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Thread: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

  1. #1
    Senior Member Paul's Avatar
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    Default Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    For the first set of tanks going into my left wing (I have extended range tanks in my EX) I did it like Frank Sinatra...."my way". Second wing, we did it Mitch's way. Here's a few tips that he gave me and we learned through the process that made the job go really well. Some of this stuff, I'm just repeating what's in the manual but they were key points that really made the difference....

    1) Insert your tubing (42 1/2") into the channels in the tanks.

    2) Tape the short fuel tank straps back to the spar to keep them out of the way.

    3) Pull your heavy drag wire back just enough to get it started into the tank. The best way to describe this part of the install is to "thread" the drag wire into the tube and through the tank. I'd say it would almost be impossible to do this part of the job on your own. The tanks are very light so anyone could help out here.

    4) When you get the tank to where it's fully in but still above the ribs, square it up to the bay and insert the outboard edge of the tank down into the bay.

    5) If the tank doesn't slip down past Rib #1, there's a couple things you can do to help it along. Carefully bend the ground tab on the inboard tank in towards the tank. Just an 1/8th of an inch is all you'll need.

    6) You may have to flex the #1 rib back to allow the drain fittings to slide past Rib #1. You can do this simply by gripping the web of Rib#1 and push with your thumbs against the tank and before you know it, the tanks are settled down into place.

    7) Once the tanks are centered right where you want them, put some weight on the tanks (bags of sand as suggested in the manual work well and are the least likely to damage your tanks).

    8) When you pull the straps together to start connecting them, you'll feel certain that the wrong bolts were spec'ed for this connection. They are the right ones. In fact they're designed to actually bottom out when you've got them tightened just right.

    9) There's a couple methods that you can use here. Channel lock pliers work well to squeeze the sleeves together and you can thread some wire through the sleeve and tighten it to hold the sleeves close enough for you to catch the bolt with the washer and nut.

    10) What I found worked well was some large vice grips, opened up wide and AFTER you INSERT THE BOLT from the underside, apply the vice grips to the head of the bolt and the very edge of the top sleeve.

    11) Once you've got the vice grips locked, you can easily slip the washer on and turn on the self locking nut.

    12) Tighten the nuts until they bottom out on the bolt and you're golden.

    Hope this helps.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    I agree with Paul on the vise grip. I used a 9" grip and ground the heck out of the nose on the sides for more clearance from the tank and the biting surface so that the jaws were parallel when closed and locked the amount I needed when the straps were compressed. That kept the grips from slipping off. I couldn't get things to work with either the wire trick or channel locks, especially by yourself.

    After struggling for a while with other methods and finally butchering the vise grip, the nuts were done in less than twenty minutes as a one-man job. Of course, I was so excited with the magical trick, I neglected to double check the square of the tanks as I tightened them down. They'd been jostled. I think the pleasure of getting the nuts on out weighed the aggravation with the tanks not being square. I think.

    Lloyd

    Any other builder at the same level and stage of the process as I am and needing support, give me a call and I'll be happy to commiserate. Can't say I'll give you good advice but I guarantee I'll be able to share your frustrations. 225-773-8070

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    Just a follow up. I severely modified my vise grip to grasp better without slipping, making the bolt installations a one man job. I can send a pic to anyone interested in what it looks like if requested.

    This is a lesson learned for those at this stage with the same manual I have (extended range). The manual says to adjust the tanks front/back and right/left. What is not said is that they should also be adjusted up and down, which may requiring pivoting the front of the tanks up or down. The proper placement up/down is verified by looking at the clearance over the false rib of the transfer tubes between the tanks. The clearance of the bottom of the transfer tubes over the false rib should be approximately the same, 3/8" to 1/2". Do I need to say why I know this?

    Exposing one's short comings in a public forum is difficult for a prideful man, but I do believe in helping people if I can. If anyone else wants to reveal themselves and share the problems they've experienced and how they were solved, please do so. I have plenty of towels reserved exclusively for wiping egg off face that I'll send you.

    Lloyd

  4. #4
    Senior Member stede52's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    Lloyd,
    I'm at the tank install stage, I'd really like to see pics of how you modified the vise grips, thanks so much for the information.
    Steve Dentz
    N419LD
    Carnation, WA

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    Never downloaded an image before, so here goes.

    This will give you the idea. The clamping service of the jaws are about 1 and 7/8" apart when the vise grip is closed and about parallel to each other. I also ground down the top side of the nose piece to make more room for the washer and nut. The bolt is fed from below, the bottom of the vise grip slides over the bolt head, and the top of the vise grip just barely catches the steel sleeve and is clamped. Get a few turns of the nut going and then take the vise grip off so that you don't get it wedged beneath the washer/nut.

    If this is your first wing (I'm starting my second), call me if you have questions or want to share any ideas you have for a quicker wing build. There are definitely things I'm doing differently on the second wing.

    Lloyd
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  6. #6
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    Forgot to mention that once I've threaded the bolt, I loosely clamp it just above the bottom sleeve with some small needle nose vise grips. That holds it in place and frees up both hands for positioning the clamping vise grip.

  7. #7
    Member Gary H's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    I just used a longer bolt, pulled it all tight, took the long bolts out and put in the AN20, went right in, realllllly easy
    GW

  8. #8
    Senior Member jmorrical's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    I have my left wing fuel tanks for the high GWT wing setting on the straps in the fuel bay. I'm trying to have a complete understanding of the statement in the wing manual that says "Be sure that top of tanks follow the curve of the top of the ribs. The tanks must be centered." I want to have a good fit of the tank cover, skylight and wing.

    What I have heard is that correct tank position is found by temporarily positioning the tank cover then aligning the tank fill port to the pre made hole in the cover. That is clear to me except that I don't know where to position the tank cover. Lloyd also mentions in this thread that the bottom of the tanks should be, if I understand, parallel with the false spar in the bottom of the fuel bay…that is to say there is the same vertical clearance front to back with the bottom of the tank along that spar. I haven't seen a picture or detailed drawings that give any clarity about positioning any of it. My understand is that once the wings are attached the skylight window overlaps the #1 cap strip and would be under the inboard edge of the fuel tank cover.

    • Does the skylight window edge line up on the "squiggle" or bend on the #1 cap strip?
    • Is it correct that the edge of the tank cover should overlap the skylight out to the edge of the #1 cap strip?
    • Should the tank cover edge line up flush with the inboard edge (fuselage side) of the #1 cap strip as shown in the third photo?
    • Or what criteria should I observe to fit properly?


    I am thinking that the inboard edge of the tank cover should be aligned and flush with the inboard edge (fuselage side) of the #1 cap strip? Or do I position the tank cover outboard just a bit so that edge distance of holes that will be drilled to match up to nut plates on #1 and #2 rib cap is equal?

    Thanks for your comments.



    IMG_5420.jpg

    Tanks in the straps.


    IMG_5424.jpg

    Tank cover in place.


    IMG_5426.jpg

    Plastic clipboard represents my understanding of how the skylight fits. Is this how the tank cover should be positioned? All the way out to the edge of the #1 cap strip?


    IMG_5427.jpg

    Or should this be the positioning of the tank cover?

    Jim Morrical
    Last edited by jmorrical; 11-08-2015 at 07:21 PM.

  9. #9
    Senior Member EVRoosevelt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    One thing to remember don't drill the holes for the tank cover until you have shrunk the wing fabric (the ribs will move during shrinking)
    EV

  10. #10
    Senior Member TroyBranch's Avatar
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    Default Fuel Tank Installation - Tips

    Mitch said to not drill until the wings are on the fuse. If you don't have the wash out quite right, the holes will not line up well when you install the wings on the fuse.
    I had to push the tank a fair bit outboard. I plan to slide it if I have to when I install the wings if I don't like where I have it..


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by TroyBranch; 11-08-2015 at 06:36 AM.

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