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Where in the plans is aileron hinge alignment?

RVFan671

Well Known Member
Trying to validate my RV-4 rigging and my plane was built in 91. I have the flash drive plans for the -4 and would like to know where I can find a picture and the process similar to what is found in post #4 of this thread.

I’ve been using a laser across the tooling holes and want to validate I’m looking at the right tooling holes. I will build the jig if I can find the instructions in the plans with your help.
 
You may be looking in the wrong place. On my -6A, the instructions and sketches were in the builders manual of instructions.

Also, in these early days, one of the crates that Van shipped had a full scale stencil of the wing cross-section. We were directed to cut this out and place it around the wing & aileron. This positioned the aileron-to-wing alignment. At this point the aileron hinges could be drilled.

In my opinion, using the tooling holes also provides another check that everything is aligned properly.

I ended up making two plywood templates. This allowed me to support each end of the aileron as I was aligning everything. Later in the build process, having two templates allowed me to check the alignment of both ailerons and find and hold the "neutral" position as I positioned the stick and associated push-pull tubes.

I have used these two templates to check the aileron alignment on numerious RV's that had rigging issues.
 
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Another thing to look at

I assume your checking rig of your flying -4 because of trim issues? As you know, the -4 had zero predrilling of parts, and the builder had to do best effort to get it right. I built mine, and somehow managed to get the aileron hinge (on the aileron) miss-drilled by about 1/16" vertically different on the outboard end of the L/H aileron. I didn't notice it until after I painted the plane and when standing behind looking at it, the gap was slightly off between aileron and wing skin. I flew it that way, and chased a heavy wing for a while. Replacing that hinge with a correctly drilled one fixed the heavy wing. As others mentioned. most of us used the plywood airfoil template as described rather than tooling holes for initial alignment. I have attached a picture of a picture of mine during build pre-internet/digital picture days the part attached with bolts/nuts is what I'm referring to and it has more relevance than the actual riveted part on the wing ribs.
 

Attachments

  • AIL hinge.jpg
    AIL hinge.jpg
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You may be looking in the wrong place. On my -6A, the instructions and sketches were in the builders manual of instructions.

Also, in these early days, one of the crates that Van shipped had a full scale stencil of the wing cross-section. We were directed to cut this out and place it around the wing & aileron. This positioned the aileron-to-wing alignment. At this point the aileron hinges could be drilled.

In my opinion, using the tooling holes also provides another check that everything is aligned properly.

I ended up making two plywood templates. This allowed me to support each end of the aileron as I was aligning everything. Later in the build process, having two templates allowed me to check the alignment of both ailerons and find and hold the "neutral" position as I positioned the stick and associated push-pull tubes.

I have used these two templates to check the aileron alignment on numerious RV's that had rigging issues.

I assume your checking rig of your flying -4 because of trim issues? As you know, the -4 had zero predrilling of parts, and the builder had to do best effort to get it right. I built mine, and somehow managed to get the aileron hinge (on the aileron) miss-drilled by about 1/16" vertically different on the outboard end of the L/H aileron. I didn't notice it until after I painted the plane and when standing behind looking at it, the gap was slightly off between aileron and wing skin. I flew it that way, and chased a heavy wing for a while. Replacing that hinge with a correctly drilled one fixed the heavy wing. As others mentioned. most of us used the plywood airfoil template as described rather than tooling holes for initial alignment. I have attached a picture of a picture of mine during build pre-internet/digital picture days the part attached with bolts/nuts is what I'm referring to and it has more relevance than the actual riveted part on the wing ribs.

I used the self cutout wing template that came in the lid of the larger wing kit box for my RV-6 that Noelf talks about when I built my RV-6.

The RV-8 manual says to use the tooling holes in the ribs and ailerons as an alignment for the wing. On the RV-8, I used BOTH the RV-6 wing plywood template from 30-years ago. (Yes I saved it that long.) I also made the jig described in the RV-8 manual that lines up the tooling holes in the ribs and aileron. Both methods gave the same result on the RV-8.
 
Which tooling holes in aileron?

So which tooling holes in the aileron are you lining up with the wing rib holes? Looking at the attachment in the reply above, there are 3 tooling holes on the aileron. One in front of the hinge (mostly covered up in his photo but you can see it in the picture I am posting in this reply. Or the two holes behind (aft) the hinge?

I didn't build the jig and that is what I'm looking for instructions on how to build it so if someone can PM or post it here I'd appreciate it. What I did was line my Lazer up with the wing rib tooling holes and the trailing edge of the aileron. I thought I need to match to the tooling hole in front of the aileron hinge but I don't know because I don't have the instructions (even if they are for a -6 or -8 and not the -4). This side is for sure low and I want to adjust it, properly. I have to slot the hinges, find the right spot after test flights and I will then copy over to my new no hole hinges.
 

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From RV4 Drwg. 14 - circa 1984 S/N 1136

Here's a pic of the aileron to wing position specs.

It would appear from your photo that your aileron end ribs have been transposed left to right, as the forward tooling hole position looks incorrect. The ribs are not symmetrical - there are lefts & rights, and it would appear yours are installed at the wrong ends for using the tooling holes as a guide for positioning.

I may be wrong (and usually am), but that is what it looks like to me, having already done this install several times.

HFS
 

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  • RV4 Drwg. 14 - Aileron .jpg
    RV4 Drwg. 14 - Aileron .jpg
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Here's a pic of the aileron to wing position specs.

It would appear from your photo that your aileron end ribs have been transposed left to right, as the forward tooling hole position looks incorrect. The ribs are not symmetrical - there are lefts & rights, and it would appear yours are installed at the wrong ends for using the tooling holes as a guide for positioning.

I may be wrong (and usually am), but that is what it looks like to me, having already done this install several times.

HFS

I guess I'm in "guess and check" land then... if I lay a straight edge on the wing and over the entire aileron, should the aileron be on the same plane (touching straight edge along its full length) when aileron is neutral and parallel to wing wing top skin? That is maybe my only hope of some confirmation on alignment if the builder did mix up the ribs.
 
Get full scale paper template from Van's

I would not rely on tooling holes.
I too made a 3/4" particle board template. Carbon paper between full-scale drawings and board.

If you don't have full scale drawings, it should be possile to blow up the USB stick drawings.

Actually, I think I bought the full-scale paper template from Van's. Check with Van's order dept.

Finn
 
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