I'm planning on building an RV-7 so I asked the 7 guys what they would do differently. I built an RV-4 so someone asked me to post here what I would do differently if I were to build my RV-4 again so here it is:
- Install RV-6 fuel tanks rather than the stock RV-4 tanks. That's an extra hour of fuel. Would come in handy out here in the west. It's not a bolt on replacement, you'd have to order the RV-6 fuel tank parts and then cut your wing to suit. You'd probably only need the 6 tank skin and a couple of extra nose ribs.
- Completely finish and paint the plane before flying. Get the fiberglass all done and paint everything as you go along if possible. At the very least get all the fiberglass done and primed before you fly. It's been two years and I'm still trying to finish my plane.
- Manual flaps from the start. I ripped my electric flaps out after the motor started smoking.
- Doug Bell tailwheel. Van's stock tailwheel will catch on almost anything. The Bell tailwheel is a nice piece of work.
- Rear seat footwells a la RV-8. The pax feet can get awful sore without these.
- Electric elevator trim. That manual trim cable is heavy and bulky. I'm retrofiting an elect trim system now.
- 180 motor and CS prop. Go this route and you will have NO CG problems.
- Dynon FlightDEK 180 or ACS3500. Minimal steam gauges.
- Minimal instrumentation. Basic flight instruments and a Rocky Mountain MicroMonitor. Saved weight.
- No fancy upholstry. Just cushions, no fabric on the sides. Saved weight.
- Combo strobe/Nav lights with rear pos lite on the wing tips. Keeps more weight out of the tail.
- Single point ground.
- MicroAir radio and transponder that fit the 2.5 in instrument hole. Great little radio.