SECTION 29: FUSE SIDE SKINS

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29-11

See this FB Post on how to keep the skin and clamping block in place while bending.

Step 5
When match drilling from the F-1001B angle into the WD-1002-L / WD-1002-R firewall steel brackets, be aware that it's easy to violate the edge distance in the steel bracket (2 x D, measured from the center of hole). Remedy is to temporarily install a bolt into the engine mount hole to pull the bracket into place and to use a clamp to move the steel bracket to increase edge distance.
See this build log

Questions on which holes to dimple? See this FB thread. Another FB thread on same topic

If you are using the Aerosport interior side panels, don't install the VENT-0004 knob. The Aerosport side vents need a different extension lever which can only be attached once the panel is in place.
The kit may not include the nylon washers 5610-90-31. They can be obtained at your local hardware store as #10 Nylon washer.

Don't rivet the forward cabin floor to the center tunnel walls if you are getting electronic injection (SDS or EFII), or you intend to install access covers to the side of the tunnel as the rivet holes will be needed. For the SDS pump shelf, you will have 5 stock rivets counting from front, then the next 11 are to be left out for the fuel pump shelf. For the access covers, see the instructions from Airward.

Some time around the start of 2021, Vans updated the design of the landing gear mount to address some concerns with cracking. For those of us that received our fuselage kits after this (like me), we received the SB-00007 kit with the fuselage kit. There's no explanation on how to apply this SB to a kit in construction. I researched it and this is my take on this.

SB-00007 has been partly applied to new parts in the kit. In particular, the landing gear mount and the forward spar designs have been updated, but the side skins have not. The SB calls for enlarging some holes in the forward spar, however, those holes are already the correct size in newer kits (several 1/4in holes, and one 5/8in on each side). The SB includes two templates (VA-274 & VA-275) and two drill guides. As far as I can tell, these are not needed at all. The part of the SB that involves drilling into the side skins (F-1069 & F-01004T) using the drill templates VA-277 & VA-278 is necessary.

All of this is covered correctly in the plans. The instructions that come with SB-00007 do not need to be followed at all.