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Joe's Finish Kit Hints

Mich48041

Well Known Member
Disclaimer: Below are notes that I wrote to myself on the plans in case I ever wanted to build another RV-12. I advise you to follow the plans exactly.
Page 31-02 Step 1: It is better to make F-1270C slightly small to avoid interference with side skin.
Page 31-04 Step 5: Caution: Reversing polarity will destroy fan motor! Look for flow direction arrows on fan.
Page 31-04 Step 6: Consider using a shorter mounting screw that only holds the lower mounting ear against the panel bottom. Then the screw can be tightened securely to ensure a good electrical connection without fear of breaking a fan mounting ear.
Page 31-07 Step 3 (Rev 1): Drill hole for autopilot disconnect switch to 7/16".
Page 31-09 Step 9: Cut wires about 30" long.
Page 31-10 Step 5: Use an Easy-Out to hold jack while tightening nut.
Page 31-11 Step 0: Do step 4 on page 32-05 FIRST.
Page 31-11 Steps 7 & 8: Wait until 32-11 Step 2
Page 32-03 Figure 3: De-Burr inside of handle for insertion of VA-110 (Page 32-07 Step 12.) If necessary, file top and bottom slots to make them plumb with each other and in alignment with F-1266A on page 32-07.
Page 32-04 Step 3: Do page 32-05 step 7 before final tightening of bolt.
Page 32-05 Step 5: Try doing step 6 before step 5, if easier. Make sure that paint does not interfere with inserting bolts AN3-10A and AN4-25.
Page 32-06 Figure 1: De-burr ends of AN490HT11P-SDM with scotchbrite wheel
Page 32-06 Step 4: WD-1215L&R will be removed on page 32-10 step 5.
Do not fully torque nuts.
Page 32-06 Figure 3: For easy insertion of bolts, remove paint with #12 bit, 4 places per WD-1215 arm. Temporarily use extra washers under nuts so that you will not have to rotate nuts as many times, 2 places each arm. Arms will be removed on page 32-10 Step 5.
Page 32-07 Step 12: Do NOT press the VA-110 onto the end of the Fork Assembly because you have to take it apart again on the next page. Polish the OD of the fork assembly tube until it slides into the VA-110. Polish the VA-110 aft ring so that it slides into the flap handle.
Page 32-08 Step 2: Caution, when tightening AN515-848 screws that hold the F-1266A Detent Bracket, make sure that VA-110 is centered and inside of flap handle (or else parts could be bent).
Page 32-08 Step 3: Flush is perfect. But if not, it is better that the F-1260A is slightly short rather than slightly long. And it is better that the VA-110 is slightly less than flush with the end of the flap handle rather than slightly outside. You want to make sure that the VA-110 never comes out of flap handle which would make it impossible to press the button.
Page 32-10 Step 1: Error on the drooping side because the PAP says, "Place flap handle in "retracted" position and have a helper hold the left flaperon trailing edge in line with tip trailing edge. Verify right flaperon trailing edge is 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch below the trailing edge of the wing tip."
Page 32-10 Step 4: By "one side only", it means one side of torque tubes.
Page 32-12 Step 4: It is not necessary to clamp the links to the horns. Just pull the links tight one at a time & mark the holes.
Page 32-12 Figure 4: When completed, the center of the holes were exactly 2" apart on the left link and 1" apart on the right link.
Page 32-13 Figure 3: If the holes in F-1250 are too small, use emery cloth.
Page 32-14 Step 2: Use string tied to wooden dowel to fish cable.
Page 33-03 Step 5: Align both holes and insert both screws before turning on nuts.
Page 34-02 Figure 4: I count 7 holes in C-1203B.
Page 34-05 Detail C: Make sure there is at least 1/8" gap. This gap gets smaller when the rear of the canopy is raised 3/4". If the gap is too small, the canopy will bend the upper forward fuselage skin when the canopy is raised.
Page 34-07 Step 4: My WD-1218 tube was too short. Adjust handle up & down to achieve 3 13/16" spacing.
Page 34-10 Figure 2: It says to see text about the spacer but I could not find the text.
Page 34-12: Be careful tightening screws into the roll bar. The threads will strip easily.
 
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Joe's Hints Sections 35 through 46

Disclaimer: Below are notes that I wrote to myself on the plans in case I ever wanted to build another RV-12. I advise you to follow the plans exactly.
Page 35-03 Figure 1: AN816-4D is blue. F 179CA-4-2 is brass.
Page 35-03 Figure 2: Temporarily use 1/4" bolts 3" long to hold parts in place. Ream holes to clean out paint. Make sure that holes in wear plates align with brackets before assembly.
Page 35-06: Rivet the engine mount brackets with 8 each of CS4-4 if not done on page 22-02.
Page 37-02 Step 1: Countersink deep enough so that T-407 & T-1202 fit together with no gap between them.
Page 37-02 Step 3: Parallel does NOT mean in line with, just parallel.
Page 37-06 Step 2: Do not spend too much time on this. Proseal will fill the gap.
Page 37-07 Step 5: You WILL have to remove the T-1211 Fuel Neck Flange several times in the future. Make sure that it does not adhere to the Turtle Deck Skin! Test your release agent on scrap first to make sure that proseal will not stick to it. Oil did not work for me. Make sure all screws fit and align before using sealant. Cover the fuel tank to protect it from drips and to prevent fasteners from falling into the crevasses.
Page 38-03 Step 3: Bend all hinge pins first, then cut to length.
Page 38-07 Step 6: Leave a 3/16" lip along inboard (top) edge.
Page 38-08 Step 3: Make sure to align the camlock receptacles as shown so that the handles will be aligned with the slipstream. A special tool is required to compress the camlock spring while inserting camlock into hole.
Page 38: Use extra 0.040" spacer similar to VA-263C if necessary. Remove enough fiberglass to allow hinge movement.
Page 42-02 (Rev 0): It is a good idea to elongate the trim pot hole upward in the cover if it can be done without damaging the board or getting filings on it. Without an elongated hole, the board will have to be removed to adjust the pot.
Page 42-04: The Dynon D-180 mounting tray needs to be EXACTLY level in order to center the inclinometer ball. Even a few thousandths off will make a difference. There is no way to make an adjustment later. Make sure the airplane is level and then make sure the mounting tray is level before drilling.
Page 42-04 Step 5: Be very careful putting the screws in the control board. The screws go into aluminum circuit board standoffs whose threads strip very easily. Grease the screws and only use half of the torque that you think is necessary.
Page 42-11 Figure 2: DG8 clamp is too small for wires. DG10 is better.
Page 45-05: Notice that the female fast-on connectors have locking tabs that must be depressed if it is ever necessary to remove connector from plastic part #965 335.
Page 45-07: Make sure that the "ES Diode Master" is installed correctly or the control board will be damaged. It would be a good idea to check out the diode with a meter to make sure that is a good part and marked correctly.
Page 46-02: Do not drop fasteners. The alternator has powerful magnets that will ingest parts, necessitating disassembly.
Page 46-03: Before making any adjustments, remember that the engine ran just fine at the factory.
Page 46-03 Step 5: Do not disconnect the ignition module form the intake manifold.
Page 46-06 Step 6: Put in 2 bottom bolts first.
Page 46-09 Step 7: Do step 9 first. Consider taking apart the black hose. Put a rag over the engine to catch any dropped parts.
Page 46-09 Step 9: Be careful when tightening the banjo bolts. They are expensive.
Page 46-16 Step 2 Figure 2: Heat plug with torch if necessary to break Loctite.
 
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Joe's Hints Sections 47 through 50

Disclaimer: Below are notes that I wrote to myself on the plans in case I ever wanted to build another RV-12. I advise you to follow the plans exactly.
Page 47-03 Step 1: It is a waste of time and effort to trim to scribe line. Hold spinner in position and mark it along aft edge of S-1202 spinner plate. Cut to your mark.
Page 47-03 Step 7: Do NOT torque bolts. Prop will be removed in a later step.
Page 47-05: Make alignment marks on spinner and both bulkheads so that they will always be installed in the same orientation.
Page 48-04: Be advised that steps on the following pages will have you loosen nuts if necessary. And it will be easier to cut off the exhaust pipe with the muffler removed.
Page 48-06 Step 1: A pencil makes a good feeler gauge.
Page 49-03 Step 0: Do step 7 first. Make sure that open door does not protrude past FF-1204B&C ribs.
Page 49-03 Figure 1: Hinge should be mounted so that it touches FF-1205B bracket. This will ensure that door does not hit radiator.
Page 49-03 Figure 2: Cleco all three of FF-1204 parts together as shown in Figure 1 on page 49-04. Insert hinge pin through FF-1204B upper rib & through both hinge halves. Align hinge parallel with FF-1204A & clamp together. Drill bottom hole first & cleco.
Page 49-04: Before working on this page, look at how the radiator is fastened in place using AN3 bolts and those little metal nuts that are difficult to hold with a wrench, especially the lower one. It will be very difficult getting that lower bolt and nut fastened because you can not see behind the radiator. Wouldn't it be a whole lot easier if FF-1204C had a K1000-3 nutplate installed on it?
Page 49-05 Step 2: It says to slot the holes. The easiest way is to drill #12 holes adjacent to, and inboard of, the existing holes and file between them. File the bottom corner if necessary to avoid interference with the cowl.
Page 49-06 Step 6: Flip clamp MS21919DG6 over to facilitate getting a wrench on the bolt.
Page 49-09 Step 3: Cable should go about 3/4" into FF-1210 tube when door is closed.
Page 49-14: Keep resin cold to avoid setting up in cup. Only mix half of required resin at a time. Make a stiff mixture so that it will not run.
Page 49-09 Step 8: This step can be done after bottom cowl is installed on airplane.
Page 49-09 Step 9: Do not skip this step. It is VERY important.
Page 49-09 Step 13: Re-drill drain holes if necessary.
Page 49-17 Step 2: VA-213 is short. Give it priority & install it first, but connect its upper end at the very last. In fact, do not attach either hose to top of oil tank until hoses are firmly attached to oil cooler and bottom cowl is in place. Route VA-213 from upper right engine mount, between motor mount halves, down to lower left motor mount, between engine and heater control cable, and left of oil return nipple to oil cooler.
Page 49-17 Step 3: VA-214 hose should be clocked aft at the cooler connection so that the loop in the hose does not hit the cowl.
Page 49-17 Step 5: VA-215 starts out on top of VA-213, then curves down on the left side of VA-213, then crosses aft of VA-213 below the firewall shelf and is right of VA-213 at the oil return nipple. Do not go by the picture in figure 3. VA-215 crosses behind, not in front of VA-213.
Page 49-18 Step 2: Smooth the outside of FF-1207 cooling shroud inlet if necessary.
Page 50-05: Safety wire the M6 nuts before first flight.
 
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Great post...

Good work, Joe. You are certainly a valuable asset to this forum, I don't know how else to say it, but, thanks.

Tony
 
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