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Aft floorboards struggles

Gregg Brightwell

Gregg Brightwell

Well Known Member
SO - you guys - I made posterboard templates for my aft floorboards. (The ones under the back seat) The templates fit fine, as they are flexible. When I made the "real" ones out of .025, they are a PITA to install. And that is without the stiffener angles. Will be even worse with them. The biggest problem is the front seat belt mounts are in the way. There is really no way to "bend" stuff out of the way.

I have done a search, hoping to find answers, but not what I was looking for. I do know, however, that I am dimpling the skins, and countersinking the structure under, to install flush pull fasteners, versus round heads. Nutplates are unnecessary, heavy, and time consuming. I guarantee, if I ever need to pull those aft floorboards, I can drill out those soft rivets, and reinstall the same, as fast as I can take out screws. (Especially since those screws are so easy to strip the heads)

A bit of a tangent there, but seriously, what is the trick to these floorboards?

Gregg
 
Gregg Brightwell said:
SO - you guys - I made posterboard templates for my aft floorboards. (The ones under the back seat) The templates fit fine, as they are flexible. When I made the "real" ones out of .025, they are a PITA to install. And that is without the stiffener angles. Will be even worse with them. The biggest problem is the front seat belt mounts are in the way. There is really no way to "bend" stuff out of the way.

I have done a search, hoping to find answers, but not what I was looking for. I do know, however, that I am dimpling the skins, and countersinking the structure under, to install flush pull fasteners, versus round heads. Nutplates are unnecessary, heavy, and time consuming. I guarantee, if I ever need to pull those aft floorboards, I can drill out those soft rivets, and reinstall the same, as fast as I can take out screws. (Especially since those screws are so easy to strip the heads)

A bit of a tangent there, but seriously, what is the trick to these floorboards?

Gregg
Click to expand...

even with the stiffeners, they will bend and twist enough to get them in place. I would re-think the nutplates, mine are screwed in and have been out three or four times for wiring updates and i would hate to have had to drill them out.

bob
 
I made mine out of .016. They bend enough to get them into place. With the stiffeners and screwed down to the floor I can stand on them without any signs of caving in.
 
I made mine in numerous pieces overlaping. Makes for very easy instalation/removal.
 
floor panels

I have to flex the front seat belt anchor pieces out of the way, but otherwise they go in without a huge fuss. I had to remove some of the bulkhead flange material here and there, and slightly trim the front left corner of the left floorboard (the big one). It has been a few years since they have been permanently installed. I have to slightly flex the left one in the middle to insert outside edge into position, and then flex the seatbelt anchors to lower them like a hinged door into place.

Forward -- I just went and looked, and the left panel is about 1/8" narrower than full width. The right panel goes full width; fuse side skin to F-414. Maybe you just need to shave the edge(s) here and there to create some wiggle room. I used the LP3-4 rivets and am happy with it (my whole airplane is totally stock per plans).
 
pieces

Yeah, I made the left one like the right one, to keep it smaller, and will make a center panel that lays on top of those.

Did you guys take separate the ~29" aft side panels and make them 2 pieces? Or did you leave them as one?

GB
 
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