Can any of you RV builders tell me how I can tighten this nut and
bolt?
No wrenches or sockets I have fit. This is built according to the
plans and with the AN nut and bolt called out in the plans.
I sure hope Van gave a little more thought to assembly when
he designed the later airplanes.
Paul Lamar

Paul,

Try contacting Snapon distribution in Carson City, NV. Cheryl
Borchard.
(775)883-7455 Ext210  E-mail  CherylK.Borchard@snapon.com

Dale Davies

Paul,

What size is the bolt? Somehow I was getting the extra keyboard
features
symbols instead of /?. I think i have it now. Cheryl is at the
distibution
center and can get you in touch with a franchizee. You can then
phone them
to meet if you need to get special tool

It looks to me like an offset or angle wrench would work fine.
Other  suppliers make them also. A crowsfoot socket would also work
if  torqueing is  required.

Dale Davies

1/4 28.

Not enough clearance for a box end wrench. Even Snap ON.
Perhaps a Snap On socket but I have not tried it yet.
I kind of doubt even a snap on socket would fit.

The answer is an NS 12 point bolt and nut.

Paul

Paul Lamar

Paul,

You could take a deep socket that would otherwise fit the bolt, and
then grind away a wide 'slot' near the opening, enough to allow the
socket to fit onto the nut and also allow turning.  Then you could
simply use a ratchet handle to turn it.  The socket might not spring
open too much and allow you to tighten the nut.  You wouldn't need
a thin walled socket either...you could use a very thick walled
socket which would resist springing open since the opening would
allow placing the socket in place.  Yes, you would have to remove
the socket and replace it with each turn...perhaps just use this method
for final tightening.

Gene Kahn
Yes, the 12 point bolts and nuts are a good choice. Just more $.

The wrench for the 1/4 nut is a Snapon VS14B angle open end.

Dale Davies


Isn't that piece of hardware called out in the drawings?

Are you participating on any of the Vans forums?  I'm sure five people would have provided the correct answer within five minutes of posting..  You can use a nom de plume if you are afraid of registering.  Just like I do here..  ;)


Matt-  (or am I?)


Called out as AN. AN has conventional hex heads and lock nuts.

I am not on the Vans forums. I am afraid of saying something bad about piston
engines :) Vans makes money selling Lycomings. I don't think you will get
an objective opinion about rotary engines :) Van used to be pro rotary before
he started selling Lycomings.

What is missing in the plans is a step by step procedure for assembling
the tail. There is definitely a sequence of events that must be followed.
A least I could not find it in the plans.
It may be there somewhere. Also the hole in the side skin is too
small for anything other than a child's hand. RV6 builders say this
problems has been addressed with a larger hole.


In this case if I had attached the two elevators together before putting
on the vertical and attaching them to the horizontal after I installed the
the horizontal it may be easier to tighten the AN hardware with crow's foot wrenches I suspect but I am not sure.

12 point MS is the easy way to do it. That should have been called
out in the plans. There is no downside except slightly higher cost.
It is also better for future repairs.

I have had my share of designing something that nobody could
make or put together :) It is something else an engineer needs to
think about.


Paul Lamar


Paul,

IIRC, I don't have the same clearance problem with that same bolt. I believe the holes were drilled slightly further from the tube on the elevator horns in comparison to yours.

That said, there must be some wrench that could get in there and tighten either the bolt or the nut while you hold the other part of the nut/bolt. Mike Wills managed it somehow.



Brian Trubee

This kit was probably bought about 12 years ago. How old is yours?
Did Van ever publish a fix or update list on the RV4 plans?

I did find a bolt not with a Nylock as called out in the
plans but it had a castellated nut with cotter pin. I am not
sure this was used as I never saw it after Mike put it together.
It was disassembled and all the nuts and bolts put in the
same container. If the vertical was off maybe a crow's foot
would work. I don't have a set of those wrenches.

Paul Lamar


My tail kit is circa 1992. I'll take a photo or measure my elevator horns next time I'm out at the Hangar.

Brian Trubee


Thanks Brian.

Paul Lamar