Removal Of Vertical Stabilizer (Fin); Installation Of Vertical Stabilizer; Fuselage Assembly - Piper Navajo Chieftain PA-31-350 Service Manual

NAVAJO CHIEFTAIN SERVICE MANUAL
4-42. VERTICAL STABILIZER (FIN).
4-43. REMOVAL OF VERTICAL STABILIZER (FIN). (Refer to Figure 4-.)
a. Remove the air intake fairing which is a portion of the dorsal fin.
b. Disconnect the rotating beacon wire, rudder tab sender wires, radio antenna cable and deicer line.
c. Disconnect the antenna wire from the top of the stabilizer.
d. Remove the access plates located on each side of the fuselage, under the horizontal stabilizer and
the panel located on top of the fuselage, aft of the vertical fin. The tail cone may be removed if desired.
e. Remove the access panel to the aft inside section of the fuselage.
f.
Remove the rudder in accordance with paragraph 4-37.
g. Locate the rudder trim cable turnbuckles in the aft section of the fuselage, mark the ends of one
turnbuckle to facilitate reinstallation and block the cables in the aft section of the fuselage and in the
rudder to prevent the cable from unwinding. (Refer to Figure 4-3.)
h.
Disconnect the trim cables.
i. Through the right fuselage access holes, remove the two sets of trim cable pulleys, spacers and
bolts.
j. Remove the mounting bolts that attach the front spar to the fuselage bulkhead.
k. Remove the mounting bolts that attach the rear spar to the fuselage bulkhead.
1. Pull the stabilizer directly up from the fuselage.
4-44. INSTALLATION OF VERTICAL STABILIZER. (Refer to Figure 4-6.)
a.
Trial fit to ascertain gap between stabilizer and fuselage skin is .187 of an inch. Trim to obtain
this gap.
b. Ascertain that the sealer extrusion is attached to the lower side of the vertical stabilizer.
c.
Install the rear spar mounting bolts and nuts temporarily.
d. Install the front spar mounting bolts, washer and nuts. Tighten, but do not torque at this time.
e. Check to determine if a gap exists between the web area of the rear spar and aft bulkhead of the
fuselage. Should a gap exist, it may be necessary to use shim plates to fill this gap. To obtain proper shim
thickness, insert a feeler gauge between the spar and bulkhead. (Use shim .032, P/N 43998-00, as required.
Maximum of two.)
f. With the correct shims determined, remove the forward and rear spar attaching bolts. Move
stabilizer up and aft to obtain enough room to place shim(s) between rear spar and bulkhead.
g. Slide shim(s) into place and install rear mounting bolts, washer and nuts.
h. If removed, position the lower rudder hinge bracket and install mounting bolts.
i. Reinstall the front spar mounting bolts.
j.
Torque all mounting bolts.
k. Route the rudder trim cable forward and install the two sets of cable pulleys.
1. Connect the trim sender wires.
m. Connect the trim cable ends, remove cable blocks and set cable tension. (Refer to Section V.)
n. Install the rudder in accordance with paragraph 4-38.
o. Check rudder trim and rudder operation. (Refer to Section V for the rigging and adjustment of
rudder and rudder trim controls.)
p. Install all access plates and panels.
445. FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY.
NOTE
Aircraft S/NS: 31-5001 through 31-7952138 refer to Piper
S/L 904.
Revised: 9/24/81
STRUCTRES