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Fwd Baggage Door

NavyS3BNFO

Well Known Member
Anyone have any experience with fitting the forward baggage door BEFORE riveting the fwd skin? I don't have avionics installed so I'm waiting to rivet the top fwd skin.

The instructions seem to imply you can fit the baggage door, including riveting the inside skin of the baggage door - prior to riveting the fwd top skins. My concern is if I fit the baggage door before the top fwd skin is riveted, the fit may change slightly after riveting.
 
An additional complication is how you intend to hold the cowl on. Whether you use piano hinge, or make attach strips that support the quarter-turn fasteners (mil-spec or skybolt), either one, plus additional shim strips, are needed to position the forward skin to be flush with the cowl.

I don't remember for sure, but I am pretty sure I had that all figured out before I did the final riveting of the baggage door, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Now, whether I had the forward skin all cleco'ed together with all the shim strips, or actually riveted, I don't remember.
 
Seemed to work out ok. but like Steve, apparently I had all the parts in place.
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Looks like I did it before riveting the skin. Here's how I kept things flush when setting the initial pop rivets inside:

Tip: For the sides, to set a consistent gap, put wire in the skin-to-door skin gap when you tape down the door. I used some #22 insulated wire I had handy and clear packing tape. Keeps you from ending up edge-to-edge.
 

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... I don't have avionics installed so I'm waiting to rivet the top fwd skin.
...

Hey Glenn, Apologies if you have already considered this, but if you install avionics and then the top skin, what will you do when you have to remove the avionics? Everything will come out again some day...
 
Looks like I did it before riveting the skin. Here's how I kept things flush when setting the initial pop rivets inside:

Tip: For the sides, to set a consistent gap, put wire in the skin-to-door skin gap when you tape down the door. I used some #22 insulated wire I had handy and clear packing tape. Keeps you from ending up edge-to-edge.

I like the aluminum angle idea to keep the edges flush. I've seen many builders use ratchets straps but I think I'll try the angle idea. One question: have you fitted the cowl yet and were there any issues with getting the cowl flush with the fwd skin?
 
Hey Glenn, Apologies if you have already considered this, but if you install avionics and then the top skin, what will you do when you have to remove the avionics? Everything will come out again some day...

At least for the initial avionics install it seems much easier to do it before riveting the fwd skins. And that's what Vans recommends in the build manual. After that, for maintenance, I'll be able to take the instrument panel off with the screws and access the avionics behind it. That combined with contorting myself under the panel is my plan.
 
I like the aluminum angle idea to keep the edges flush. I've seen many builders use ratchets straps but I think I'll try the angle idea. One question: have you fitted the cowl yet and were there any issues with getting the cowl flush with the fwd skin?

This is important. Before you cut out the door area from the forward top skin, overlay 2 or 3 pieces of 0.063” 3/4”x3/4” aluminum angle between the firewall bulkhead and the next aft bulkhead. Once you cut out the door panel the firewall will flex, really messing up your cowl fit up. The angle prevents this.

Carl
 
At least for the initial avionics install it seems much easier to do it before riveting the fwd skins. And that's what Vans recommends in the build manual. After that, for maintenance, I'll be able to take the instrument panel off with the screws and access the avionics behind it. That combined with contorting myself under the panel is my plan.

The days of on your back and head under the panel ended 20 years ago.

I completed all the top skin riveting before the first wire was run. The panel was completed on the bench and can be installed (or removed) in less than 15 minutes. This supports all future maintenance and panel updates. It just takes some pre-planning to achieve - and if you don’t do this work yourself you will need to find an avionics shop that is not stuck in the 1960 Cessna world.

I also recommend you do not add “access panels”. Not needed and they mess your paint job.

Carl
 
The days of on your back and head under the panel ended 20 years ago.

What Carl said. The -8 is maybe the easiest of the fleet. Build the panel as a plug in assembly. Anything inconvenient to wire via quick disconnects goes in a sub-panel. Most of the time you'll just unscrew an EFIS screen. Use nutplates there for sure.

Once you cut out the door panel the firewall will flex, really messing up your cowl fit up. The angle prevents this.

Or...see the two black braces on the firewall?
 
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