Brief Description: Close Tolerance Bolt fit problem
I removed the forward half of the wing center section as part of the de-assembling process and decided to take a closer look at the the close tolerance bolt fit. When fitting up the main gear weldments, none of the CT bolts came close to being able to pass through the two halves of the center section. I know that the plan is to drive filed down (pointed) hardware store bolts to during the wing installation and then remove one at a time and pound in the CT bolts.
The forward section is made up of two bars, a center web, and two bulkheads on each side. On mine, the web and bulkhead sheet metal are not quite aligned with the bar holes resulting in a small lip that prevents the CT bolts from being able to pass. On some the bolt shank is where it gets hung up and on others it is the bolt threads. Could I pound them though? Maybe, but if these bolts have to pass through the aft center section, the wing spar stub, and then this forward center section I wasn't comfortable with being able to pound these bolts through all of that built up assembly.
Vansairforce has this problem documented and the solution is to carefully sand down or ream the hole enable the bolt to fit. My problem seems to just be this misalighnment of the sheet meta parts with the bars so I am attempting to limit the material removal to the "lip" area.
I also sent an email to Vans tech support to see what they have to say.
