Attaching nutplates

[1938BF50]

For those of you who put nutplates behind your aileron spars......how did you attach the nutplate to the spar? I see nothing useful in 43.13. Thanx.

[Pearson]

Re: Attaching nutplates

You should have inspection holes on the bottom of your wing to allow access to the forward side of the rear spar.

[1938BF50]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Richard,

Understood....I am talking about the aileron spar. Being able to bolt the fittings to the finished aileron would make covering a breeze.

[Robert Lees]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Mike, if you're talking of installations like this:





In my case ,

I am using aluminium reinforcing plates (0.080") on the new aileron spars instead of plywood.
Floating anchor nuts will be used to permit any tightening of the bolts from the front of the spars, eliminating the need for cutting a hole in the aileron fabric to get a spanner on the nut. Using floating anchor nuts will ensure correct alignment of the bolts.
The aluminium plates will be glued on, in order to eliminate the wood splitting with age around the bolt holes.

Of course, this is not in 43.13. It should be. I'm fortunate in that I'm not bound by its rules.

Rob

[crispy critter]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Cool idea...how did ya secure the plate to the spar?

[Robert Lees]

Re: Attaching nutplates

All from my website http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/Brey_rebuild-Ailerons.htm

I used two-pack epoxy structutal adhesive.

The aluminium plates will be glued on, in order to eliminate the wood splitting with age around the bolt holes.

and

I also drilled 1 mm (0.040") diameter holes through the plates and nail through these holes

Here's the outer aileron bracket attach plate, showing the nails:

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Looks like one of those ideas that should be kept for the day they start production again.
Hank

Come on, we ALL secretly hope SOMEDAY Taylorcraft will be in production again!

[Robert Lees]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Here was the typical result of being able to bolt everything up after spraying. If it needs nipping up in the future (and it hasn't required so, after 500+ hours), then it can be nipped up without cutting the aileron fabric:

[crispy critter]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Rob,that's such an easy sensable idea,it makes everything sooo much easier and looks sooo much better. I always hated the hinge bracket area on the ailerons simply because it's almost impossible to make the covering & paint look nice in those areas. It always drove me nuts! I really hadn't planned on recovering the ailerons on Crispy simply because they didn't receive any damage....now I bet they get recovered,you just cost me more work Rob...thanks a lot,lol.

[Ray36048]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Rob, how do you get a wrench on the bolt head in the lower right? I seem to remember that area is too tight to put a socket on the head.

[1938BF50]

Re: Attaching nutplates

Good point Ray! I came to the same conclusion last night. There is NO room for even a thinwall socket on my center pivot bracket. Plus, how do you get to the bolt under the ball socket? That bolt can't be put in after the bracket is assembled to the spar....at least on my aileron. It is too long to slide in from the right(in Rob's pic above). Rob, how did you do it?

[Robert Lees]

Re: Attaching nutplates

I used a thin-walled socket, and I can't remember how I inserted the ball socket, but I must have done so! Maybe pulled half-way out, there was enough slop to get the socket past...I can't remember.