pass through the gear mount. That weldment is designed to make installing those bolts something akin to torture. Not only will you assume an undignified pose inside the aircraft, but you will wish your arm could bend in several places it cannot. If somebody told me I would have to remove my wings (like a friend had to do), I think I would light the RV on fire. But that's just me.
Jerry Cochran
Well Known Member
Wait till you have to torque those same bolts. Make anyone with sensitive ears leave the vicinity...
MontanaMike
Well Known Member
Wing Removal.
Manual trim cable is through one spar on my 6
That will be point of origin on my fire.
Do I have to say just kidding?
Manual trim cable is through one spar on my 6
That will be point of origin on my fire.
Do I have to say just kidding?
