New vs. Old Rib Weight's

[Nathan K. Hammond]

We always hear New ribs are heavier than old rib; so I finally got around to weighing them.

Item.....Old weight......New weight.....

Root Rib... 1lb 4.65oz.... 13.95oz...
Main rib... 6.95oz.... 11.30oz...
Aileron Rib... 6.70oz.... 8.15oz...
Tip Rib... 7.85oz.... 9.40oz...

Leading Edge (old 7 piece vs. new 2 piece) 7lbs 5.85oz... 6lbs 4.70oz.

SO.... that all comes to 16lbs 7.75oz for old stock and 18lbs 10.25oz. for new stuff.

That's 4lbs 5oz difference for two wings.

nkh

[DELCOM]

Nate

How is the restoration coming along? Any idea yet when it will fly again.

Good info.........every pound seems to count.

Del

[MikeB]

I don't know what the original weight was on the L16's but I don't believe they had any interior panels at all (looking at some old drawings in manuals).
Mike

[kyleb]

Another interesting comparison:

Brand new Champ, Circa 1946: $2,750.

One set of brand new Champ wing ribs, Circa 2012: $3,000.

[Paul Agaliotis]

Mike,
I believe they were installed with a T.O. Even the AAF got tire of patching holes from the pilots boots and belts. I have all of my cabin supports and panels stripped. I plan to put some clear over the brushed aluminum unless I get my mind changed.
The new ribs are quite a bit thicker than the originals. I think they were .016 and the replacements are .032, twice as thick,twice the weight.
Paul

[MikeB]

Paul,
I believe the difference in rib thickness is .020 (old style with PK screws) and new .032 for pop rivets. It seems the old leading edge was .016 and the new WA is .022 (or about that). Either way it adds weight. Now add the WA 5 gallon wing tanks and that's another 18#.....as us old Norwegiens say "Uff Da" . Mine actually came in at about 950# but that includes the 0200 engine, mufflers, 25 amp battery, Skytec starting system, 4 new heavy struts, WA wing rebuild with WA tanks, green house (instead of fabric overhead) interior, etc. The 0200 conversion seems to handle the extra weight quite well, though. Best of all I don't have to swing the prop to start it but it's a good thing I'm a 'light weight'.


Mike

[David Johnson]

Don't forget, original ribs had no protective coating. Most of us prime them with something now. Epoxy ain't light, but I still like using it. David J.

[MikeB]

David,
No doubt painting the ribs with epoxy might be a good idea but I've always wondered about it as I don't believe I've ever seen corroded ribs. Might be because I'm in a dryer part of the country, though. Seems like what corrosion I've found has been on the trailing edge of the wing under the fabric.

Just wondering.........

Mike

[David Johnson]

Mike, around here, you can leave a new rib uncovered in the hangar, and in just a few days see surface corrosion starting. I would hate to try that in Florida. Humidity Baby! David J.

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Don't forget, original ribs had no protective coating. Most of us prime them with something now. Epoxy ain't light, but I still like using it. David J.

Actually, when I weighed this stuff; the old ribs where bare and the new ribs/LE were etched/alodined/epoxy primed.

What I was amazed to see, the weight gain was only 2 pounds per wing. I can save that by removing the shag carpet and valour side panels.

Go figure.

nkh

[David Johnson]

Only fly after a bathroom visit...

Or fly without underwear...

Only fly with flip flops...

OR FLY NAKED!

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Del, it's coming along. One wing finished and working on the other. I've got all the fittings, as well as, the tail feathers in the shop blasting them. Takes me about 3 hours to clean off an elevator. With only 3-4 hours to work a day, it's taking forever to get everything blasted so I can prime it all.

Hows your new project?

nkh

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Just take it out and play with it.... Err fly it.

nkh

[kyleb]

Takes me about 3 hours to clean off an elevator.

nkh

I figured you'd get through one in 30 minutes with your new bead blaster. If it takes 3 hours, is that really faster than stripping the parts (which is a slow, awful process itself)..

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Kyle, it's taken some trial and error to make the blaster work at its best. First I had issues with the pickup tube, then sealing it up so glass didn't blow out the seams. Now that I've got that all fixed, the compressor is running non stop and making water. I I need to get a water trap and may build an inter-cooler to help dry out the air.

Its taking less time now, did an elevator in about 45 minutes. It's definitely better than stripping in my opinion.

nkh