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Cowl "below" spinner for sag?

polishpilot

polishpilot

Well Known Member
I have a 9A and I am ready to cut the aft edge of the top cowl. My confusion is an instruction from Van's on page 12-4 in his manual.

"Block the forward end UP to be 1/8" to 3/16" BELOW the spinner to allow for future engine sag." (CAPS are mine)

Question is: shouldn't this be above the spinner to allow for sag?

Or am I not getting the picture.

Jim
 
Never mind; my wife set me straight. She said "isn't the spinner what sags, not the cowl?"

And she says she doesn't like flying. At the moment I am speechless, which is probable the best thing. :confused:







polishpilot said:
I have a 9A and I am ready to cut the aft edge of the top cowl. My confusion is an instruction from Van's on page 12-4 in his manual.

"Block the forward end UP to be 1/8" to 3/16" BELOW the spinner to allow for future engine sag." (CAPS are mine)

Question is: shouldn't this be above the spinner to allow for sag?

Or am I not getting the picture.

Jim
Click to expand...
 
The instructions are correct. The engine and spinner will (may) sag over time, not the cowl.
 
It's a good man that listens to his wife and post it for the world to see. Keep up the good work an a questioning attitude.
 
Van's used to sell cheaper mounts that would sag. The expen$ive ones they sell now are much higher quality and so far I haven't seen any sagginess. I didn't allow for any appreciable sag in my recent cowl fitting. I figure if they do sag, I can always slip in another washer on the lower bolts to raise the engine back up a bit.
 
Sag also depends on ....

...how long the engine has been hung before you finalize the cowl cuts. If the engine has been on the mounts for , say, six months to a year; I doubt you'll see much sag. On the advice of Vans and many others, I set my cowl for almost 3/8" of sag and - wouldn't you know it - it has not sagged a bit. My sight picture over the cowl today includes a 3/8" annular ring of the back of the spinner, since it sticks up by that much. Ugh.
 
Rupester said:
...how long the engine has been hung before you finalize the cowl cuts. If the engine has been on the mounts for , say, six months to a year; I doubt you'll see much sag. On the advice of Vans and many others, I set my cowl for almost 3/8" of sag and - wouldn't you know it - it has not sagged a bit. My sight picture over the cowl today includes a 3/8" annular ring of the back of the spinner, since it sticks up by that much. Ugh.
Click to expand...

I think the instructions were written when Van's was selling Berry mounts. I think they switched to Lord mounts big $$$!!
 
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