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Hang engine with fuselage level or not???

riseric

Well Known Member
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Tried a search, no luck, and could not find reference in Van's instructions.


I'm just about to hang the engine and was wondering if it's best with the fuselage on its gear and tail low or with the fuselage more or less level.


Thanks !!
 
Tail up will help keep the engine and mount in the same vertical plane which will make alignment and capture of all 4 mount points easier imho. Have done this recently on a Hatz Classic project and it made life much more enjoyable
 
Mounting the engine in a level attitude will be easier from the alignment standpoint, however your bird will become quite nose heavy without the wings and tail feathers. Be sure to attach the tail to the floor or weight it sufficiently to prevent a nose over.
 
Don't forget the weight on the tail

... I'm just about to hang the engine and was wondering if it's best with the fuselage on its gear and tail low or with the fuselage more or less level. ...
I had my tail pretty much level, and it worked fine. I did it alone with an engine hoist doing the hard work. Don't forget to put plenty of weight on the tail!
 
Thanks

Thanks all !
Tail up then !!

The wings and tail are installed and should help with the balance but I didn’t think about weighing down the tail. Makes so much sense.
This is why this forum is gold!!! :cool:
 
I have likely mounted 15 to 20 engines on rockets and RVs and I have always done it with the tail wheel on the floor. It always seemed to go on with no issues....
Having said that one of those planes was a RV10 and so it would have been level. I am sure there is no difference based on my experience.
 
Did mine with the tail down ... no issues at all. As long as you can adjust the engine angle easily with the engine lift, level or tail on the ground is fine. However, I did mount my engine bottom bolts first, which may make things easier, alignment wise. I did hear, though, if you have the little wheel on the wrong end or used the wrong primer, it can easily become a PITA ;-)
 
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Did mine with the tail down ... no issues at all. As long as you can adjust the engine angle easily with the engine lift, level or tail on the ground is fine. However, I did mount my engine bottom bolts first, which may make things easier, alignment wise. I did hear, though, if you have the little wheel on the wrong end or used the wrong primer, it can easily become a PITA ;-)

Only if you have a "slider" canopy!
 
Did mine with the tail down ... no issues at all. As long as you can adjust the engine angle easily with the engine lift, level or tail on the ground is fine. However, I did mount my engine bottom bolts first, which may make things easier, alignment wise. I did hear, though, if you have the little wheel on the wrong end or used the wrong primer, it can easily become a PITA ;-)


I believe I have the small wheel in its right place, and primed with the right primer and have the slider... :rolleyes:


So it should be a breaze then... :cool:


Tail up or down, seems a 50-50 result.
I expect to hang sometime this week, will try first with tail down, seems less risky...
 
Is it better to mount the engine to the motor mount and then the mount to the fuselage or mount on fuselage then engine to mount. I have heard it done both ways.
 
Tail up or down, seems a 50-50 result.
I expect to hang sometime this week, will try first with tail down, seems less risky...

Be sure to tie down the tail. I mounted mine without the tail feathers attached, and tied on a 5 gal bucket of water (40 lbs) to HS mount deck to be sure the plane wouldn't tip forward with the engine on.

Final W&B only had 64 lbs on the TW .. not very heavy back there!
 
Good point!!

Be sure to tie down the tail. I mounted mine without the tail feathers attached, and tied on a 5 gal bucket of water (40 lbs) to HS mount deck to be sure the plane wouldn't tip forward with the engine on.

Final W&B only had 64 lbs on the TW .. not very heavy back there!


Even with the tail down, good advice anyway, better safe than sorry, thanks!!


64 lbs on the TW, that would be with the aircraft level, correct??
 
Good question

Is it better to mount the engine to the motor mount and then the mount to the fuselage or mount on fuselage then engine to mount. I have heard it done both ways.


Good question, Van's instructions mention to hang the engine with the mount already on the fuselage. Bolt the top ones then lift further the engine to help align with the bottom bolts. It mentions that the fuselage might even raise a bit during that operation.



I would think that engine + mount alone must be a challenge.
 
Engine mounting

Tail low, jacking the tail induces other issues not necessary to the operation. If wings and tailfeathers are on then no reason to worry about nosing over.
 
Tail down, not weighted

I just hung the engine this afternoon.


Tail down, not weighted. Wings & tailfeathers were on.


When the 4 bolts were bottomed-out, I slowly relieved the hydraulic pressure from the hoist and nothing moved as it should.
 
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