Dg400 rigging tips

On Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 2:56:26 PM UTC-8, Steve Cameron wrote:
Guys, I'm a new DG400 owner, and was wondering if there are any tips or suggestions that others have learned to help rigging. My ship came with an electric self rigger with remote, and the first time I used it I got the wings on with little problem. Today was a different story, not only did it take considerable time to get the wings in, but than I fought the spar pins for a while before throwing in the towel, figuring it just wasn't my day! Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Steve Cameron

The key to easy assembly of the 400 is alignment - if the wings are out of alignment no amount of pushing, hammering or swearing is going to get the spar pins in. As Paul mentioned, the wings need to be parallel to the fuselage, but that is not the only factor. The wing dihedral must also be correct.. You can check this by looking at the gap between the wing root and the fuse: it must be the same on the top and bottom. If it isn't, raise or lower the wing to get it the same (you can also raise or lower the fuselage, but only for the first wing). Just because the wing gap looks on the top side doesn't mean that the vertical (dihedral) is correct: you must also look on the bottom side.
Once both wings are in the gaps look good, I check spar bushing alignment be my special feeler gauge tool: my finger. Of course, you will be able to see gross misalignments visually, but this will not get you the whole way. If they have even the slightest misalignment, you will be able to feel it with your finger. Just rub it back and forth over the joint.
What needs correction depends upon where you feel a misalignment. If it is on the sides of the bushing, one of the wings (or both) need a fore/aft correction. If it is on the top or bottom, one or both of the wings need a vertical adjustment. The first time you go thru this just pick a direction and see if it makes the gap better or worse; if worse you went the wrong way.
I showed this method to another 400 owner who was having a similar experience to yours. He said he had his pins dripping in grease and they still wouldn't go in. I had him go thru this procedure with my dry pins and, once everything was in alignment, the pins slid in with next to no effort.

Tom

One thing i always suggest when a glider is difficult to rig is to clean
and regrease the pins and their fittings. I've seen people struggling for
ages, they do that and everything just slips together.

Chris

At 05:15 28 February 2018, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 2:56:26 PM UTC-8, Steve Cameron wrote:
Guys, I'm a new DG400 owner, and was wondering if there are any tips or
s=
uggestions that others have learned to help rigging. My ship came with an
e=
lectric self rigger with remote, and the first time I used it I got the
win=
gs on with little problem. Today was a different story, not only did it
tak=
e considerable time to get the wings in, but than I fought the spar pins
fo=
r a while before throwing in the towel, figuring it just wasn't my day!
An=
y suggestions?
Thanks,
Steve Cameron

The key to easy assembly of the 400 is alignment - if the wings are out
of
=
alignment no amount of pushing, hammering or swearing is going to get the
s=
par pins in. As Paul mentioned, the wings need to be parallel to the
fusela=
ge, but that is not the only factor. The wing dihedral must also be
correct=
.. You can check this by looking at the gap between the wing root and the
fu=
se: it must be the same on the top and bottom. If it isn't, raise or
lower
=
the wing to get it the same (you can also raise or lower the fuselage,
but
=
only for the first wing). Just because the wing gap looks on the top side
d=
oesn't mean that the vertical (dihedral) is correct: you must also look
on
=
the bottom side.
Once both wings are in the gaps look good, I check spar bushing alignment
b=
e my special feeler gauge tool: my finger. Of course, you will be able to
s=
ee gross misalignments visually, but this will not get you the whole way.
I=
f they have even the slightest misalignment, you will be able to feel it
wi=
th your finger. Just rub it back and forth over the joint.
What needs correction depends upon where you feel a misalignment. If it
is
=
on the sides of the bushing, one of the wings (or both) need a fore/aft
cor=
rection. If it is on the top or bottom, one or both of the wings need a
ver=
tical adjustment. The first time you go thru this just pick a direction
and=
see if it makes the gap better or worse; if worse you went the wrong
way.=
=20
I showed this method to another 400 owner who was having a similar
experien=
ce to yours. He said he had his pins dripping in grease and they still
woul=
dn't go in. I had him go thru this procedure with my dry pins and, once
eve=
rything was in alignment, the pins slid in with next to no effort.

Tom

I have owner a number of DG gliders including a DG400 and never have
any problems...

As Chris said, make sure its well greased, then fit one wing in place and
adjust the tip height to make sure the spar tip is relatively central as
it
emerges from the other height.

You can get a tool on some of the DG's to keep that wing in place whilst
you fit the other wing...

The next bit is key...

Ask the person on the wing he is holding to lift or lower so that the
opposite hole is about lined up and push that main pin as far in as it will

go... it probably won't go in fully, but don't worry...

THEN look at the other hole and ask him to again raise or lower his tip
until it is lined up and put the second pin in... with brief minor
adjustments it will go straight in... As you do so, push in the center of
the pin with one hand whilst rotating the handle a bit with the other.

Once that pin is in, you will find that the other pin will then push
straight
in also...

It works... I have been doing it this way on DG202, DG400, DG800 and
now DG808 for 28 years..!..

Craig

At 08:15 28 February 2018, Chris Rowland wrote:
One thing i always suggest when a glider is difficult to rig is to clea
and regrease the pins and their fittings. I've seen people struggling fo
ages, they do that and everything just slips together.

Chris

At 05:15 28 February 2018, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 2:56:26 PM UTC-8, Steve
Cameron wrote:
Guys, I'm a new DG400 owner, and was wondering if there are any
tips or
s=
uggestions that others have learned to help rigging. My ship came
with an
e=
lectric self rigger with remote, and the first time I used it I got the
win=
gs on with little problem. Today was a different story, not only did it
tak=
e considerable time to get the wings in, but than I fought the spar
pins
fo=
r a while before throwing in the towel, figuring it just wasn't my day!
An=
y suggestions?
Thanks,
Steve Cameron

The key to easy assembly of the 400 is alignment - if the wings are
ou
of
=
alignment no amount of pushing, hammering or swearing is going to
get the
s=
par pins in. As Paul mentioned, the wings need to be parallel to the
fusela=
ge, but that is not the only factor. The wing dihedral must also be
correct=
.. You can check this by looking at the gap between the wing root
and the
fu=
se: it must be the same on the top and bottom. If it isn't, raise o
lower
=
the wing to get it the same (you can also raise or lower the fuselage
but
=
only for the first wing). Just because the wing gap looks on the top
side
d=
oesn't mean that the vertical (dihedral) is correct: you must also loo
on
=
the bottom side.
Once both wings are in the gaps look good, I check spar bushing
alignment
b=
e my special feeler gauge tool: my finger. Of course, you will be able
to
s=
ee gross misalignments visually, but this will not get you the whole
way.
I=
f they have even the slightest misalignment, you will be able to feel it
wi=
th your finger. Just rub it back and forth over the joint.
What needs correction depends upon where you feel a misalignment.
If i
is
=
on the sides of the bushing, one of the wings (or both) need a
fore/aft
cor=
rection. If it is on the top or bottom, one or both of the wings need a
ver=
tical adjustment. The first time you go thru this just pick a direction
and=
see if it makes the gap better or worse; if worse you went the wron
way.=
=20
I showed this method to another 400 owner who was having a similar
experien=
ce to yours. He said he had his pins dripping in grease and they still
woul=
dn't go in. I had him go thru this procedure with my dry pins and,
once
eve=
rything was in alignment, the pins slid in with next to no effort.

Tom