Urgent Heater Muff/Exhaust Heads Up!

[JDA_BTR]

Took forever for the mail to deliver my new end caps from Rick Robbins even though he shipped mine a day before Bill’s. Got and installed them this evening. Perfect fit using the vans shroud. Couldn’t be happier. I think that the vans end caps should not be used without great caution.

[M McGraw]

I just finished an oil change and a very close inspection of the heat muffs because of this thread. I do remember having to adjust the muffs at about 50 hours because they moved around a bit. I now have 525 hours with no damage. However, it is now on my list of things to check at each oil change. Thanks to the OP for reminding us to look.

[billybie]

Maybe this is better?
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...at05-15249.php[/quote]

I had numerous problems with my heat muff on my -7A. End plates kept cracking. Luckily, they never damaged the exhaust. Then I found Turbo Heat--great guy, he happily customized my heat muff to fit my setup (angled inlet port)--problem solved!

Billy Bie
RV-7A

[RV6-KPTW]

Add me to the list of cracked muff ends. I am at 85 hours and pulled the cowl yesterday for other tasks and found the forward muff end cracked in 2 places.

[Richard Spatz]

Dennis,
I have had trouble keeping my heat muffs from moving because I can't keep them tight on the exhaust pipe. So I added a second end cap on each end of both heat muffs "back to back" to the existing end cap. This has stopped the movement.
Since they act like an end cap "doubler", I suspect they might also mitigate the cracking of the end caps? Cheap fix if it works!

Richard
RV-14A
.

[JDA_BTR]

The thing I didn't like with the Van's end caps when I first installed them is that they seemed to "give" and deform when the pipe clamp was tightened on the end. They just weren't really rigid in my situation. The new ones I got from Rick Robbins fit perfect, and rigidly clamped the pipe without any deformation at all when the pipe clamps were tightened.

It is possible with the Vans that I didn't spring out the little flanges enough to fit the pipe better. Perhaps with more understanding of what is wanted they would work perfectly. For me the Robbins caps worked much better without any fiddling.

[RV6-KPTW]

I talked with Rick yesterday and ordered his end caps. I hope to have the same experience and will report back.

Thanks

[Lizard Lips]

Originally Posted by RV6-KPTW

Add me to the list of cracked muff ends. I am at 85 hours and pulled the cowl yesterday for other tasks and found the forward muff end cracked in 2 places.

Mine failed after less than 50 hours. Looking back, the Van's end plates/muffs are very flimsy.

Joe R
RV-14A ... First Flight June 7, 2020.

Robinson R-22 Heli ..... Still learning!

[mountainride]

Who can I contact to get the robbins solid ends for my existing vans muffs? I too have already replaced these and would like to get a better sealing muff.

-Jason

[RV6-KPTW]

Rick Robbins contact info is in post #32.