Dg400 rigging tips

All the above suggestions are great.

Having everything you can in the same position each time, wing stand marked at perfect height, and same position on the wing, cradle at the same height, ......

Also the R wing first, as it sits in the back of the spar box, if you start with the left the spar wants to side back.

When inserting the left wing, as the spar is going in, you have to pull the spar initially forward a little by opening the canopy. This keeps the bushings from hitting. ( the spars are not smooth, the bushings are sticking out.) If you do not do this then you can push out the second wing quite easily. This in also one area where the fore aft alignment of the wing comes into play, because if it is off the bushings will also rub.

I don't have electric, but I have replaced the gas strut in my rigger, so I can go out to the tip and raise and lower the wing myself easily, and it will stay in that position. Your electric rigger should be great for this,. Use this method for getting the wings in, but then as others have noted, make fine adjustments by raising and lowering the cradle. I start with the cradle high, and then lower to get final alignment.

Hope this helps.

Kevin Anderson
92
DG 400 146

I have owned a 400 and 808C and would say neither was a
"simple quick" rig.
As others have said, the initial alignment is critical.
DG sell an eccentric aid (nylon/hard plastic) to prevent the first
wing being moved out of position when the second wing is
fitted; this is well worth having; near essential if you are trying
to rig single handed. Any competent machine shop/amateur
could make one to avoid paying DG prices.
You can also buy an eccentric alignment tool (Zulu Glasstek?)
which will pull the two wing together the last few millimetres to
allow the pins to be entered. Again anyone with a lathe could
make one in a few hours from steel round stock.
Without both these aids the 808C was a pain to rig.
The good thing about the 400 is that you have a Rotax engine!

2G had a good comment about marking the spar (to aid with dihedral alignment). After you have successfully assembled the wing and the pins are in place, take a black "Sharpie" pen and scribe a line against the back fuselage to indicate proper rear spar dihedral alignment (right wing), then scribe a line along the intersection of the front and rear spars (on the face of the rear spar) to show proper dihedral alignment of the front spar (left wing) relative to the rear spar. After practice, you will get 98% alignment by just visual cues, then the pap smear technique will get you that last 2%.

My DG-300 sometimes gave me problems early on. What I learned is that the spoiler automatic hook-up can be not properly engaged in the first (right) wing. If that's the case, the spoiler's automatic hookup fitting on the fuselage is not properly aligned to receive the left wing. It will block the wing from coming all the way in.

My procedure is: after getting the right wing seated, I move the spoiler handle while pushing in on the fuselage's left hand spoiler fitting. This allows me to feel when it engages the right hand wing. I can actually open and close the right wing's spoiler when it's engaged all the way.

Larry
FP

You may also want to ask this of the DG Yahoo group. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dg_gliders/info.

PS - While I didn't have any issues with rigging my old DG-101, nor did a friend with his old DG-300, that same friend now has issues with getting the main spar pins in on a nearly new DG-303. Sometimes they slip right in, other times it is a hell of a trial. Why? Temperature? Humidity? Phase of the moon? He wishes he knew.

- John Ω

Again, thanks to all for your suggestions. I got the wings & pins in yesterday, and I found particularly effective these two tips: 1-Get one pin partially in and than capture the other, and 2- Raise(or lower) the fuselage to make small, final adjustments in making it all come together.

I worked on a DG-300 that was always a haste to rig. Finally, I removed all lubrication from all 4 lift pins and then painted them black with a magic- marker. Forced the wings onto the lift pins, then slid them out..............magic-marker was removed from the aft side of the aft lift pins and from the forward side of the forward lift pins! Then I jumped on the indicated interference areas with emery cloth cut into 1" strips..............scrubbed them like shining shoes. Took over an hour, but that damned thing finally rigged like it should.
Cheers,
JJ