Suggestion for RV-4 builders

[svanarts]

Hello RV-4'ers. I just wanted to make a suggestion when building your wings. The reinforced area of the left wing where you step is relatively narrow. If I had it to do over again, I'd order a few extra ribs and double the size of the walkable area on the left wing. I say this because I've just had to repair the top wing skin on my RV-4 which started developing cracks along the rear spar rivet line.

What I did to repair it was to drill out all the rivets out to just past the 5th rib from the inboard end of the wing, I made a new wing skin and made a doubler plate that went under the top skin all the way to the 5th rib. I used the old skin to transfer the holes. Between the 4th and 5th ribs I added to stiffeners riveted through both the top skin and doubler. I then riveted back what I could, most of the rivets ended up being Cherry Max rivets because I just wasn't willing to remove the wing plus the ribs are set up in such a way so that you really have to rivet from inboard to outboard. At least, on my wing they are.

So, that's my suggestion. Either that or make sure your passengers know where to step. No matter what I said they always seemed to miss. I wish I knew this when I was building.