Well today was long day but not much to show for it. I drilled out he nut plates in 20 minutes. After removing the gear weld mount I cleaned off the powder coating on the holes common to the wing attach holes and the gear weld mount. I had some temporary bolts with the threads cut off in the holes through the spar section. I went to test fit the weld mount to see if the powder coating was the only interference issue and found it would not go back in place. I could not see where the interference was; after all it was in there before I removed it. It was then that I found some not so good things. In the side holes it looks as though the lower longer on has flexed up from the surrounding structure. I am not sure what would cause this but it might explain the bent bolts I took out. When I place the mount in place it is too high, the foot of the weld mount sits on the lower longeron, I think it is flexed up high enough that I can’t get the weld mount down enough to get a bolt in place. I am sure with some help I might muscle it in place but then that would be a lot of pre load on an area that will be taking some repetitive impacts during numerous landings.
I called Van’s and they seem just at puzzled as I am and asked me to send them some pictures. I can’t help but feel something is just not right with this kit. You can read about a buckle I found in the lower left part of the F807 bulkhead in an earlier log entry. I was assured this is structurally sound and nothing needs to be done. Now with the weld mount issues, I can’t help but wonder that there is something off with this kit. I am waiting on Van’s to answer my email but at this point I am tired of dealing with imperfections in this kit, I think I would have done better with the slow build.
Five bolts taken out on fuselage side
You can see longeron is higher than doubler plate
I can push it down some but it will take a lot of force to line it up.
