I just moved and to Kansas City from Portland. The moving company didn’t do much damage except the aileron hinges on my wing have torn around where the control horns are. I think the wing was pressed real hard in the move and the control horns pushed on the skin hard enough to tear it.
The question is, how to I repair this, or can I? I put tape over the tear on both sides but would like something more elegant.
For the sake of discussion. lets say that the hinge line tear is 4" long and that the wing thickness at the hinge line in that area is 1/4". Those are probably not real numbers but will help in making a description of the repair job.
Cut a piece of 1.7oz Kevlar 4" long by 1/2" wide. Also cut a strip of 14mil mylar 1/4" wide by a little longer than 4". Spray the little piece of Kevlar lightly with 3M77 and stick it to the underside of the hinge line where the tear is. It will be stuck to the foam on both the trailing edge of the wing panel and extending across to and over the leading edge of the aileron. Mix up some laminating epoxy (I use West System 105 resin and 205 hardener for this) and rub it into the kevlar piece until it is fully saturated all the way through to the foam. Insert the little piece of mylar into the hinge line and bend the aileron down until the gap closes up onto the mylar. Tape the aileron down in this position tightly with masking tape. The mylar will act as a separator to keep the hinge from being epoxied closed and will keep the Kevlar piece pressed tightly in place. Be sure to push the mylar piece all the way up into the hinge line. The wet out Kevlar will now be folded over 180 degrees on itself with the mylar separator inside the folded over Kevlar. It is important for hinge function to have the fold of the Kevlar pushed tightly (with the mylar piece) up to the hinge line.
After the epoxy cures you may need to run a small triangle file across the underside of the new Kevlar hinge (right along the hinge line)to free it up.
This will make the hinge as good as new and will be invisible.
Please let me know if this is not clear. I can take a couple pictures.
Skin hinge tearing
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Posted - 08/15/2004 : 10:21:38 PM
