Safety Wire – RV-14A

Firewall forward, empennage in process

Spinner front bulkhead bolts torqued and safety-wired.

Spinner plate assembly and front spinner bulkhead nutplates riveted.

Yes, there’s a little oopsie on one of those holes (a locating magnet failure to accurately locate that pre-drilled hole), but the nutplate isn’t compromised, so I’m not concerned. Onward!

Spinner is done and clecoed in place for the moment. The manual says to install it now with the permanent screws, but a few pages later (in the cowling instructions) it has to come off again, so best to leave the screwing until later. So to speak.

Left empennage gap cover bent and clecoed in place.

Firewall forward progress

Not much to report today – just yours truly torquing prop bolts. All done and safety-wired now.

Firewall forward progress

First attempt at supporting prop for installation of spinner plate assembly. I didn’t like it – way too precarious.

We wound up setting the prop on the hub with the rear face extended off the table’s edge. With two people holding it in place, that was sufficient to get the spinner plate bolted in place and torqued. Afterward, we just set it on its bolts.

Ring gear and alternator belt loosely in place. Yes, the paper towel was removed from the crank.

Lift strap wrapped around the prop hub and awaiting the engine hoist.

This worked even better than anticipated. Only a little manipulation of the hoist was required to get the bolts started. After that, it’s just a matter of doing a little on each one and continuing around the circle as the bolts draw the prop onto the crank and ring gear.

All snugged up and awaiting the arrival of the special prop wrench for final torquing and safety-wiring of the prop bolts.

All snugged up and awaiting the arrival of the special prop wrench for final torquing and safety-wiring of the prop bolts.

Front spinner bulkhead temporarily in place and, though it’s impossible to see here, the alternator has been positioned (tensioning the belt) and its bolts torqued and safety-wired as appropriate.