SECTION 8
THE FUSELAGE
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will depend on the exact assembly sequence you choose, available help and workspace, etc. Don't be in a hurry to
get it on the gear -- we have found it much more convenient to keep the top longeron of the fuselage at "navel
height" until all the fwd upper fuselage, canopy installation, instrument panel, engine controls, and other interior fu-
selage work is complete.
Return to this point in the landing gear installation section when you are ready to permanently install the landing
gear.
Apply a coating of light grease to all the machined surfaces of the U-801A-L & -R Main Gear Legs and the WD-
821-L & -R Landing Gear Weldments.
Insert the main gear legs in the landing gear weldments and bolt them in place with the hardware depicted in
“Fwd Fuse Side Skins and Structure”, DWG 67A.
RV-8A STEP INSTALLATION
(This section RV-8A only)
Mark the locations of the four bolt holes at the corners of the F-8120A Step Support Block (See “Detail C”,
DWG 71). Drill #10 the four hole locations using a drill press.
Partially insert the round tube of the WD-832 Step Weldment through the opening in the left side of the F-842-1
Aft Bottom Skin Fwd (the opening may need to be enlarged to clear the weld around the tube). Slide the F-
8120A Support Block onto the round tube of the step weldment and then cleco the step weldment to the fuse-
lage using the holes common to the aft bottom skin fwd and the F-889-L-1 Lower Longeron.
Rotate the F
-
8120A Step Support Block so that it lays flush with the F-818-L-1 Baggage Rib. Position the WD-
832 Step Weldment so that the curved plate on the exterior of the F-842-1 Aft Bottom Skin Fwd lays flush with
the skin, then clamp the support block in place on the baggage rib.
Final-Drill #30 all 1/8 holes in the step weldment that are common with P.P holes in the F-842-1 Aft Bottom Skin
Fwd and the F-889-L-1 Lower Longeron. Match-Drill #30 all remaining 1/8 holes in the step weldment into the
aft bottom skin fwd.
Uncleco the WD-832 Step Weldment and remove any chips between it and the F-842-1 Aft Bottom Skin Fwd.
Cleco the step weldment to the fuselage using every hole.
Clamp the F-8120A Step Support Block to the F-818-L-1 Baggage Rib.
Match-Drill #12 the F-818-L-1 Baggage Rib using the three accessible holes in the F-8120A Support Block.
Temporarily insert a bolt in each hole as you drill it. Remove the WD-832 Step Weldment from the fuselage and
match-drill through the fourth hole in the step support block.
Prime the WD-832 Step Weldment.
Mark the top of the F-8120A Step Support Block to simplify returning it to the same position.
Remove the F-8120A Step Support Block from the fuselage and deburr the #12 holes previously drilled in the F-
818-L-1 Baggage Rib.
Install the F-8120A Step Support Block using the hardware depicted in “Detail C”, DWG 71.
NOTE: Riveting on
the
WD-832 Step Weldment
must be delayed until later so that it is not in the way while fitting the F-
872C-L Flap Fairing.
FRONT SEATBACK
Separate the F-832C-L-1 & -R-1 Seatback Angles from each other (See DWG 76).
Trim the bottom corner of the F-832C-L-1 & -R-1 Seatback Angles (See “Detail D”, DWG 76).
Separate the F-832BD to make an F-832B Seatback Angle, and F-832D Seatback Angle.
Smooth and deburr the edges of the four seat back angles.
Remove the tabs from the seat belt openings in the F-832A-1 Front Seatback (See “Front Seatback Assembly”,
DWG 76). A thin abrasive cutting disk in a die grinder tool works well for cutting the thin material.
RV-8/8A
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THE FUSELAGE
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Deburr the edges of the F-832A-1 Front Seatback
Make the F-832E-1 Front Seatback Hinge by cutting to length and drilling 1/8 locating holes as shown in “Front
Seatback Assembly” and “Detail E”, DWG 76. Cut the pin one inch longer than the hinge and bend it 90 de-
grees to provide a handle for inserting and removing the pin.
Use the 1/8 locating hole to cleco the F-832E-1 Front Seatback Hinge in place at the bottom of the F-832A-1
Front Seatback.
Align the F-832E-1 Front Seatback Hinge parallel to the bottom edge of the F-832A-1 Front Seatback and
clamp in position. Match-drill 1/8 the unclecoed end of the front seatback hinge using the common hole in the
front seatback.
Cleco the F-832C-L-1 & -R-1 Seatback Angles and the F-832D & F-832B Seatback Angles in place on the F-
832A-1 Front Seatback. Because of the bow in the seatback angles, first cleco each end of the F-832C-L-1 & -
R-1 Seat Back Angles then pull them in alignment and install a cleco in one hole between each corrugation of
the front seatback.
Use a block of wood to back-up the middle portion of the hinge while match-drilling it #30 using the common
holes in the F-832D Seatback Angle and the F-832A-1 Seatback. Uncleco the previously drilled hole at each
end of the hinge and final-drill #30.
Final-Drill #30 all the remaining 1/8 holes in the Front Seatback Assembly.
Uncleco all Front Seatback Assembly parts and deburr the #30 holes in all the parts.
Prime all of the Front Seatback Assembly parts if/as desired.
Cleco together the Front Seatback Assembly and rivet at all #30 hole locations (See “Front Seatback Assem-
bly”, DWG 76).
REAR SEATBACK
Deburr the edges of the F-833A Rear Seatback, F-833B-L-1 & -R-1 Rear Seatback Sides, F-833C-1 Seatback
Top Flange, F-833E Seatback Top Panel, and F-833F Seatback Top Web (See “Rear Seatback Assembly” and
“Detail A”, DWG 76).
Make the F-833D-1 Rear Seatback Hinge by cutting it to length and then removing the center four eyelets as
shown in “F-833D-1 Rear Seatback Hinge”, DWG 76. Cut the pin in half and bend a 90 degree, one inch leg on
one end of each piece to use as a handle.
Drill a 1/8 and a 3/32 locating hole in the F-833D-1 Rear Seatback Hinge as shown in “Detail C”, DWG 76.
Use the 1/8 locating hole to cleco the F-833D-1 Rear Seatback Hinge in place on the bottom of the F-833A
Rear Seatback. Align the hinge parallel to the bottom edge of the rear seatback and clamp in position.
Match-Drill 1/8 the unclecoed end of the F-833D-1 Rear Seatback Hinge using the hole in the F-833A Rear
Seatback as a guide.
Cleco together all the Rear Seatback Assembly parts as shown in “Rear Seatback Assembly” and “Detail A”,
DWG 76.
Mark where the upper end of the F-833B-L-1 & -R-1 Rear Seatback Sides intersect the tab on each side of the
F-833C-1 Seat Back Top Flange so that a slight bend can be made to allow the tabs to lay flush on the rear
seatback sides.
Uncleco and remove the F-833C-1 Seat Back Top Flange from the rear seat assembly. Use a hand seamer to
make a slight bend at the mark made on each seat back top flange tab so that it aligns with the F-833B-L-1 & -
R-1 Rear Seatback Sides when installed.
Cleco the F-833C-1 Seat Back Top Flange back in place on the rear seat assembly.
Match-Drill #30 the remaining undrilled holes in the F-833D-1 Rear Seatback Hinge using the common holes in
the F-833A Rear Seatback as a guide. Back-up the hinge with a wood block and cleco as you drill.
Uncleco the hole at each end of the F-833D-1 Hinge and final-drill them #30.
Final-Drill #30 all 1/8 holes in the rest of the Rear Seatback Assembly.
Disassemble the Rear Seatback Assembly.
