Fuselage

Drilling Rollbar Frames ( 4 hrs )

Pre-assembled Outboard & Inboard Straps to Fwd and Aft Rollbar Frame Assemblies per Sect 37-03 Steps 1-6.  Lots of #40 size clecos.   Delayed priming Straps and Window Shims until after drilling and C'sinking.  Lot's of #30 drilling (every #40 hole).  Not enough #30 clecos for every hole, but not required.

Outboard and Inboard Straps cleco'd to Fwd Frame

Aft Frame cleco'd

Window Straps cleco'd to Aft Frame

Drilling #30 holes, replacing #40 clecos.   1/4 remain to do...

Fuselage

Rollover Assembly  ( 1  hr )

Built FWD and AFT Rollbar Frame Assemblies per Sect 37-02 Steps 4 & 5, forty four AN470D4-5 rivets later in Splice plate joining LH to RH rollbars.  Using the Fuse as a jig for the first 4 rivets works great.   Used Main Squeeze for both initial 4 and remaining back on bench.

 

Fuselage

Rollover Assembly  ( 3 hrs )

Cont'd deburring edges of Rollover Frames.  Buffed all w/ scotchbrite, cleaned w/ acetone, then primed w/ Napa 7220 acid etching primer.   Riveted Rollbar Brace Brackets to Rollbar Brace - glad able to use "Main Squeeze" from Cleaveland Tools.  Cleco'd Forward LH & RH Rollbar Frames on Fuse.  Ready to rivet 4 places at center splice plate, then remove to complete riveting.  But it's time to swim instead!

buffed, cleaned

primed

using Main Squeeze

first steps to assembling Rollover Frames

Fuselage

Rollover Structure  ( 4 hrs )

Rotated Fuse back to upright position with Nancy's help.   Per Sect 36-13 confirmed Control Base full Forward and full Aft angles are good as is ( Bearing Bracket stops don't need more filed off - Yay! ).   Forward max measures  15.1 deg vs 13.6 + 3.0 deg,  and Aft  max  measures 27.5 deg  vs 23.5 + 3deg.      [ Note:  Although Aft exceeds by 1 deg, when Elev is connected to pushrod later, expect to confirm Elev control horn limits travel Aft before Control Bases hit their stops.  Sect 36-16, Step 4 states Elev Horn hitting structure in Aft Fuselage should provide travel limits, not the Control Bases.   Previously with Elev assembled on Aft Fuse, needed to file clearance so Elev met those travel limits]  Started Sect 37 Rollover Structure by deburring edges and holes, and dimpling 5 locations.   Long edges, but mostly done.

Fuselage

Aft Pushrod, Wiring Channel, Cable Links to Rudder, Bearing Bracket Stops ( 3 hrs )

Wrapping up several steps from various sections that are best done now prior to re-orienting Fuse to upright position.  Installed Cable Links to Rudder Pedals at Sect 33-12.  Ground Bearing Bracket stops at Control Bases per steps 1-2 at Sect 36-13.  (top ones were "easy" to reach, but bottom was very challenging.  Used mirror to position small file).   Now forward and aft stick movements have contact with stops on both LH and RH sides simultaneously.  Installed Aft Elevator Pushrod to Bellcrank Ass'ly per Sect 36-15.  Riveted in Wiring Channel Ass'ly at front center under dash per Sect 35-10.  

 

Fuselage

Control Sticks Aligned & Brake Lines Leak Tested ( 2 hrs )

Aligned Control Sticks to be parallel w/in 1/8" top to bottom (vs slightly more than 1/4" orig) per Sect 36-14.  Torqued Stick Link Pushrod.  Removed Control Sticks to protect Grips/switches.   Decided to perform leak test of brake lines fittings by using schraeder valve supplied for fuel tank leak testing.  Simply replaced breather fitting on top of Brake Fluid Reservoir.  Used soap bubbles on all brass elbows and compression fittings -- no leaks.   Except at schraeder valve (installed w/o thd sealant to avoid contaminating reservoir).  Convenient since this showed what a leak would looks like (see pic).  Checked by removing plastic plug at bottom of Fuse (at gear leg exit) to confirm air flowing all the way through system.  Moved brake pedals/master cyl's to insure air pressurizing all fittings.  Sure was easier now to check for leaks than discovering once brake fluid added later.  Van's Prod Support said hadn't thought about checking for leaks this way, so I sent pics w/ notes

Control sticks interconnected
and parallel

intentionally not sealed at schraeder valve

plugged end of brake line

no leak

no leak

No leaks at all 8 brass elbows, compression fittings

.

Fuselage

Control Stick Bases ( 2 hrs )

Primed, then finish painted 4 Rudder Cable Links and the Wiring Channel Ass'ly (goes under dash in center).  Installed LH & RH Control Stick Bases per Sect 36-11.   LH side required thin shim to take up space between bearings - otherwise bearings bound up when AN4-37A bolt/nut tightened.  Aaargh...  But the RH side fit perfectly.   Installed the Stick Link Pushrod (ties LH to RH Control Bases for Ailerons).  Very challenging to align for the 2 inner washers....struggled nearly 30 min before success.  Thank you washer wrenches !

Limited access, and hard to see to install washers.
Not tightened yet...  waiting to measure if  joysticks 
will be parallel.   Note the Control Base has already 
been installed with long AN4-73A bolt.

Sweet...LH & RH side connected
 via pushrod (grey bar below)