The Murphy Builders Site

Hello Rebel Builders:

I have a question for those of you that have installed Fife tips on your Rebel. Specifically the tail feather tips.

Am working on installing a Fife tail tip on my vertical fin. All parts have been fabricated, drilled and clecoed with exception of the plans ST-40 Angle. This ST-40 Angle part called out in the MAM Manual that has me stumped. Maybe I can’t see the forest through the trees, but I see no way to clamp, mark, drill and rivet the ST-40 for installation in the one-piece Fife tips. The angle and install are shown in Chapter 7.0, Page 6, Figure 7.5.2 (MAM Manual 26/06/98) .

In brief, the manual was written for the MAM two-piece tips. The builder positions one half of the tip in place, installs the aluminum ribs and the ST-40 angle that gets drilled and riveted to the EL-30 and to the rudder top rib. Once that has been accomplished, drill and cleco the other half of the tip, then fiberglass the two halves together. However, the Fife tips are one-piece and that pesky ST-40 angle looks impossible to install without surgery to the Fife fiberglass tips (don’t want to do that)!

What has everyone with Fife Tip installation done with this ST-40 angle? Am I missing something? Did I accomplish something out of sequence? Is the ST-40 Angle necessary? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Terry Dazey
Lake Tapps, Washington USA
Rebel 662

Terry
It is awhile since I did this but I think the diagram is somebody's
little joke on us. It would work if you didn't mind drilling out every
rivet in the tip to remove it while leaving the ST40, EL30, and ST-31
attached to the rudder. I wanted the tip to be removable which means I
did not want it permanently rivitted to the top rudder rib. Nor did I
want to drill out every stink'n painted rivet in the forward part of the
tip to remove them. So my tip screws on to the rudder with a screw
between most rivets into the side of the top rudder rib after the rudder
is bolted and lockwired in place. The Fife part is plenty strong enough
to just ignore that ST40 bracket on the rudder and same even on the
elevator where you will have the lead counterweights. That said I have
seen the factory elevator tips with so much up and down movement that
the ST40 rivets would really help but they don't have the strength of
the Fife parts as I recall. If I remember I'll check my tips next time
I'm at the airport but think the above is correct.
Ken

Terry Dazey wrote:

Hello Rebel Builders:

I have a question for those of you that have installed Fife tips on your Rebel. Specifically the tail feather tips.

Am working on installing a Fife tail tip on my vertical fin. All parts have been fabricated, drilled and clecoed with exception of the plans ST-40 Angle. This ST-40 Angle part called out in the MAM Manual that has me stumped. Maybe I can’t see the forest through the trees, but I see no way to clamp, mark, drill and rivet the ST-40 for installation in the one-piece Fife tips. The angle and install are shown in Chapter 7.0, Page 6, Figure 7.5.2 (MAM Manual 26/06/98) .

In brief, the manual was written for the MAM two-piece tips. The builder positions one half of the tip in place, installs the aluminum ribs and the ST-40 angle that gets drilled and riveted to the EL-30 and to the rudder top rib. Once that has been accomplished, drill and cleco the other half of the tip, then fiberglass the two halves together. However, the Fife tips are one-piece and that pesky ST-40 angle looks impossible to install without surgery to the Fife fiberglass tips (don’t want to do that)!

What has everyone with Fife Tip installation done with this ST-40 angle? Am I missing something? Did I accomplish something out of sequence? Is the ST-40 Angle necessary? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Terry Dazey