Riveting wing ribs to the rear spar

crewdog434 · Post by **crewdog434** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:51 pm

Does anyone have an opinion about the way Van's suggests you rivet the wing ribs to the rear spar? The plans call for most of the rivets to be installed with the factory head on the rib flange side. This is fine and dandy except that trying to get a rivet set (even an off-set type) to seat squarely on the rivet head is quite a chore. I can see several "smileys" developing on the sheet metal if I take this route.
Van's indicates that the sheet metal distortion may take place if the shop head is on the rib flange side. I don't recall any issues with metal distortion while assembling the tail sections. Any Thoughts???

Post by **Spike** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 11:03 pm

Hmm, looking at the PP isometric of the wing I wonder if you could get something like a deep throat squeezer on it. I havent gotten to the wing yet so I dont know the dimensions of the spar. However I can see why you would be worried about smileys on rib flanges. I would investigate getting a yoke that would allow you to use a squeezer. It would be really great if you had an air squeezer, if not maybe a fellow EAA'er from a local chapter could loan you one or something.

728GD · Post by **728GD** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:48 am

Spike, you hit the nail on the head. I believe I used a 4" head on my rivet air powered squeezer (one of the best purchases I ever made). That gives you plenty of room and if you get a smile it is because you moved at the last second.