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Side step crack!!!!!

RicoB

RicoB

Well Known Member
Yesterday while I was cleaning the belly of my 9 I discovered that my passenger side step is cracked underneath.
Has anyone come up with a fix done in place ?
Is there a way to re-weld in place? I really don’t want to do the surgery to remove it and install a new one. That’s a big process.
I wonder if TIG welding would work or any other way.
 
pretty common problem. Mine had cracks by 100 hours (pass side only). You need to weld in a gusset on the bottom V of the step (can see the gusset on the new step design). Not easy to do in sito. If you do find a welder, be sure he puts in the gussets and used tig or gas (it is 4130). Best to pull it and send it to russ for repair. He is the guy that makes the for Vans and there is a post here with details. His price was fair with a pretty quick turn around, though that was pre-covid. You'll need to strip the paint in the weld area and re-paint when done.

I just cut a square chunk out of the floor and made a cover to rivet in when done. It is not as bad of a job as it seems at first.

Larry
 
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Mine was done in place

I had a local guy on the field weld mine in place. Turned out nice, but my belly skin isn't painted so that wasn't a concern that it may burn the area. He sanded off all the existing paint on the cracked step, welded a backstrap on, and then I primed and painted the step myself.
 
Bad news

I just removed both steps on my 6A this past summer and had Russ weld them up. That guy is pro-professional. Way better than I can do.
I have been welding since I was 13 working on the farm. I have all the equipment too.
I would never try to do it on the plane. Off the plane and under the heat of welding some more cracks showed up.
Although I am lucky as Russ lives 5 miles from my hangar
Bite the bullet and drill out the rivets and pull the steps. You will be happy you did it the right way.
I was able to get a real good job of the repainting when they were off.
Just my three cents worth Art
 
I took mine off (both were cracked at like 150 hours) and sent them to Russ McCutcheon for the modification. Came back looking great! Put them back on the airplane and they have been holding up great over 800 hours since the fix.

There is a thread on VAF with the information on getting them fixed. I don't remember the cost, but it was reasonable.
 
I would thing that a good tig welder guy could fix that in place of course it would burn the paint on that region. I was really hoping not to pull it off but if no luck has been achieved but fixing in place than removing would be the way. Any more pireps would be great.
 
field report

I had the gussets TIG welded on my steps by a local welder, before installation. After welding he properly normalized the welded area by heating it with gas and I cannot imagine how that would be done on a plane. There was also a bit of intricate grinding and fitting to get the gussets ready, which would be hard to do working upside down.
As Larry said, an alternative to removing the entire baggage floor would be to cut an access hole to remove the bolt.
Vans allow pulled rivets to be used on the outside step flange. The remnants of the drilled out rivets could probably be vacuumed through the mounting hole.
 
Welding

There is no demonstrated need for "normalizing" a properly done TIG weld. The step welding can be done in place, a little at a time, with TIG. It requires a relatively skilled welder. The heat affected zone could be as little as 1" in each direction.
Years ago I welded the step on a fabric covered airplane with oxy/acy torch, lying on my back in tiedown area. Easy to do for a skilled welder.
Really just two issues with TIG welding 4130. Slowly heat the area to be welded and at the end of the weld keep the torch almost touching the weld after the arc is terminated until the argon post flow times out. The standard mistake an unskilled welder will make is to yank the torch away as soon as the arc is terminated. That will likely result in air hardening and possible cracking.
 
I will check around WHP if there is a good tig welder and have a chat.

Does anyone have an ideia of the cost to send the step in to get repaired and the cost to get a new one from vans?
 
My passenger side step was cracked within the first 20 hours. I marked the crack, and have since put about 200 more hours on the plane without it getting any bigger despite plenty of use. Maybe I am tempting fate, but I'm going to wait until it gets worse. I do make sure to instruct passengers on the proper way to enter and exit to avoid undue stress.

Chris
 
Same thing happened to me today.

Contacted Russ McCutcheon about repairing my steps (mine don’t have the reinforcing gusset) and he quickly got back to me.

So I’m going to remove the cracked step as well as the other one (not cracked yet) and send both to Russ for repair and reinforcement.

One downside of buying new is you will be trying to match drill through the aluminum skin into undrilled steel versus the normal method during an original install.

Russ’s contact info is easy to find with a search here on VAF.
 
Krea that makes sense. Matching drilling wouldn’t be impossible but it would create a looooot more work.
 
Step

New cost about two weeks ago delivered to TX was $220.00
My step had been damaged by a previous owner when the 6A sunk in soft soil and someone tried to pull it free, looks like that would never be a good idea.
Fortunately the builder put screws in the floor and the side panels.
My plan to match drill is to disassemble the step and match drill the new step, it is damaged beyond meaningful repair.

Exempt but gladly contribute, one of the best investments I make each year.
RV6A
RV6 sadly sold
Jim
 
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Match drilling old step to new

Here is how I match drilled mine, worked great!
I cut off the old flange and matched it up to the new flange. It also help to get the bottom rear corner bend exactly the same. I used that big adjustable wrench for that.

C5163692-FA74-4EFC-AD4D-07792B4C5528.jpg
 
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RicoB said:
Does anyone have an ideia of the cost to send the step in to get repaired and the cost to get a new one from vans?
Click to expand...

A new step kit (step and hardware) from Vans is about $135. The gusset from Vans to repair your old step is less than $10. A handful of structural pop rivets is another $5. The local weld shop will charge you for a half hour labor. Your labor cost is $zero.
I went through this last year, replaced one step and repaired the other.
 
Structural Pop Rivets

My steps are at Russ' now for repair. Does anyone who has completed this know the exact part number for the structural pop rivets to re-attach the steps?...I wasn't sure about the length...
 
My 8A step broke off about 2 weeks ago, fortunately it was in my hangar and sort of slowly folded, so no injury to me or plane. NOTE: unlike all the other pics I see, my break was at the weld where the step meets the 80 degree vertical "post," not at the higher weld adjacent to the fuselage. The plane was painted just 9 months ago, and the crack was detected after the paint, so poor timing on that. But I bought a step from Vans and put the job on the to do list.

I read up here and decided (per A&P's recommendation) to get the help of a capable welder with mobile equipment here in town rather than install the new step I already purchased from Vans. I also inspected the upper weld with flashlight and mirror to see if there was a crack there, but none found. Welder cleaned up and trimmed for fit, and MIG welded the step back onto the vertical. I drilled a new weep hole at the low end of the step. Multiple tests of the step restored my confidence in entry and exit. Then used a silver spray paint I had that is close to the paint shop color and will try to blend better on another day. Tread tape went on a day later with some prewarming of metal and tape. Anyway, the pictures below may be helpful to someone.
 

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mikerkba said:
My 8A step broke off about 2 weeks ago, fortunately it was in my hangar and sort of slowly folded, so no injury to me or plane. NOTE: unlike all the other pics I see, my break was at the weld where the step meets the 80 degree vertical "post," not at the higher weld adjacent to the fuselage. The plane was painted just 9 months ago, and the crack was detected after the paint, so poor timing on that. But I bought a step from Vans and put the job on the to do list.

I read up here and decided (per A&P's recommendation) to get the help of a capable welder with mobile equipment here in town rather than install the new step I already purchased from Vans. I also inspected the upper weld with flashlight and mirror to see if there was a crack there, but none found. Welder cleaned up and trimmed for fit, and MIG welded the step back onto the vertical. I drilled a new weep hole at the low end of the step. Multiple tests of the step restored my confidence in entry and exit. Then used a silver spray paint I had that is close to the paint shop color and will try to blend better on another day. Tread tape went on a day later with some prewarming of metal and tape. Anyway, the pictures below may be helpful to someone.
Click to expand...
Nice job on the repair.

What year is the 8A? Was it stored outside anytime in its life? Looks to have some serious rust on the inside.
 
When I installed my steps I had to bend the heck out of them to make them fit the fuselage curves. So much that I installed them with screws and nuts because I figured even with the gusset at the bottom they would probably break off the top! That is enough for me to have them repaired rather than new if I ever get a crack.

Am I the only one how had to shape the top to fit the fuselage? Maybe I installed them in the wrong spot? They work and after 250 hours, they have no cracks.
 
Cth6 said:
Nice job on the repair.

What year is the 8A? Was it stored outside anytime in its life? Looks to have some serious rust on the inside.
Click to expand...
2006 since construction. I helped the builder a bit since we were in adjacent EAA chapters in NoVA and I was building my first 7A at the time. He kept in hangar for the short time he lived after completion. Second owner in Texas, I dont know how stored. All other times, hangared. Yes, it pretty rusty inside that tube. Welder guru said, "well, we will see..."
 
Steve said:
A new step kit (step and hardware) from Vans is about $135. The gusset from Vans to repair your old step is less than $10. A handful of structural pop rivets is another $5. The local weld shop will charge you for a half hour labor. Your labor cost is $zero.
I went through this last year, replaced one step and repaired the other.
Click to expand...
Anybody know the VA P/N for the repair gusset?

Thx - HFS
 
I understand one of the major causes of step cracking is some kind of harmonic vibration related to prop wash and engine pulses. When I built my -9A i drilled a hole in the outside face of the steps and tapped it for 1/8" NPT. Then I poured in several ounces of lead shot before putting in the pipe plug. All done before painting. The lead shot damps vibration and changes the resonant frequency. I can't say it really helps, but it is cheap and easy to do even on a completed airplane.
 
Doug Rohrer said:
I understand one of the major causes of step cracking is some kind of harmonic vibration related to prop wash and engine pulses. When I built my -9A i drilled a hole in the outside face of the steps and tapped it for 1/8" NPT. Then I poured in several ounces of lead shot before putting in the pipe plug. All done before painting. The lead shot damps vibration and changes the resonant frequency. I can't say it really helps, but it is cheap and easy to do even on a completed airplane.
Click to expand...
There have been numerous speculations/explanation for the crack. One other reason offered is when people exit face aft. When facing aft, one can not control the weight of the person that goes on the step and instead of gently putting the weight and loading the step[ they fall onto it. I always asked my passenger to exit face forward and didn't have any issues with mine for about 800 hours that I owned the plane.
 
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