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Prime the baggage door parts if / as desired.
Back rivet the F-873E-1 Baggage Door Outboard Rib to the F-873A-1 Baggage Door Skin (See DWG 74).
Cleco, then rivet, the F-873F-1 Angle, F-873J Hinge, F-873B-1 Baggage Door Forward Rib, and F-873C-1 Bag-
gage Door Aft Rib to the F-873A-1 Baggage Door Skin and to each other (See “Baggage Door Exploded View”,
DWG 84 and DWG 74).
Cleco the F-873D-1 Baggage Door Inner Skin to the F-873B-1 Baggage Door Forward Rib and F-873C-1 Bag-
gage Door Aft Rib.
Lay the baggage door in place on the fuselage and verify that it fits flush around its perimeter. If it does not,
remove it, then tweak / twist it slightly to get a flush fit on the fuselage. Once satisfied with the fit, secure the
door in place on the fuselage using duct tape around the perimeter.
Climb inside the fuselage and rivet the F-873D-1 Baggage Door Inner Skin to the F-873B-1 Baggage Door For-
ward Rib and F-873C-1 Baggage Door Aft Rib (See “Baggage Door Exploded View”, DWG 84). Rivet as many
holes as you are able to. This will lock the baggage door in its proper shape to match the fuselage.
NOTE:
Rivet from the middle of each baggage door rib towards each end.
Untape and remove the baggage door from the fuselage.
Finish riveting any open holes common between the F-873D-1 Baggage Door Inner Skin, the F-873B-1 Bag-
gage Door Forward Rib, and F-873C-1 Baggage Door Aft Rib.
Rivet the F-873D-1 Baggage Door Inner Skin to the F-873E-1 Baggage Door Outboard Rib and F-873F-1 Angle
(See “Baggage Door Exploded View”, DWG 84).
NOTE: The RV-8/8A forward baggage door uses a standard cabinet lock assembly that is not supplied with
the kit. If you intend to use a standard keyed aircraft ignition switch, you can order the ES A-510-2K Mag-
neto Switch from the Vans Aircraft Accessories Catalog. This switch kit comes with two cabinet locks
which match the key for the ignition switch.
Insert the lock assembly into the baggage door and install the tabbed locking washer and nut. Tighten the nut
so that two of the flats align with the locking tabs on the washer. Bend the two locking tabs and crimp them
against the nut with pliers to safety it in place.
Enlarge the inside diameter of two snap bushings as instructed in “Baggage Door Exploded View”, DWG 84. A
slow turning Unibit™ works well.
Install a snap bushing in the F-873B-1 Baggage Door Forward Rib and F-873C-1 Baggage Door Aft Rib.
Insert an F-873K-1 Latch Pin through one of the snap bushings and, while working through the access hole in
the F-873D-1 Baggage Door Inner Skin, attach it to the F-873L-1 Lock Arm. Use the clevis pin specified and
safety wire it in place (See “Lock Assembly Detail, DWG 84). Insert, then attach, the second latch pin to the lock
arm. Work carefully so the first latch pin does not slip out of the snap bushing.
Remove the screw and lock washer from the back of the lock assembly. Insert the key in the lock and turn it
fully clockwise (baggage door latched closed). With the F-873L-1 Lock Arm positioned horizontal (parallel to
the F-873K-1 Latch Pins), put it on the lock assembly, reinstall the lock washer and screw, and tighten the
screw.
NOTE: Do not complete the remaining steps for installing the baggage door until the F-821-1 Forward
Top Skin has been riveted to the fuselage.
Place the baggage door on the fuselage and locate it so the outboard edge of the door aligns with the outboard
edge of the F-821-1 Fwd Top Skin. Check for the specified clearance between the F-821-1 Forward Top Skin
and the F-873J Hinge (See “Baggage Door Aft View”, DWG 84).
Tape the baggage door in position with duct tape.
Have a helper use a paint stir stick (or something similar in size) to hold the free half of the F-873J Hinge tightly
against the F-873G-1 Hinge Support. Match-Drill #40 the holes in the F-821-1 Forward Top Skin (and underly-
ing structure) into the F-873J Hinge. Cleco as you drill, and use a new (sharp) drill bit when drilling.
Untape and remove the baggage door from the fuselage. Remove the pin from the F-873J hinge.
Deburr the #40 holes in the hinge half, cleco it to the F-821-1 Forward Top Skin, F-873H Spacer, and F-873G-1
Hinge Support, then rivet it in place (See DWG 74).
Position the baggage door on the fuselage and insert the hinge pin.
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The pin hole in both F-873M Latch Blocks is drilled at a slight angle to compensate for the taper angle of the
fuselage side. The latch blocks have an indexing mark to aid in their positioning. When installed, the indexing
mark must be at the bottom end of the block and facing aft. Label the blocks “forward” and “aft”. Mark a vertical
centerline (centered on the 5/16-inch hole) on the aft side of the aft latch block and on the forward side of the
forward latch block.
Use tape to hold the forward and aft F-873M Latch Blocks in position on the fuselage. Do not put any tape over
the 5/16 holes for the F-873K Latch Pins.
Close the baggage door and turn the key to engage the F-873K Latch Pins in the F-873M Latch Blocks.
Pull the baggage door tightly closed by stretching two strips of duct tape between the F-873A-1 Baggage Door
Skin and the F-820-R-1 (RV-8) or F-891-R-1 (RV-8A) Forward Side Skin. Verify that the door is flush with the
F-821-1 Forward Top Skin.
Rotate the F-873M Latch Blocks so the previously drawn centerlines are visible in the two 1/8 screw pilot holes
in the Firewall Assembly and F-866B-1 Upper Forward Baggage Bulkhead. Mark the location of the screw pilot
holes by match-drilling #30 into both latch blocks.
NOTE: Only drill 1/16-inch deep to mark the location of
each screw hole.
Remove the F-873M Latch Blocks from the fuselage.
Using a drill press, drill #30, then final-drill #19, the pilot holes in the F-873M Latch Blocks.
Machine countersink the two screw holes in both F-873M Latch Blocks for flush screws. Countersink the side of
the latch blocks that will be visible in the baggage door opening.
To aid in pin engagement, use a #19 piloted countersink to slightly chamfer the edge of the 5/16 latch pin hole
in both F-873M Latch Blocks.
Install the F-873M Latch Blocks in the fuselage using the hardware depicted in “F-873M Latch Block”, DWG 84.
Use a small amount of lubricating grease in both F-873M Latch Block pin holes to help the latch operate
smoothly. Vaseline is a good choice since, being water-soluble, it is relatively easy to clean up.
If you wish to minimize the possibility of water entry into the forward baggage area through the baggage door
hinge, install piece of foam as shown in “Baggage Door Aft View”, DWG 84. You must use a closed cell type
foam so that it doesn’t act as a sponge. Make it 1-1/8 wide X 1 high X 14-1/4 long.
MANUAL ELEVATOR TRIM CABLE INSTALLATION
NOTE: If electric elevator trim has been chosen, the manual trim cable is omitted from the Fuselage Kit.
The RV-8/8A manual trim control is a functional, though unconventional, vernier control. A vernier is a control cable
that rotates for fine adjustment, but has a button that “unlocks” the threads and allows rapid push-pull movement.
Most of us have encountered vernier controls in other airplanes where they are commonly used as a prop, or mix-
ture control. Because the trim is very effective, it is conceivable that rapid trim application while the airplane is trav-
eling at high speed could produce high G loads, possibly even destructive loads. Because of this remote possibility,
disable the rapid push-pull action of the cable, leaving the rotational vernier action as the only way to move the trim
tab.
Pry up the rubber button on the manual trim cable with a small screwdriver. Work carefully because the button
is held with an adhesive and it is possible to damage the handle. When the rubber button is out, remove the
plunger shaft. Without this shaft, the vernier control cannot be released and all action will be limited to the twist
screw function.
Replace the rubber button with a 1” chrome snap-in hole plug from the local hardware store.
Remove the left elevator if it is installed on the horizontal stabilizer.
Begin installing the trim cable from the cabin end. Starting through the instrument sub panel and then routing it
aft through the designated holes in the bulkheads (See “Fwd Fuselage Substructure” of DWG 63, DWG 69,
DWG 70, and “Detail E” of DWG 71). Snap bushings are used in all of the bulkheads through which the trim
cable passes.
Install the left elevator. Feed the trim cable through the leading edge opening and the snap bushing in the
elevator spar and out through the opening in the elevator bottom skin (See “Manual Trim Assembly”, DWG 4.)
Drill 1/8 holes at the four corners of the WD-415 Trim Cable Anchor Bracket (See DWG 4).
