A buddy of mine is buying an RF4 and wanted to know what wrenches (spanners) were needed to dismantle it for shipping. So I crawled around under my Fournier to check some sizes. Here is that info for anybody else.

The main wing bolt nuts are under your knees, and need a 22mm socket (and you need quite a skinny socket or combination wrench/spanner).

The control column bolts are accessed from the wheel well under the belly. Their heads are 11mm and 8mm, and those six tiny nuts and bolts on the control column casting need a very slim-headed 7mm wrench/spanner. You need two combi spanners, one with a very skinny head, and there isn’t enough room for a socket. Last time I checked, Snap-On only did ratchet wrenches down to 8mm, but maybe they now do smaller ones, and maybe one of those would fit. Otherwise, the process of removing that casting to get the wing off is long and tiring. What they call a ‘Haemorrhoid Fitting’ (a pain in the ass to remove). You have to undo those six nuts one flat at a time.

My wing rear fittings have 10mm heads inside the aircraft (under the seat back) and 9mm heads under the wing centre-section trailing-edge (accessed through that big round removable panel). Not sure why the nut on that bolt is a different size to the bolt heads, and of course I’m not certain that's standard, but it's the way mine is.

The three horizontal stabilizer (tailplane) bolts are all 8mm heads. The front fitting is accessed through a tiny hole ahead of the tailplane (stabilizer) leading-edge on the left. It goes into a nut-plate, so it's easy to get off. All these fittings seem small, but they certainly do the job OK.

So, that’s it. It takes two guys about half a day to get the wing off. Having removed the control column and its casting, removed the wing-root fairings and undone those four wing bolts, you support the wing (I did it on lots of big old Styrofoam blocks – fridge packing – with blankets on top) then carefully lift the tail and jiggle and slide the fuselage bit-by-bit forward off the main wing bolts. Lift and push and lift and push. Don’t let it fall over sideways when it’s off.

Have fun dismantling. Re-assembly is a simple reversing of the process.

Yours, Bob

I found the hardest part of removing the wing was the control casting. I just had removed mine to remove the landing gear. I used 7mm wrench, 7mm 1/4 drive swivel socket, 7mm swivel head wrench, 7mm gear wrench and a few cuss words.

Collin

Yup, that's the only hard part about getting the airplane apart. It doesn't have to be done often, but when it does have to be done it's a real pain.

Maybe somebody out there has a tool, process, modification or idea to make it quicker and easier?

We would all be incredibly grateful (even if only once every twenty years or so when the wing needs re-covering) if somebody could come up with an easy solution to that one. Any ideas out there?

By the way Collin, I love your new rolling avatar. Brilliant!

Yours, Bob

-A-

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***** Antti Laukkanen, Helsinki, Finland - RF4D OH-371 - RF4D OH-370 - RF5 OH-386 *****

I just remembered another factor in undoing that nasty little control column casting:

You need a quarter-inch ratchet with lots of clicks per rotation. I hadn't realised there was any difference until I came to this task, but there is. My cheap ratchets had around 48 clicks per 360-degree rotation of the head, so you could only turn them one click at a time. I bought a nice little Kingchrome ratchet, and this had 72 clicks per turn, so you can undo or do up those tiny nuts twice as fast!

Good luck.

Yours, Bob

PS, what's the definition of a ratchet?
Like a mouse-shit, but bigger

-A-

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***** Antti Laukkanen, Helsinki, Finland - RF4D OH-371 - RF4D OH-370 - RF5 OH-386 *****

Eugenio

[Edit by eugenio on Thursday, November 8, 2007 @ 02:45 PM]

In bucca al lupo/ Jorgen + Elena

Take 5(b) just 4 fun/ Jorgen, SE-UDI, SE-XST

[Edit by Jorgen on Friday, November 9, 2007 @ 03:38 AM]

Sounds like it’s me who Bob was referring to in this thread. Sorry Bob, I missed this thread, but many thanks for the tips over the phone and e-mail.

I have just returned from a trip to Denver Colorado, where I dismantled NX7720, #4058, soon to be VH-TKD. She’s in the box now (pictures attached) on her way to Melbourne/Australia, can’t wait to get her here.

Yes, what a royal pain in the butt to remove the central control casting. Even with Bob’s warnings and tips as to what tools to use it took some time to get it off. I used a ratchet from the inside of the casting and was (barely) able to turn it one click at a time.

Is it possible to cut threads into the casting, so at least you do not have to bother about the nuts on the other side? This is certainly not a job I am looking forward to at the moment, kinda reminds me on my old 2CV Citroen, impossible to service when you have normal sized hands.

Anyways, this was mainly meant to be a quick intro, looking forward to getting s lot of info about RF4’s from this forum.

On a different note, where can I start reading about the Rectimo 1200, i.e. how to check valves, adjust them etc… total novice in this area. I do have the manual form the CFI web site, but I am after more detailed info.

Best regards,

Tim Kroeger

[Edit by flyingkroeger on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 @ 08:34 PM]

[Edit by flyingkroeger on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 @ 08:44 PM]

If you don't have a way to host pictures. Just email them to me and I will post them for you. also you can send videos too.

Collin

collin@techtonicstuning.com

Quote:

Originally posted by flyingkroeger On a different note, where can I start reading about the Rectimo 1200, i.e. how to check valves, adjust them etc… total novice in this area. I do have the manual form the CFI web site, but I am after more detailed info.

Hi, Tim!

I believe the easiest way is to have a book describing the VW Beetle Engine. Or try to google things out. The Rectimo has practically no differences compared to basic auto engine. Of course it has the mag and prop shaft, and no distributor or blower system. But anyway, nearly everything is the same. I think this is why there isn't too much information about the 4AR1200. Be sure to check the torque moments and valve clearances in the RF4D or Rectimo manual. They differ a bit.

I overhauled the engine of OH-370 and the lack of manual was bit of a problem while trying to get the permit (as it is type certified in Finland). After searching the CAA files, we found out that the importer had had to get manuals for the engine by the time the RFs originally came to Finland. The solution had been an original Volkswagen overhaul manual with the statement that the engines do not have great differences between each other. So, I used the one copied from CAA archives.

-A-

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***** Antti Laukkanen, Helsinki, Finland - RF4D OH-371 - RF4D OH-370 - RF5 OH-386 *****

Collin, I have e-mailed two pics to you for posting.

Also, I have found some generic VW videos on youtube for valve adjustment. Check:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpH7VftH3_I

Or search "VW Vintage Training"...

I have already noticed the difference in valve clearing between the Rectimo manual and a generic 1200 VW engine. There is a lot to learn! Thanks for all the pointers.

Cheers,

Tim

[Edit by flyingkroeger on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 @ 06:52 PM]

Is there any way to check the main spar bolts for hidden corrosion and/or cracks when re-assembling the RF4D?

BR

Tim

I don't think so. Not without cutting into that lovely structure anyway.

However, I believe that the bolts have such a huge diameter only to give them enough surface bearing area in those holes in the wood, so they don't cut into it. I think that quarter-inch bolts would be strong enough for the job. Look at the wing bolts on other metal aeroplanes, which are much skinnier.

Sooo... A little corrosion probably does no harm, provided you clean it off and apply that yellow gunk (Duralac?)

Yours, Bob

Remove cowlings.
Siphon out fuel to minimise fuselage weight.
Remove canopy.
Remove seat cushions and backrest.
Remove two ply sidepieces below the seat (the spoiler lever runs through the left one).
Remove wing-root fairings.
Remove lower forward ‘cheek’ fairings.
Disconnect stall warning wire (right wing root).
Disconnect pitot tube (left wing root).
Disconnect wires to ‘spoiler extended’ warning horn microswitch.
Remove cockpit ventilation pipes by first unscrewing the right-angled cockpit outlets, then removing screws at the leading-edge inlets and pulling out forwards.
Disconnect smokes wires (if fitted).
Leave main wheel locked down.
Disconnect wheel doors from their springs and tie them up horizontal.
Split under-belly breather extension tube (if fitted).
Remove any instruments, radios etc bolted below the original instrument panel or elsewhere around the cockpit.
Disconnect PTT wire.
Undo hand starter cable from both its handle and the snail itself.
Remove ‘snail’ (wheel cover).
Remove control column (two 8mm and two 10mm bolt heads/nuts).

Undo six 7mm nuts and bolts holding control column lower casting to longitudinal torque tube in the wing’s centre section. You need a slim-headed combination spanner (wrench) plus a 7mm socket in a quarter-inch ratchet handle with lots of clicks (like 72) per revolution because the working space is severely constrained. I ground down a 7mm socket until it was only long enough to take the nut or bolt head. Work from ahead of the wing on either side of the aeroplane, looking down into the cockpit. For some bolts you have to sit on the floor in the wheel well and work upwards (see photo).

Remove the rear, under-belly, large-diameter inspection panel and undo the bolt (8mm head & nut) at the rear of the longitudinal push-rod running from the control column to the elevators. Remove this carefully by pulling it forwards and up under the tank and then lifting it backwards out of the cockpit.

Working up through that big inspection panel and downwards in the lower rear cockpit corners, undo and remove two rear spar bolts (10mm heads and nuts).
Raise aircraft off the ground. We did this by lifting the nose on to a sturdy two-foot by two-foot box placed beneath the firewall, and then raising the tail on to a three-foot trestle.
Support the wing by putting something strong and sturdy below the under-belly skids. I used a double jack as seen on the mods page, or a couple of railway sleepers.
Securely support outer wings near the outriggers so they cannot slew or move backwards or forwards. I have used expanded polystyrene foam blocks or padded trestles.

Using a 22mm socket, undo and remove the two forward spar nuts.

Disconnect the pitot line and stall warning wires in the wing roots.

Now for the fun bit. You probably need five sensible men. Lift the tail and remove that trestle. Carefully lower the tail and remove the box or trestle under the firewall. Place those trestles somewhere ahead of the wing, to support the fuselage when you’ve got it off the wing.

With one man each side of the forward cockpit, holding that and the exhaust pipes on each side to prevent the fuselage from falling over sideways, another at the tail, and one at each wing root trailing-edge, carefully lift the tail so that the fuselage’s rear spar attach plates come up and away from the wing plates. Then gently wiggle the fuselage to move it forwards and off the front spar bolts. This is a careful jiggling, lifting, pushing operation. Get the fuselage too high and the main bolts bind, have it too low and the rear fuselage attach plates damage the vulnerable centre-section plywood.

A useful tool is a wooden wedge about ten inches (25cm) long, three inches (8cm) wide and tapering from 1.5 inches (4cm) to nothing. The dimensions are not important, it should just have a big surface area. Tapping this carefully down between the forward fuselage bulkhead and the main spar helped prise them apart. Then you can roll the fuselage forwards on its wheel, like a wheelbarrow.

Once the fuselage is off those main spar bolts, it wants to topple over sideways; the front men resist this. The rear guy walks forward until he’s at the trailing edge, then the two rear wing guys should support the tail while he goes around or under the wing to support the rear fuselage ahead of the wing. Finally the fuselage can be brought forward and separated from the wing. Now support it on its trestles.

Hooray, it’s done!
[img]http://sbeaver.com/Fournier/ima...

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 @ 02:11 AM]

We replaced the brake cable, flexible fuel line and banjo fitting fibre washers, made and fitted protective floor boards and replaced various broken P-clips around the cockpit.

While the wheel assembly was out, we cleaned up and crack-tested all three castings plus the control column lower casting (an hour’s work with an Ardrox or Magnaflux dye penetrant kit) and carefully re-lubricated everything

Note the markings on the wheel’s lever. They’re made quickly and easily with adhesive PVC tape (‘insulating tape’) and no, you don’t have to take the assembly out to do it. Checking that green line (rather than the red and yellow stripes) on short final is very comforting.

It’s also a good idea to make new holes in the ‘snail’ and floor to fix it in place securely. It should go hard up against the fuselage bulkhead at the rear. Use stainless steel or brass self-tapping screws with big washers under their heads to prevent damage to the thin fibreglass. Don’t forget to use foam sealing strips and RTV sealant all around the snail. You don’t want hot, smelly and potentially poisonous gases and fumes seeping up into the cockpit from the lower cowling outlet!

Replacing the hardware is always a good idea. If you cannot easily get metric hardware, Ken Ballington will supply nuts and bolts internationally by mail-order if you tell him the markings on the bolt heads. Contact him at: ken.ballington@ukaircraftparts.com

It is important to replace the two bolts in the control column to reduce stick play, and to shim them appropriately on either side with thick and thin washers. Do NOT over-tighten the upper bolt, or you can crack that casting, and I don’t have to explain the consequences of loss of aileron and elevator control.

Ensure the lower bolt is correctly centralised (with washers either side as needed). I got this wrong first time, and it limited the elevator’s downward movement by hitting the casting. This felt like hitting the normal stop, and it wasn’t until we measured the elevator throw angle against the manual that I realised there was a problem.

Re-assembly is pretty much a reversal of dis-assembly.

Be sure to get the fuselage absolutely upright, straight, and dead central in the wing cut-out before moving it backwards. Get the main bolts into their holes and then again it’s a matter of gently wiggling, lowering and pushing to get the bolts home without damaging the rear fittings or wing ply with those fittings..

Once the forward bolts were home, I found that wedge useful again to carefully raise one side of the fuselage to lift the rear fittings into alignment, so their bolts could slip home easily.

I found grease and masking tape useful for holding in place those six nasty little nuts, bolts and washers on the control column casting, but re-assembly single-handed still took me eight hours. Two people could do it much more quickly.

That’s it, I think.

If anybody has any more hints, tips or easier ways of doing things, please post a reply.

Thanks guys.

Yours, Bob

Once again (like in the other thread) many thanks for sharing this. I wish I had read this post before the weekend. When I disassembled my RF4D in the States, I didn’t realise that the rear wing attachment bolts actually go through the wing structure and can be accessed from the rear through the big hole at the bottom of the wing. I thought they were embedded somehow, kinda like the front ones. So I thought that when re-assembling, I would have to slide the fuse onto all four bolts at the same time.

This is what happened: We got the main bolts into the bulkhead holes alright and started torquing the big nuts to pull everything together. With only 3 millimetres to go there was no sign of the rear bolts – they had disappeared! Bugger me, I thought we had pushed them straight back into the wing structure. Took me a couple of minutes to realise that they are NOT in fact fixed to the wing, so we had pushed the less-than-perfectly aligned bolts back though the attachment plates.

I don’t want to re-invent the wheel, but has anyone thought about cutting threads into the control casting and enlarge the corresponding holes ion the torque tube? This way, you would only have to worry about one side of the bolts…no nuts anymore…

BR

Tim

[Edit by flyingkroeger on Monday, June 2, 2008 @ 01:07 AM]

-A-

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***** Antti Laukkanen, Helsinki, Finland - RF4D OH-371 - RF4D OH-370 - RF5 OH-386 *****

were off to sears to get all 7mm gadgets they got. ill let you know how the casting goes.

Thank you for your advice, but there seems to be nothing in your post.

Could you please try it again.

Thanks, Bob

My post? You mean the one posted in this thread on June 3rd? There should be a picture and at least I can see it. If not, try to see it directly:
http://www.apinalauma.fi/~andy/Seko/Hole.jpg

If that's not what you meant, please give me more hints

-Antti-

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***** Antti Laukkanen, Helsinki, Finland - RF4D OH-371 - RF4D OH-370 - RF5 OH-386 *****

Yes, I meant I could not see the picture in your 3rd June post.... and I still can't, despite copying 'n pasting that address into my browser.

Wierd that Sam can see it and I can't, although the eyes are definitely going!

Tomorrow the combined ages of me and either of our Fourniers is 100 years old -- frightening!

When you say 'just a small hint as I have noticed people aren't quite aware of following...' it gets me worried just in case I'm not aware of it either.

Yours, Bob

Edit: Even made a typo, but please forgive me

-A-

[Edit by andy1 on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 @ 05:53 AM]

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***** Antti Laukkanen, Helsinki, Finland - RF4D OH-371 - RF4D OH-370 - RF5 OH-386 *****

Wow, would you believe I had not noticed that hole.

It is possible to remove the rod without using the hole, but knowing about that would have made it so much easier.

Thank you.

Yours, Bob

It is mystically covered with a sheet metal plate, so it's not visible normally. That hole really makes the hard job pretty easy. Mine seems to be used as cabin heater intake vent which had been covered for summer use. I just found out recently as I opened the joint.

But it's always nice to share some old time information that I have inherited from the guys who have been maintaining thosen good old RFs since 1968 when the first one arrived in our club. Markku has been round almost as long and knows almost everything there is to know of then

-A-

[Edit by andy1 on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 @ 04:57 AM]

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***** Antti Laukkanen, Helsinki, Finland - RF4D OH-371 - RF4D OH-370 - RF5 OH-386 *****