Wing Rib Orientation

[Scott]

Good day All
I think I've got this straightened out in my head but just want to be sure;

There are two basic styles of stamped ribs and they are identified by either 'L' or 'R' in the part number. Each wing has a combination of the two styles, however most of the 'L's are in the left wing and vice-versa for the right. I have a sketch that shows rib locations by part number.

I haven't been able to find a drawing or sketch that clearly identifies the two rib styles, but I've deduced that the L (or left) ribs have the web on the left, flanges right, and the R (or right) ribs have the web on the right, flanges left. I've added a sketch below.

Can someone confirm that I've got this right?
Thanks
S

[Guest]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

Hi Scott.

The last full rib next to the aileron bay on the left wing should give a clue (I think).

That rib should have it's "flat" side outboard and it's concave or flanged side inboard. Does that make sense? I think so.

That rib is p/n 1401-1R, 1402-1R and 1403-1R from nose to tail.

Go to page 23 of => http://www.taylorcraft.org/docs/Tayl...anual_1985.pdf

I think you have it backwards but either way the info above should help settle it.

Dave R

p.s. actually I think that I have it backwards because I forgot p/n 0890-2L which is probably a tail filler and the last aileron bay rib is 0897-1R and has no tail filler

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

While I was tearing down the wings in the hangar for parts I made a drawing to make sure all the parts were oriented right when a new wing is built. Until I can redraw it and post it this is how the ribs are "supposed" to be put in.

FIRST, the root ribs are double with one snapped over the other. On the RIGHT (Starboard or passenger) wing the rib that wraps AROUND the other is the one with the flat face INBOARD. From the rear it looks like [> with the [ TOWARDS the fuselage on its left and the smaller "]" represented by a > INSIDE the "[". Yea, my head hurts too.

Moving outboard (to the RIGHT from the rear on the right wing) 9 of the nose ribs (usually called a "False Rib") are open INBOARD. Ten is open OUTBOARD and 11 through 13 are open INBOARD.

The first full out from the root rib is open OUTBOARD, the third rib out to the inboard aileron rib are all open INBOARD. The aileron rib and the next one are both open INBOARD, the next three ribs are all open OUTBOARD. The next rib (Number 13) is open INBOARD and 14 is open OUTBOARD. Rib 15 is the shorter rib that ends the aileron cove and SOME of them are doubled and some are not (go figure) but all have a flat side towards the aileron and open OUTBOARD or are doubled with the inner rib on the doubled ones INSIDE the inboard rib.

If your head hasn't exploded yet, CONGRATULATIONS! If you are totally confused you will just have to wait for my drawing with all the part numbers and a key at the leading edge showing the orientations.

Just to make it complex (like we need any more complexity the nose parts of the full ribs ARE NOT all the same! Most are 1401-1 R or L, but the 10th full rib (counting from the root including the root) has a 1401-2 R or L nose piece! The aileron cove rear ribs are a mix too, but just wait for the drawing and I will try to take photos of each rib number too.

Now the easy part. The left wing is mirror image.

Hank

Whoever wanted to trade some ribs and tip LE skins for hinge fittings please speak up. I lost your name and email!!!! I have the parts off.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

By the way, this is stamped 15 rib wings only. Thirteen rib wings are nothing like this except for the ones that have stamped ribs (which didn't exist when the 13 rib wings were built originally). My 41 Deluxe has 15 stick ribs but that was only the Deluxe wings unlike the 13 rib wings that are all supposed to be all stick ribs.......but aren't, because you were allowed to repair stick rib wings with stamped ribs!!!!!

Now my head is KILLING me!

Hank

[3Dreaming]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

By the way, this is stamped 15 rib wings only. Thirteen rib wings are nothing like this except for the ones that have stamped ribs (which didn't exist when the 13 rib wings were built originally). My 41 Deluxe has 15 stick ribs but that was only the Deluxe wings unlike the 13 rib wings that are all supposed to be all stick ribs.......but aren't, because you were allowed to repair stick rib wings with stamped ribs!!!!!

Now my head is KILLING me!

Hank

It wasn't just deluxe that had 15 stick ribs. I think any wings built after December 1940 and before the stamped ribs were started had 15 stick built ribs.
I know my 1941 BL-55 that was built in April 1941 had 15 rib wings.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

Only thing that is absolute on a Taylorcraft is you can't say anything is absolute.

Hank

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

It wasn't just deluxe that had 15 stick ribs. I think any wings built after December 1940 and before the stamped ribs were started had 15 stick built ribs.
I know my 1941 BL-55 that was built in April 1941 had 15 rib wings.

15 rib wing were apart of the gross weight increase which only the deluxes had and post war 45's. not to say taylorcraft didn't put them on other airplanes due to finances.

[Guest]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

Hi Scott.

The last full rib next to the aileron bay on the left wing should give a clue (I think).

That rib should have it's "flat" side outboard and it's concave or flanged side inboard. Does that make sense? I think so.

That rib is p/n 1401-1R, 1402-1R and 1403-1R from nose to tail.

Go to page 23 of => http://www.taylorcraft.org/docs/Tayl...anual_1985.pdf

I think you have it backwards but either way the info above should help settle it.

Dave R

p.s. actually I think that I have it backwards because I forgot p/n 0890-2L which is probably a tail filler and the last aileron bay rib is 0897-1R and has no tail filler <= this part is not correct

I have 6 ribs that I removed and marked them with rib location# and wing (L/R).

Comparing the location they came from to page 23 of the parts manual convinces me that my first assertion about part numbers is correct and the post script is wrong.

When looking from the back of the rib to the front the part number gets an "L" designation when the flanges (concave side) face the left.

It gets an "R" when the flanges (concave side) face the right.

I am not sure if that makes the sketch right or wrong because I can't tell the direction of the view.

Dave R.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

15 rib wing were apart of the gross weight increase which only the deluxes had and post war 45's. not to say taylorcraft didn't put them on other airplanes due to finances.

I understand that, but I do know the wings on my BL-55 had 15 ribs. It still had serial number tags attached to the spars that matcmed the airplane.
I imagine that once they started with the 15 ribs all models got them. It would make sense from a manufacturing standpoint.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

Only thing that is absolute on a Taylorcraft is you can't say anything is absolute.

Hank

I can say absolutely that stick built 15 rib wings were used on more than just the Deluxe models.

[Scott]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

Wow I seemed to have opened a can of ribs...

Ok sorry I didn't specify the view on my sketch. Default is always view from behind which is what I sketched.

So with that in mind and based on all the above help, I believe I have the correct orientation. Dave the Page 23 is the sketch I have (though I wasn't aware it came from Taylorcraft).

Piecing everything together, and assuming the root rib is rib number 1, rib number 2 has the flanges pointing outboard, which according the the sketch (left wing) makes it an 'R' rib. The last full rib is rib number 8 and is also an 'R', but it has the 0890-2L doubler which creates the inboard end of the aileron bay.

I updated my sketch

[Guest]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

Wow I seemed to have opened a can of ribs...

Ok sorry I didn't specify the view on my sketch. Default is always view from behind which is what I sketched.

So with that in mind and based on all the above help, I believe I have the correct orientation. Dave the Page 23 is the sketch I have (though I wasn't aware it came from Taylorcraft).

Piecing everything together, and assuming the root rib is rib number 1, rib number 2 has the flanges pointing outboard, which according the the sketch (left wing) makes it an 'R' rib. The last full rib is rib number 8 and is also an 'R', but it has the 0890-2L doubler which creates the inboard end of the aileron bay.

Hi Scott,

I updated my sketch

The ribs that I marked when I removed them demonstrate the opposite meaning than what you wrote. But what you wrote makes sense with respect to the out board aileron rib. The inboard aileron rib could have the doubler on either side and work.

But there is no guarantee that mine were installed properly, but I am not aware of any time that they had been removed.

If I look at my plane now it will be as I interpreted it because I copied what I removed.

I may have a rib with a p/n stamped on it but I can't get to it for a while. Wish we had access to drawings. Maybe another parts book has a clue?

Dave R

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

I will dig through my pile of parts and look at the wings not torn down for part numbers next time out. I know there are PNs on the false ribs (stamped in ink) but don't remember on the large parts in the middle. Unfortunately the only ribs at home right now are for the 45 and they are NOT the same as any other ribs on other Taylorcrafts. I sent photos to Forrest almost 40 years ago and he said they were prototype stamped ribs. NOT like production and may have only been used on two planes.

Hank

[Guest]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

I was looking at the wing drawings in the .pdf file of drawings that was posted a few weeks ago.

http://vb.taylorcraft.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=11820&d=1480961271

After looking I confess that I was holding my ribs upside down (wing tip light wire at the bottom) so that may explain why I see it as I did.

So I think that you are correct Scott.

Dave R

[Scott]

Re: Wing Rib Orientation

Part numbers aside for a minute, I've searched the site and the Web for pictures of assembled wings. What I see is that rib number 2 has the flanges pointing outboard, ribs 3 through 7 flanges inboard and rib 8 flanges point outboard. Beyond that it's difficult to tell except a couple of ribs near the tips.

Anyway what I see in the photos for the first 8 ribs is consistent with the page 23 sketch.

I'm wondering if adequate clearances between wires and structure can be maintained if the ribs are not in the right positions. Perhaps all will become clear as I work through assembly.