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PA-12 Wing Spars... Dakota or Univair?

daedgerton

PATRON
Arlington, VA
About to have a fellow forum member begin work on rebuilding my 12... Need front and rear left wing spars. Should I go Dakota or Univair? Does it make a difference? I know that the wings were rebuilt (2006 ish) a bunch of Dakota Cub ribs were used...

Thanks for any input...
 
no difference.... price and shipping are the determining factors in my opinion....

personally i like buy blank undrilled spars and doing the layout myself....

univair rear -18 spars have wing attach wrong height... at least since 1978! compared to a real piper rear spar...
 
..personally i like buy blank undrilled spars and doing the layout myself....

univair rear -18 spars have wing attach wrong height... at least since 1978! compared to a real piper rear spar...
That alone should raise some eyebrows. Imagine getting the project all done, going flying and having one wing being extremely heavy. Just because one hole wasn't where it belonged and it wasn't noticed, since you depended on the reputation of the supplier. Univair has been in business for a long long time.
 
I have seen no difference between Dakota Cub and Univair spars. Look at price and shipping costs like Mike posted.
 
univair rear -18 spars have wing attach wrong height... at least since 1978! compared to a real piper rear spar...

I remember you posting this before. I have replaced several rear spars in Super Cubs that were original (build number and date in red crayon) and have found no difference in the Univair spar wing attach height.
 
Is Dakota drilled for the ribs? If I remember right there leading edges aren’t trimmed for the ribs where the Univair is.


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Is Dakota drilled for the ribs? If I remember right there leading edges aren’t trimmed for the ribs where the Univair is.


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Not sure... I'm a newbie on rebuilds. Assuming undrilled is OK, just means more labor down the road?
 
Yes, the have a template and drill everything from one side of the spar. You have to drill for the rib screws on the back side which is easy after the ribs are installed and screwed down on the front side.
 
Mike, I’ve seen you post this before too- how do you deal with the discrepancy when you use a Univair spar? Or do you just use blanks and drill yourself? I just replaced a rear spar in an -18 last winter, and it flies just like it did before; seems if the attach point was off, it would affect the rigging substantially... still have the original piper spar- next new Univair one I get, I’ll compare them.
 
Mike, I’ve seen you post this before too- how do you deal with the discrepancy when you use a Univair spar? Or do you just use blanks and drill yourself? I just replaced a rear spar in an -18 last winter, and it flies just like it did before; seems if the attach point was off, it would affect the rigging substantially... still have the original piper spar- next new Univair one I get, I’ll compare them.

You just rig normally then adjust to whatever makes it fly properly.

You can SEE the difference at the wing attach at fuselage end. Looks to be about 1/2 the diameter of the wing attach bolt(AN5).

Maybe Univair fixed it by now. That last one that had the paper Univair tag on it still was installed in 1978. (I Was recovering wings in 2006?, seen many more, actually everyone I checked from Univair)

Simple to see the error, just lay a straight edge on top of rear spar and measure down to the attach bolt hole or fuselage wing attach fitting.

I prefer using blanks, as then I can layout all the holes and tram marks all at once on front and rear spar and know they will be perfect. (If both spars are out/new)


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