Section OP38 Electric Aieron Trim

RV14 Build August

Electric Aileron Trim

Installing the trim was relatively straight forward. First I cut the wing wires to length and re pinned.

After it was pinned I used lacing tape to clean it up.

Then I built the trim motor mount.

Installed the trim motor.

I used a "custom" 12V battery back I made to run the motor to get the arm at 90 degrees. I also previously had bent the arm so that it will hold steel springs off the push rod to help with chafing.

Next I marked on the pushrod the location of the cneter of the arm, then removed the pushrod for drilling.

I drilled and installed the mounts for the spring.

After installing the pushrod I installed the springs on to the trim motor. This is kind of a pain in the ass.

Section OP38 Electric Aileron Trim 6.5 Hours

Section 18 Fuel Tank Repair

RV14 Build September & October   

Fuel Tank

Just to recap, I dropped the wing and damaged the fuel tank and is caused a leak.

Luckily for me the tank was just repaired and the repair patch was right above this, so i drilled it out so i could remove sealant on the inside to reseal. This allowed me to inspect for damage as well and I found what looks like 2 tears in the metal down in that same corner.

I decided I am going to replace the part and possible the aft inboard tank rib as well. First things first, time to drill out the parts, CARFEULLY so I dont mess up the skin.

After drilling out the parts and getting a much better look at the support bracket It doesn't look town afterall and that was surface scratching possible from the plastic scraper I used to dig out the sealant. The skin in the corner where that rivet I drilled out was however was cracked in the dimple so I'm going to drill that up a size and put in an oops rivet.

Primed the new brace, only on the side outside of the tank.

New brace is riveting pro-sealed in and about to get riveted. I didn't need to use the oops rivets after all. But now I have them for the future if needed.

Made sure to tighten the vent line and added pro-seal around the fitting just to make sure incase the rotation loosened the old seal.

I forgot to get sealant between the nose rib and the new brace so I loaded the seam on the inside and outside of the tank to compensate.

Adding sealant to every possible place it could leak.

Sealant is done, just need to cure so I can test it.

Looks like I FINALLY have leak free tank again.

Installing the tank back into the wing. This time I'm not going to worry about the screws on the top of the wing until the wings come out of the cradle for install.

Reinstalled the torque tube and aileron pushrods.

Other end of the aileron push rod.

Fuel Tank Repair 15.0 Hours

Section 18 Fuel Tanks

 

RV14 Build October

Fuel Tanks

To recap. My left wing fuel tanks was leaking when I tested it. I determined it was leaking from between the skin of the Aft inboard tank rib and the VA-141 fuel flange.

Testing the tank.

Leaking.

After talking with Vans they had me ship it back to them and they performed the repair. I received the tank back relatively quickly and tested it again just to be sure.

Matt made a shipping crate out of the crate the wing parts came in, nice to recycle!

The repair patch Van's had to cut and install into the tank.

Not a great picture, but I endescoped the vA-141 flange to see the repair and it looks like they added more sealant around it.

The tank tested well and Liz and I went to install it into the wing. Before I did I was reading in the plans and noticed the wing walk gap is dimpled but the holes in the tank attach bracket aren't. I spoke with Vans and they are supposed to be countersunk , but its not in the plans at all.

Quick countersinking while testing the tank.

There is a lot of screws and torquing the AN3 bolts takes a while, especially when you don't set the torque wrench correctly and strip 2 of the AN3 bolts. But we did it and finally got a working tank installed and reinstalled the push rod.

I got smart this time and installed the torque tube while installing the tank. It is WAY easier this way. I can move the torque tube up and down enough if I take out 1 set of bolts to install any washers that I might need.

This is where things took a nasty turn. I was using a ratchet strap to hold 1 end of the wing in the air while removing the work bench so we could put the wing back into the cradle and the ratchet strap unhooked itself and the wing dropped about 4 feet. The newly repaired and installed tank took most of the impact with the lower arm of the tank attach bracket assembly absorbing most of it.

Obviously my hart dropped with the wing and part of my soul died it felt like. But we removed the tank to inspect it and the wing. Thankfully the tank took everything and the wing looks undamaged. I was able to bend the flange back into alignment where the wing walk skin matched up.

There was 1 rivet in the corner that I was worried about so I drilled it out and re did it. I also added some preseal under the flange before riveting and then sealed the whole area.

After the proseal dried I tested again.......and it leaks. When the flange bend it separated the seal between itself and the skin.

For more on this saga look for the fuel tank repair post.

Fuel Tank 8.5 Hours

Section 24 Wing Tip

 

RV14 Build August

Wing Tip 

The wing tips were fairly easy, I was nervous about them after my not great job on the elevator tips.

First thing you do is trim the edges to 1/2" and make cut outs for rivet heads.

Then you strap the tip to the wing with good pressure to seat the tip and you match drill.

I also used clamps to align the trailing edge.

Then you match drill.

After you drill I drilled the nutplate holes, I should have bought another jig for #6 nutplates, but I did it per the plans and use a nutplate as a guide. Problem is after a few holes the drill bit starts to enlarge the nutplate holes.

These nutplates were a little different becuase the surface beneath them isn't flat. I twisted the nutplate to match the surface in an attempt to keep the thread perpendicular with the outside surface.

I noticed while i was drilling and the tips were clamped that they are a little long.

I was worried about trimming them and having the sides seperate like what happened with the elevator fairings so I built up the inside with 2 layers of fiber and some flox.

Next I started to work on the the nav light covers. These took awhile. Lots of fitting and cutting. I never did find a great tool to cut these with.

I did a big rough cut then traced the cut line and proceed to do more and more trimming till i liked the fit.

Final fit. 1 side is nice and tight, but when i drilled the hole for the nut plate on the other side it pushes the lense forward and off the fairing. Im guessing the wind will get under that and rip the whole thing off. Ill need to remake this most likely or build up the fairing to fit.

Drilling the holes for the Nav lights themselves was simple.

Nav lights work and so does my wiring from the wing root out!

Last thing I did was the trailing edge metal supports. This one one not super happy with, I think I should have pushed it further aft into the trailing edge before drilling. It deforms the fiberglass a bit at the tip, but nothing a good body work can't fix.

Section 24 Wing Tip 15.5 Man Hours