Aileron control connection screw interference

smithhb · Post by **smithhb** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:59 am

How have others dealt with the interference where the screw that connects the rod end bearing to the aileron "butts" into the top aileron skin....?

I can notch the skin to accept the screw where it extends past the nut but this seems absurd, not to mention ugly. Cutting the screw down is possible but undesirable as it will make a tricky installation even more difficult.

Post by **Spike** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:31 am

Err, umm, Ill check drawings when I get home (have not gotten my ailerons done yet) but are you sure that is the right hardware?

Spike

smithhb · Post by **smithhb** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:36 pm

Spike,

Yeah, the hardware for the ailerons comes in it's own labeled bag...

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:46 pm

Seems to me that should be a bolt, not a screw...that's the way they are on the 7 anyway...

smithhb · Post by **smithhb** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:57 pm

Yeah, it is supposed to be a screw. The powder coated bracket is dimpled for the screw. It needs to be flush to allow clearance for the flap which, as you can see in the photo, is touching the head of the screw.

Chad, this is apparently one of the many improvements Vans has made over the -7....NOT!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:00 pm

smithhb wrote:Yeah, it is supposed to be a screw. The powder coated bracket is dimpled for the screw. It needs to be flush to allow clearance for the flap which, as you can see in the photo, is touching the head of the screw.

Chad, this is apparently one of the many improvements Vans has made over the -7....NOT!

I've been over to Carl's house to see his wings come together, and there is almost nothing common between the two wings (7/9).

Have you sent Van's the pic?

dons · Post by **dons** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:35 pm

This is a completely uneducated guess at what was intended, but could it be Vans expected the part of the screw that extends beyond the nut to just clear the inside of the skin, i.e. is there any adjustment room to have that happen and push the whole assembly a little farther inside the structure. The fact there is a notch that looks like it was put there to clear nut suggests there should be only a small clearance from the screw extending through the nut to the inside of the skin. The 7 is different, so I really don't have any idea.

smithhb · Post by **smithhb** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:55 pm

I spoke with Ken at Van's today and he suggested I either file a notch in the skin for the screw or cut the screw down with a Dremel and file the end to allow the nut to start. Apparently, the only screw with enough shank ended up with too much thread. Therefore, the Van's philosophy reigns..."Make it work".

What kills me is that whenever I call Van's tech support, no matter what issue I bring up, they all act like they have NEVER heard of anyone having that problem. Just once I would like to hear, "Yeah, we know about that and here is what we suggest you can do...".

Post by **Spike** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:22 pm

I might have to change that up when I get there. That too me seems somewhat unacceptable.

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:57 am

We have a flying 9A out at O27. I'll try to snap a picture when I'm out there this weekend to see what he did.