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How to install a camloc

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
I finally made the oil door for the cowling . This is the first time I've come face to face with the camloc fastener -- two of them, actually (I'm building per the plans. Yes, I know there are spiffy ways to do this without having hardware showing, but I'm not doing it that way).

How do you get these things through the 1/4" holes on the door?
 
Bob,

I think you are in need of some Camloc Pliers.

Pull tight put at 45* angle and they fit right in.

Hope it helps.
 
Camloc's

Hey Bob,
I'm building a 4 and cut my oil door in the SJ cowl where it would let me get to everything in there! Then at Sun n Fun this year I picked up a couple of those neat little do-dad latches you speak of, funny thing is when I got back to the shop I couldn't use them. Cowl on the 4 has a nice little bend right in the door and didn't have enough room for those fancy latches.
I had to go with the camlocs after all that! If you hold the body of the lock with one hand and push down on the ears (or screw depending on which one you have) the legs will wiggle in there. However I had to enlarge the hole in the door so the body would fit down snug, then the legs would go in better. I have the keepers but haven't installed them yet so I just remove them when not in use.
 
I'm less interested in the tool used and more interested in how one makes a more-than-1/4" wide device fit through a 1/4" wide hole. Do those prongs collapse somehow? Do they extend like a cleco?
 
Bruce told you briefly. Compress the camloc, hold at an angle so one 'prong' is lower, insert it into the hole and you can do a slight twist to get the second 'prong' (I don't know what you'd really call them) in as you straighten the camloc. Release the pliers and it will stay in.
 
Removing Camloc

I've fitted the cowl installed all the camlocs. Came out great. Now I want to remove the camlocs for sealing and painting the cowl. Is there a way to remove the cowling portion (not the receptacle) without damaging the retaining ring?
 
Yes, you can remove the ring. I did it and they all survived and I never put them back on after paint because it is much easier to remove and place the cowl without them hanging up on all the "stuff" around them. I would just pull the entire camlock out as I removed them. If I recall I used a needlenose/small screw driver and they came right off. Pretty tough little rings actually.
 
I don't think there's a neat tool, like the one for inserting them, but Rick is right. A small screwdriver in the split, twist enough to get it started, and a needle-nose pliers to finish. Rick is also right that the camloc retains the grommet but if you lose a camloc in flight (or elsewhere) you'll also likely lose the grommet. The rings aren't that obtrusive, IMHO.
 
Leave the retaining rings off until ready for paint

Leave the retaining rings off until ready for paint. The inserted screw will hold things plenty tight. Take screws and grommets out when you take the cowling/oil door off for now. Doesn't take that long and is easy to do.

Rings already on? They are a bear to get off. I think there may be a special tool for it. Can check ACS or Skybolts website.

Gordon

N144GP
 
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