Tip: Hidden Hinge Oil Door
 

If you mount the oil door on the cowling the way the plans show you, your door will work just fine. However, over time, you'll notice a black streak on your cowl from the hinge line streaking aft. I'm not sure of why the streak forms, but it does. So on my Rocket, I fabricated a hidden hinge on the door.

I bent some aluminum to make a hinge as shown. I also reinforced the hinge mounting area with about 10 plys of fiberglass. The idea is to allow the door to swing up and away and not hit the cowl until the hinge is stopped by the lip in the opening.

When you're done, it looks like this.

Another very nice tip from Randy...thanks

And here are some pictures of my very similar install.

Cowl install pictures

Latch Source??
 

Would you please provide the source of the latch? Also, is the door spring loaded in any way (doesn't appear to be) or is it loose flapping except when latched?

Hidden Latch
 

Here is your source for oil door hidden latch system!

This state of the art latch mechanism is made out of 6061 anodized aluminum with a stainless steel latch pin, pull cable with handle, and latch recepticle. Latch recepticle operates on a bevel to bevel sliding action, allowing automatic bolt lock when oil door is shut.

The Kit includes the 6061 anodized aluminum hinge a complex shape designed from extrusion. Thouough instructions include builders tips, and the much needed reinforcement designed out of carbon fiber, to prevent in-flight flexing of the oil door.


Pictures of hidden oil door latch system mounted on a RV 7.


(pictures won't download!)
Why?



Here is the link to more hidden oil door latch systems, mounted on different planes we have built.

http://www.advancedaviationinc.com

The Hidden Oil Door Latch kit is available through:
Aviax, Inc.
1661 N.E. Cackler Ln.
Bend, Or. 97701
Order though e-mail at: aaronbrook@bendbroadband.com

How to insert pictures:
http://www.vansairforce.net/articles...ums/images.htm

Best,

Big Brother
 

You can always count on Doug to be looking over your shoulder..... :D

Hwood

Hidden oil door hinges
 

I believe the hinges shown in Andy's picture are the ones available from McMaster Carr, P/N 11205A35 - $3.60 each, 11205A36 - $7.45 each. P/N's are from Dan Checkoway's site! Used them on my -8, worked great! :D
Bill Waters

Cheap hidden oil door latch
 

Nice, but no offense, $200 is a bit steep (that's Lancair money). There is an easier way to have a hidden latch. Use some spare piano hinge and wire. Lighter, cheaper (free if you have spare hinge) and looks great. (Stole idea from RV featured in EAA Sport Aviation). Cheers George

:D

Aluminum versions of McMaster's concealed hinges
 

Here's a message from Tom Sargent that appeared on the Matronics rv-list a couple of weeks ago. Thanks much to Tom for pointing out a great source for aluminum, not steel, hinge brackets equivalent to the steel ones I bought from McMaster. They're cheap, too!