SECTION 8
THE FUSELAGE
RV-8/8A
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tioned at a comfortable height to allow sitting inside on a short stool or chair.
Rivet the F-820-L-1 & -R-1 (RV-8) or F-891-L-1 & -R-1 (RV-8A) Fwd Side Skins to the substructure, with the
following exceptions.
NOTE: Do not rivet the fwd side skins to the F-843-L-1 & -R-1 Lower Longerons or
the F-801-1 Firewall. Do not rivet the holes that are common with the bottom four holes in each F-804H-
1 Center Section Side Plate (DWG 69). Only rivet the keeper rivets along the upper edge of the fwd side
skins to the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons in rivet hole locations with rivet legend symbols, on the
F-820-L-1 & -R-1 skin diagrams on DWG 74.
Rivet the left and right F-823-1 Mid Side Skins to the sub structure with the following exceptions.
NOTE: Do
not rivet any hole locations that do not have a rivet legend symbol. Do not rivet the F-860C-L-1 & -R-1
Aft Arm Rests until you have riveted the F-807 Bulkhead Assembly.
Rivet the left and right F-824-1 Aft Side Skins, F-842-1 Aft Bottom Skin Fwd, and F-828-1 Aft Bottom Skin to the
sub structure with the following exceptions.
NOTE: Do not rivet any hole locations that do not have a rivet
size designated.
Rivet the F-826-1 Right Center Bottom Skin, and F-827-1 Left Center Bottom Skin to the aft bottom flange of
the Center Section Assembly.
NOTE: Do Not Rivet the fwd bottom flange of the center section assembly
at this time.
After Riveting, final torque the nuts on the bottom bolts that attach the F-814E-L-1 & -R-1 Seat
Ramp Supports to the F-804 Center section Assembly.
Rivet all open holes in the aft portion of the F-826-1 Right Center Bottom Skin and F-827-1 Left Center Bottom
Skin.
If you have been riveting with the fuselage inverted, flip it to right side up on the sawhorses.
Cleco the F-819-1 Aft Deck, F-810D-1 Spacer, and F-811D-1 Spacer / Control Stop in place on the aft fuselage
(See “Detail E”, DWG 71).
NOTE: The F-811D-1 Spacer / Control Stop is the down elevator travel stop.
Leaving it unriveted at this time will allow it to be easily removed for any trimming required when ad-
justing elevator travel.
Cleco and bolt the F-812B-1 Angle / Control Stop in place on the aft fuselage (See “Detail E”, DWG 71).
NOTE:
The F-812B-1 Angle / Control Stop is the up elevator travel stop. Leaving it un-riveted at this time will
allow it to be easily removed for any trimming required when adjusting elevator travel.
Rivet on the aft
deck.
Cleco, then rivet, the F-818D-1 Bellcrank Rib to the F-818-L-1 & -R-1 Baggage Bulkheads (DWG 71). Shorten
the length of the two rivets for each side approximately 1/32.
NOTE ON BATTERY LOCATION CHOICES
The choice of battery location is dependent on primarily two factors. Your choice of engine model and the type
of flying that you will do the majority of the time.
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A RV-8 or 8A with a Lycoming IO-360 Angle Valve engine should have the battery installed at the aft loca-
tion. Their is a large variety of different model numbers of the angle valve engine, some with crankshaft
counterweights, some without, but they all are in a weight range that requires the aft battery location.
If using any other Lycoming model between 150 and 180 HP, either battery location could be used depend-
ing on what propeller is selected, and what type of flying you will primarily be doing.
-
If you are using a 180 HP engine and you want to maximize utility (be the least restricted in the amount of
weight that can be carried in the rear seat and aft baggage area), the forward battery location could be
used. If you expect to mostly use the airplane for solo sport / fun flying, then the aft battery location could
be used to provide a more desirable C.G. location while flying solo.
-
If using the lightest weight engine choice (150-160 HP) and a wood propeller, then the fwd battery location
should be used to provide as much rear seat and aft baggage payload capability as possible.
Refer to the weight and balance examples in Section 14 of the construction manual as an aid in choosing
your battery location.
Aft Battery Installation Only:
Cut the F-877B Angle at the notches to make two F-877B-1 Angles (See “Aft
Battery Installation”, DWG 71). Cleco the two angles to the F-877A-1 Battery Tray. Final-Drill #30, the 1/8
holes common between the battery tray and the two angles. Final-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes common between
the battery tray and the two angles, and the 3/32 holes used for attaching the four nutplates to the aft side
flange of the battery tray.
RV-8/8A
SECTION 8
THE FUSELAGE
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Aft Battery Installation Only:
Disassemble the battery tray. Machine countersink the eight #40 nutplate at-
tachment holes on the aft flange of the F-877A-1 Battery Tray, for flush rivet heads on the aft side. Machine
countersink the six battery tray mounting screw holes in the F-877A-1 Battery Tray, for flush screw heads on the
top surface. Deburr the edges and all screw holes in the battery tray, the two F-877B-1 Angles, and the F-877C
Battery hold down. Prime the parts if/as desired.
Aft Battery Installation Only:
Cleco and rivet the F-877B-1 Angles to the F-877A-1 Battery tray using the #30
holes (See “Aft Battery Installation”, DWG 71). Rivet a nutplate to each side, and the four nutplates to the aft
flange of the battery tray. Mount the battery tray to the F-818B-L-1 & -R-1 Baggage Rib Angles with screws.
When ready to install the battery, use the F-877C Battery Hold Down and the bolt hardware to anchor the bat-
tery in the battery tray.
Rivet the F-857D-R-1 Outboard Seat Belt Bracket and F-857E-R-1 Inboard Seat Belt Bracket to the F-857B-R-1
Seat Belt Bracket (See “Detail D”, DWG 71). Repeat this step with the parts for the left side seat belt bracket
assembly.
Bolt the F-857B-R-1 Seat Belt Bracket to the F-857C-R-1 Seat Belt Bracket, and F-889-R-1 Lower Longeron
(See “Detail D”, DWG 71). Repeat this step with the Left Seat Belt Bracket Assembly.
Rivet the aft end of the F-860C-L-1 Aft Left Arm Rest & -R-1 Aft Right Arm Rest to the F-807 Bulkhead Assem-
bly (DWG 69). Rivet the F-860C-L-1 Aft Left Arm Rest & -R-1 Aft Right Arm Rest to the left and right F-823-1
Mid Side Skins.
Rivet the F-806A-L-1 & -R-1 Bulkheads to their associated F-806F-L-1 & -R-1 Gusset (See “Detail A”, DWG
69). Rivet the F-805-L-1 & -R-1 Bulkheads to their associated F-805G-1 Gussets (See “Detail B”, DWG 69).
Rivet the F-805B-L-1 Floor Support Angle and F-805B-R-1 Floor Support Angle to their associated F-805G-1
Gusset and F-814C-L-1 or -R-1 Inboard Seat Rib Angle (See “Detail B & D”, DWG 69).
Rivet the outboard tab on the fwd end of the F-860A-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Arm Rests, to the F-804C-AL and -AR Aft
Center Section Bulkheads (See “Left and Right Arm Rest Rivets”, DWG 69).
Cleco, then rivet the F-816-L-1 &-R-1 Cockpit Side Rails to the top flanges of the F-804C-FL & FR Center Sec-
tion Fwd Bulkheads, F-804C-AL & AR Center Section Aft Bulkheads, and the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper
Longerons (See “Left Cockpit Rail”, DWG 72).
Cleco the F-804N-1 Bulkhead Caps in place (DWG 72). They will not be riveted at this time so they can be later
removed to access rivets that attach the F-821-1 Fwd Top Skin, access bolts that mount the WD-814 Wind-
screen Support, and access for riveting nutplates to the bulkhead caps for the F-865-1 Right Console.
Cleco, then rivet, the F-817-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Back Support Plates to the F-805-L-1 & -R-1 and F-806-L-1 & -R-1
Bulkheads (See “Left Cockpit Rail”, DWG 72).
Cleco the two F-856-1 Spacers and the WD-808 Seat Back Weldment in place on the bottom of the F-816-L-1 &
-R-1 Cockpit Side Rails. Rivet the spacers and the front seat back support to the cockpit side rails. Install the
screws and bolts that attach the front seat back support to the cockpit side rails and the F-817-L-1 & -R-1 Seat
Back Support Plates.
RV-8 FORWARD BOTTOM SKINS
(This section RV-8 Only)
Invert the fuselage on short sawhorses.
If building an RV-8 with a standard fuselage kit, skip ahead to, and complete the main landing gear installation sec-
tion. Return here when it is completed.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes in the inboard flanges of the F-851-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Bottom Skins that are common
with the dimple countersunk holes in the F-822-1 Forward Floor Panel (DWG 75 & 61).
CAUTION: The forward most hole in each F-822-1 Forward Floor Panel, that is common with the F-801D-
1 Lower Angle on the firewall assembly gets dimpled in the reverse direction from the rest (DWG 60).
Deburr, then dimple countersink, the #30 holes drilled in the previous step so that they properly nest with the
holes common in the F-822-1 Forward Floor Panel.
Cleco the F-850-1 Bottom Skin, and the F-851-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Bottom Skins in place on the fwd fuselage.
NOTE: The outboard edges of all three skins slip between the F-820 -L-1 & -R-1 Forward Side Skins and
the F-843-L-1 & -R-1 Lower longerons (DWG 75).
