wing rib material

[VictorBravo]

Re: wing rib material

Larry,

Could you simply put a spacer or series of spacers between the root end of the tank and the butt rib, preventing the fabric from pulling the rib outward? Short lengths of aluminum tube glued to the tank wall at the locations of the rib pieces might do just fine??

[Tyler AK]

Re: wing rib material

So, here we are with pre-war aircraft looking for ribs or at least repair material. Repairing old ribs is a tedious chore. What about working with an existing parts maker to get an stc'd/pma'd truss style rib made from extruded aluminum? There are suppliers of this type rib for the cub. I had a sample made by a supplier back East, the price was very acceptable for a brand new rib. The part seems stronger and more corrosion resistant.
If a number of us got together and pre ordered the parts, it might be worth a parts maker's effort to go through the process to obtain FAA approval.
Think about it, with upgraded parts, maintenance and a rebuild every couple decades; we could force the FAA to regulate a fleet of 100 year old airplanes.
I'd like my 1941 to see 2041.

[astjp2]

Re: wing rib material

No heat treat, no hammer, the ribs are too soft. Just get the repair kit, its the correct alloy and use pop rivets. Its quick and easy and just as strong. Lets not reinvent the wheel here folks. Someone as already engineered this fix, now has anyone looked at piper for a repair kit? They used to carry them for the cub/pacer line of aircraft. Tim

[Forrest Barber]

Re: wing rib material

Remember the rib stitching transfers that tension load from the top of the rib to the bottom & vice vs. . The stamped rib uses the wires that keep the loads on the top or bottom they do not transfer. No real point just a reminder. The rib stiching is not approved for the stamped rib. Could be!

[jawinn]

Re: wing rib material

That's one good reason to keep it all pre-war. A row of rib wire amongst all that rib stitching would just be tacky

[mike lutz]

Re: wing rib material

I have seen Tri-pacer ribs cut apart and used for repair splices on the pre-war ribs.They fit over the t-craft ribs like a glove
Mike

[Larry Lyons]

Re: wing rib material

Next question, although I will get with my IA for his approval before doing any riveting, (I have his blessing for my methods up to this point, but he is 25 mi. away and you guys are here) are there any blind rivets approved for this job or are standard rivets the only ones I can use? Larry

[VictorBravo]

Re: wing rib material

Check with Rob Lees. If I'm remembering right, during the restoration of an airplane he did, the "standard" Taylorcraft steel hollow rivets had caused significant corrosion in the aluminum after 60 years. He had to drill all of them out and replace with aluminum solid rivets, after having to deal with corrosion.

I REALLY think that the solid aluminum AN rivet would be a far superior way to go, probably stronger, will not corrode your aluminum parts, never come loose, etc.

A simple hand rivet squeezer should be able to get in between the rib pieces, meaning you don't have to use a rivet gun. Those little hand squeezers work just great on the 3/32" rivets. You'll likely be using AN470AD3-3 rivets, which are a joy to work with using one of those squeezers.

[jawinn]

Re: wing rib material

My thoughts were to use the hand riveter and a universal rivet set in both sides to make the shop head domed as well. A little grinding on the sides of the rivet set and you'd have no inteference with the rib material.