Nov 04, 2022     23-8 & 23-9: Left wing aileron actuation - (2.2 hours)       Category: 23: Aileron Actu

With the left tank finally in place I was able to install the torque tube and finish up the airleron pushrods in the left wing.

Struggled with the torque tube a bit as you have to slide the powder coated ends a bit further into the torque tubes in order to engage the fore and aft bearings. After sanding more primer off the torque tube and finally getting it in place I realized there was too much slop in the torque tube between the bearings. I need to add a washer. Take it apart, install a washer and redo. Faster the second time. With the additional washer on the inside, I'm not getting a lot of thread projection through the nut - not sure what to do about that.

Measured the distance from the rib per the plans and installed the hardware. Torqued the belcrank hardware but held off on the inboard hardware to allow adjustment for final rigging.

11/6: pushrod tube had to come out to give access for bottom skin riveting. Got a little ahead of the plans here.

11/10: realized today just prior to Tech Counselor visit that I had installed the torque tubes backwards. It was apparent because the pushrods were going through the wing at quite an angle. Disassembled, flipped the orientation and re-assembled and re-torqued. Pushrod runs more straight down the lightening hole now. Also resolved the thread projection issue.

  Oct 31, 2022     23-8 & 23-9: pushrod installation - (1.5 hours)       Category: 23: Aileron Actu

Don't have the tanks done yet so can't install the inboard torque tube. Went ahead and installed the pushrods though. It's going to be a lot easier to do this now vs after the bottom skins are on. I've checked as best as I can and I don't there will be any interference. If I have to pull them out later, oh well.

Measured the rough lengths of the main pushrods and the bellcrank to aileron pushrods. Used the outboard RV-14 templates to rig the ailerons to the correct position and then installed the short pushrods and set to final length using the W-730 template. Tightened the jam nuts and torque sealed. Installed final hardware and torqued. Don't think any of it will need to come out again.

Temporarily installed the main pushrods and loosely tightened the hardware. Final install will have to wait for tanks and torque tubes.

  Oct 22, 2022     23-2 thru 23-6: Aileron pushrods and bellcranks - (6.5 hours)       Category: 23: Aileron Actu

Cut the main pushrods to length and match drilled the pushrod ends. Primed the inside of the tube and the ends. I'll let that sit for a couple days to cure.

Cut the shorter pushrods to length. Vans sent alternate pushrods that need to be reamed to 7/16”. I had purchased a reamer from Yardstore specific for this task but as I went to ream them it was apparent that I had bought the wrong size. Ordered the right size.

Move on to the torque tubes. Match drilled and installed the ends into the powder coated torque tube ends. Searched the plans for a while trying to see how long to cut the torque tube to. A 22” tube was provided by no indication of how long to cut it. Quick search on VAF confirmed to just cut it in half. Cut it and inserted into the powder ends. Match drilled to #30 and then upsized to #12 and temporarily installed the bolts. Took everything apart and primed inside and out of all non-powder coated surfaces. Couldn't reassemble after priming and had to take the primer off the ends of the tubes. Installed the AN3 bolts and torqued.

Made a 5/16" spacer out of popsicle sticks and set the clocking and length of the torque tube assembly, careful to make a right and left. Drilled the #30's and upsized to #12s. Will have to wait for tanks to be done to final install.

Cut the big pushrod tubes to length and match drilled the ends. Primed the ends and inside the tube then rivetted together once dry.

Fabricated the aileron bellcrank spacers. Installed the nut plate to the right aileron bellcrank to accommodate the autopilot servo connection. Final drilled all the #12 holes in the bellcranks and permanently installed and torqued.

10/23: Amazon came through with my new reamer this afternoon. Made pretty quick work of small pushrods. Clamped them in the vice and let the reamer do itswork with a good bit of oil.

Drilled the #40 pilot holes in the ends of the pushrods. Then primed them. Inserted the pushrod ends and drilled to #30, cleco'd as I went. Rivets were too long for the squeezer but used the gun against the back-rivet plate and it worked well.