New RV-4 owner gets parts.not plug and play

new wheel paints and leg fairings arrived. Tore open the box with wrenches in hand...have determined wrenches are a little premature....now what? is there a video you would recomend for a new-be for fibergalss work...and please no one respond with. HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT!! that is very appearant and has been done already...any help would be appeciated..

A couple things..

A couple things to mention here before starting your adventure. Depending on vintage and your existing set-up, you will need to know what if any parts you will re-use. original style RV-4 wheel pants vs. current type (pressure recovery) are completely different. If you obtain the build DWGs from Vans for current long gear RV-4s, all the data you need to do it correctly are within the drawings. keep in mind, correct alignment and fair will require the aircraft to be level and off the ground. If not done precisely, you will build in trim issues. Cutting and finishing all the parts takes time to do it right, as well as handforming the intersection fairings using modeling clay and wet-layup fiberglassing process. There are some aftermarket pre-formed intersection fairings available, but even they may take some adaptation skills. Start searching these forums for solutions and guidance. I dont have my build dwgs handy, or I would share them with you now, but as an owner, you should have a set anyway, for more than just this. I'm sure you will see plenty of posts and advice.

Now is also the time to decide if you are satisfied with the standard 5" tires or switching to the 380/150 tires.

Expert help is in your area

If you want some hands on help, Jay Pratt is in Ft. Worth.

https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=202204&highlight=Jay+Pratt

-I find the many builder blogs very helpful. Here’s a great one: http://gikonhome.blogspot.com/2008/11/flying-and-testing.html
-Vince Frazier’s Rocket blog has some specific gear leg fairing info. (As a satisfied customer I’ll also plug Flyboy Accessories. Thanks!).
-DanH, Axel, and others here on the forum have some threads on composite techniques ranging from basic to advanced to “what the what??!!”
-Search the Rocket sub forum for some in depth discussion or 2 on the larger tires.
-I assume you are not the original builder of your -4. I built one of the first -7A’s, but when I recently acquired a -4 I read the -4 sub forum beginning to end. It was an amazing education. For me it amounted to a decades long vicarious life with someone I had just met. My new friend became an old friend in just a few evenings.
Good Luck!

Esmokeshop said:

new wheel paints and leg fairings arrived. Tore open the box with wrenches in hand...have determined wrenches are a little premature....now what? is there a video you would recomend for a new-be for fibergalss work...and please no one respond with. HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT!! that is very appearant and has been done already...any help would be appeciated..

Click to expand...

Fiberglass parts are more tend to be more "builder" portion of the Vans aluminum airplane. Fitting, cutting, trimming, sanding, are all of the art of building experimental airplanes comparing to semi-finished and prepunched aluminum skin. If you aren't familiar, and if help isn't readily available, visit the few local builders and ask how they fitted their fiberglass parts. All the tips and techniques are hard to document in the build log.

thank you all for great insight. just got upper and lowers today from fairings inc.i understand the stiffener which i ordered from Fly Boy... is there any reason people are switching to aluminum with clamps over wood??? still debating on tire size.

Alum/vs wood

I installed wood stiffeners on my -4 during the build, and sealed them on with Proseal, then wrapped with fiberglass cloth to hold it all together. They took a good bit of work, and have been maintenance free..but, the aluminum ones with clamps, look to be a very easy, no mess installation. The true function is to dampen the cyclic rhythm of the spring steel gear, and many different medias have been used successfully. Choose the simplest and make sure you install braided stainless brake lines while your at it, if you haven't already while your that deep into the gear legs and fairings.