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Oil Door hidden latch

Here's some pics of our oil door latch system.
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I've considered getting rid of my Camlocs and using a hidden latch system. However, I had planned to insert the hinge pin from the baggage compartment, and have the pin retainer in there (RV-8).

While that would necessitate having to unlock the baggage compartment whenever I wanted to open the oil door, it also means that I don't have to stick my hand into a HOT cowl inlet to reach the pin. As clumsy as I am sometimes, I think that's a good trade. :D
 
Simple and cheap!

I like the idea: simple and cheap.

I guess it can not "spring"-open. How would you be able to lock it?: One hand holding the door closed and the other hand pusching the hinge-wire in, through the air-inlet? I have not tried to simulate this, but I think they are a bit far appart??!

Regards, Tonny.
 
I like the idea: simple and cheap.

I guess it can not "spring"-open. How would you be able to lock it?: One hand holding the door closed and the other hand pusching the hinge-wire in, through the air-inlet? I have not tried to simulate this, but I think they are a bit far appart??!

Regards, Tonny.

Oh, but those hidden hinges do spring open.

I like this idea and may use it on my new cowling. Thanks for posting.

Darn it, I can't use it with the Sam James cowl as there is no access to the wire.
 
Very nice work!!

Erik:

It is obvious you are trying to do a great job. Very nice work!

I did something similar and it looks great after paint too.

After 170 hours of unbelievable flying heaven, I'm glad we designed my door to close positively and firmly else the normal vibration would have chipped the edges of the paint over time if the door was not very secure.

Nice work.

Barry
Tucson
 
oil door

yes it is a spring loaded hinge. not too far to hold down and pull or push the rod. thanks for the compliments dad and i are pretty proud of it:D.
happy building
-E-
 
Oh contraire!

Oh, but those hidden hinges do spring open.

I like this idea and may use it on my new cowling. Thanks for posting.

Darn it, I can't use it with the Sam James cowl as there is no access to the wire.


This is MY idea...I know it must be cus its been flying for two years this way...:)

I have a SJ cowl and a tip up canopy..I took the brake tube and routed it such the closed canopy keeps the wire in place.I.e it goes back into the cockpit.

Open the canopy reach round and pull the wire out.

Works great.

Frank
 
Spring loaded

Did you make a small wire spring for the hinge so it would be spring loaded? Do you have a detailed picture? Thanks for sharing this idea. Dave
 
Did you make a small wire spring for the hinge so it would be spring loaded? Do you have a detailed picture? Thanks for sharing this idea. Dave

The spring comes with the hinge. It is a simple coil spring with two legs and slides over the hinge pin.
 
Nothing to do with the latch, but take a look at the stiffeners on the backside of the door. I assume they are foam core. Very nice.
 
stiffeners on oil door

yes they are 2 pieces of high density 1/4" foam. I feathered the edges and then hot glued them to the back side. then I taped the door in place with some scrap hinge material to hold it in shape with the cowl. then overlayed them with a couple of layers of 6 oz glass. thanks for the compliment. I have seen some of the fiberglass work that you have shown, and you do very nice work as well!
happy building
-E-
 
Forward End of the wire?

Bringing back this old thread because I was wondering about the forward end of the wire.

Does it stop just aft of the inlet ramp, or follow the ramp, or something else?

The latch is next on my list....

Thanks!
Dave
RV-3B working on the cowl now
 
Here y'go:

Hidden Latch.jpeg

The photo is from a previous thread. It's the end at the front of the cowl that I'm interested in now.

Dave
 
Mine is similar to Dave's, with a couple small differences drawn in red.
 

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Should have made it more clear - the photo wasn't mine. I expect I'll need an intermediate guide too.

What I'm asking, is how did you deal with the inlet ramp at the front of the cowl?

Thanks!

Dave
 
I have a similar oil door setup. nice clean look from the outside. The fwd end of the pin is bent to an L, which lightly clips into an aluminum detent that is riveted on to the cowl. So you reach your hand into the cowl inlet, push slightly to spring it free then turn slightly and pull. Takes getting used to.

That said, say goodbye to ever opening your oil door after landing. can be done but usually gives me a burnt knuckle, as my setup is too hard to actuate with a glove on.
 
So is the "L" aft of the inlet ramp, following it, or what? It's the proximity of the inlet ramp that I wonder about.

Thanks!
Dave
 
Oil Door Latch

At the risk that someone will mistake my plane for a Cessna I modified a Cessna latch to fit my oil door. I'm just used to the push button convenience. Door is aluminum.

Oil Door w:Button.jpg

Oil Door Bodywork.jpg
 
Mine is after the ramp. I have to reach my whole hand in to get at it. I have an RV4. Will add a pic next time I am at the hangar, cowl is off right now.
 
Oil door locking pin safety

Here's mine. An easy reach through the air scoop - but very hot in there! Positive retention is assured.

Hole for the pin is drilled in the inlet ramp.
 

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Pro tip: find where the end of the pin passively wants to go when it's fully engaged, and drill the hole right there. You're working blind when you insert it, so might as well make it easy as you can. Doesn't help that the governor sits directly in the way on the -10.
 
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