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Bob's RV-8 Build Site
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Date:  9-10-2018
Number of Hours:  2.20
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Left Elevator - Rework

The trim tab spar is riveted in conjunction with the top of the elevator skin and the hinge for the trim tab. When I removed the trim tab spar to change the elevator skin I ended up with several holes enlarged in the hinge portion. They were still usable I guess....but I just didn't like it so I decided to make a new half of the hinge again. Another fact was that the original had about a .250 gap between the trim tab and the elevator trim tab skin where the tabs were bent. The plans call for a minimum clearance of .093, so I just didn't like that large a gap.

The hinge that is used is an MS20257-2 hinge which means the flange part of the hinge is about 3/8 of an inch. I didn't have any more of that hinge available, but I had bought some MS20257-3 that I bought for making the hinge on the avionics access door which has a hinge flange of about 1/2 inch. So rather than order -2 hinge I just trimmed about 1/8 inch from the -3 hinge and made a new hinge to re-install the trim tab. The process of measuring, cutting and finishing the hinge took a little longer than planned but finally was done.

Next I fitted the hinge to the trim tab spar, checked and double checked it with several fittings and finally match drilled it and riveted the hinge, skin and spar together. I put the trim tab on one more time and measured the gap at just about .100....just right!
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Couple holes compromised

Couple holes compromised

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New Hinge in place

New Hinge in place

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"Jimbo" fitted and ready to go

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