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Tip: Show us your cowl / hinge pin cover or method to secure pin

Hinge pin covers

This is how I made my covers, I riveted and bonded some .050" 2024 t3 that I shaped to suit the contour of the cowling, formed a cover plate out of 2024 t3 .050" drilled the screw locations then riveted some 10/32 floater anchor nuts to attach the cover with shear head screws.

http://rv-6rebuild.blogspot.com.au/ scroll down the page to find the cowling and engine photo's

Sorry I haven't worked out how to post photo's yet.
 
Don't have a pic handy

Mine look a lot like the one's in the picture that Chris posted in post #7, except I made mine out of fiberglass.

I tried to make covers out of aluminum but I couldn't get a good fit. It was pretty easy molding them out of glass. I made them a bit over size to start and trimmed and shaped them until I was happy with the final shape and size.

I don't have the pin sticking out the back like the one's in Chris's post - I just have the 2 screws holding them in place.
 
This is how I did mine - works fine.

Normally, it is hooked under the cowl a little - needs the occasional tweek !!


IMG_2487.JPG
 
Hidden cowl pin

This is what I copied from a guy in our club in Sweden. The pin in inserted from the cockpit and routed through a steel tube to the aft end of the cowl where it enters the hinge and ends at the front of the cowl.





Steel tube epoxied to the inside of the cowl cheek.



Looks good so far.
 
If I ever re-do my cowl the pins will exit into the cockpit or through the NACA air ducts. Not out the front. The Van's solution is the cleanest i've seen, but even that seems like a kludged solution. Vlad's solution is very nice, but that much visible work shouldn't be necessary.
 
I offset my hinges and made these. The back side has a boss that the hinge pin is JB Welded into.

_DSC0095.jpg


Chris
 
Here's mine- sort of a cross between Chris and Stephens. I wanted something more than a flat plate, so I was looking around the shop and had an idea. I had some 1/4 X 1" aluminum bar. I put it on the ground on a couple of 2X4's and stepped on it, forming a radius. Put it up against the cowl and cut out the part that fit the best. Drilled a crosshole and spent sometime making a teardrop shape





Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 
hinge pin

I formed a piece of aluminum wrapping it around from inside of inlet to over hinge pin and secured with two nut plates, one on top cowl, one on bottom. A few of us have it done this way on 4, 6, 7, and 8 with a variety of styles. Can send pic via email if you're interested.
jjet
 
What's the advantage or appeal of the offset hinges that I see some folks have? Is it just that the hinges are less likely to be damaged when the cowling is removed or is there more to it than that?

Erich
 
Hinge Pins

Mine are removed from the inside. I used 3/16 steel tubing flared on one end, inserted through a hole in the firewall that aligns with the hinge. This tube is the cut and flared inside to connect to a -3 bulkhead connector mounted through the f902 bulkhead on each side. A -3 capnut is then drilled and tapped, threads cut on hinge pin (4-40) , a little locktite, thread pin into capnut. From the inside it's hidden under the panel, secured by -3 AN fitting. Looks like the rest of the fittings in the cockpit. Tubing is sealed to firewall with the flare and proseal.
 
What Cover plate for cowling horizontal hinge pin did U make?

Cowling complete on my RV9A except for the location of the cover a plate over the horizontal cowling pin right behind the spinner. What did you design that you like or have seen. I thought of a couple of cougar silhouettes over that tab but I am open to your ideas. Thanks

Ron in Oregon
 
This is what i have

IMG-25.jpg


Mine are purely functional. This photo was taken when I was working with inlet modifications so it is not focused well on the cover. My side hinge pins have a pull loop formed in the end and I have made a cutout in the upper cowl to accommodate the loops below the cowl surface. There are three platenuts involved on each side, one inside the cooling air inlet and two on the outside of the cowl. The cover is made of 0.016" 2024T3 and it wraps around the front covering the cowl split line and the pin pull loop opening. The inner screw goes through the cover and both the upper and lower cowl halves and the outer screws go into the upper and lower cowl halves. The hinge pins provide that perfect alignment and the screws and cover take the separation loads off of the hinge assembly.

Bob Axsom
 
Several ways.

Hi Ron...most guys seem to use a couple of nutplates and countersunk screws and washers, on each side, right behind the spinner.

You can get very creative with the outer hinge pin. Ours had a 90? bend and didn't protrude outside the cowl. We had about a 3/4" hole in order to reach in with a needle-nosed pliers, to grab and extract the pin. We made a circular plate from .025 aluminum and two small screws held it in place with their nuts epoxied in place inside the cowl.

Other guys have a flush plate, shaped like their State.

None of the pin needs to be on the outside.

Best,
 
none. I made my pins come in from the cockpit.

I do like the 7 ones though.

bob burns
RV-4
N82RB
 
Man you guys are creative to say the least! I thank you all. Theres a part of each of your threads to make the plate. Hope more examples come.

Ron in Oregon
 
At a Fly-in today I noticed Jerry T had a nice setup on his recently airworthy -9A. Love the green paint too.


Here's the other side he had the cover removed.


I went with the hidden hinge pin under the panel....sorry couldn't find a good close up.
 
Bret,
I quit counting hours before I finished the tail, but I would estimate I spent 20 something hours dreaming it up and 20 something hours making it. Yet another reason I'm still building and not flying.
On the positive side I could do it again in 3-5 hours and I really like how it turned out! I do have a single 7 I formed out of .032 that would look good polished as well, maybe I'll spend some more time and finish the 7 in aluminum before paint.......after I'm flying.
 
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Seen at Sun-N-Fun 2021
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In the works...
 

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