Looking for Guidance on Cowl Attachment

[lr172]

On my 6, I used the hinges on the lower vertical line and the horizontal line. I used screws and tinnermans on the upper and lower firewall attachments. While I will definately use screws on the bottom, I am wondering how many folks are using the hinges on the upper cowl attachment at the firewall. Is it holding up over the years? Any problems getting the pins in or out? Or am I best to go with screws or camlocs?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Larry

[Carl Froehlich]

Never liked the look of screws or camlock on the cowl (to each his own).

I used hinges with the following mods:
- On the top, instead of using the 3/32? pin in the 1/8? hinge, I used a 1/8? SS pin that I trimmed down to 3/32? on the last 10-12 ? or so. This allowed for the pin to still go in and make the bend, but it mitigates the cowl bulging up on air pressure at the top.
- On the bottom I used the MS20001P extruded hinge instead of the provided hinge. This hinge is far more robust and solves the typical issue of hinge eyes breaking off on the bottom hinges from vibration.

All is well after 500 hours.

If you don?t use the the extruded hinge on the bottom, use aluminum plate and nutplates.

Carl

[lr172]

Originally Posted by Carl Froehlich

Never liked the look of screws or camlock on the cowl (to each his own).

I used hinges with the following mods:
- On the top, instead of using the 3/32” pin in the 1/8” hinge, I used a 1/8” SS pin that I trimmed down to 3/32” on the last 10-12 “ or so. This allowed for the pin to still go in and make the bend, but it mitigates the cowl bulging up on air pressure at the top.
- On the bottom I used the MS20001P extruded hinge instead of the provided hinge. This hinge is far more robust and solves the typical issue of hinge eyes breaking off on the bottom hinges from vibration.

All is well after 500 hours.

If you don’t use the the extruded hinge on the bottom, use aluminum plate and nutplates.

Carl

Thanks Carl. I like the idea of the extruded hinge.

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by Carl Froehlich

Never liked the look of screws or camlock on the cowl (to each his own).

I used hinges with the following mods:
- On the top, instead of using the 3/32? pin in the 1/8? hinge, I used a 1/8? SS pin that I trimmed down to 3/32? on the last 10-12 ? or so. This allowed for the pin to still go in and make the bend, but it mitigates the cowl bulging up on air pressure at the top.

I am pretty sure the RV-10 plans specify use of 1/8 pin at the upper portion of the firewall.

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002

I am pretty sure the RV-10 plans specify use of 1/8 pin at the upper portion of the firewall.

Page 47-7 specifies 0.090? pin material for this, not 1/8?.

[BH1166]

Originally Posted by lr172

While I will definitely use screws on the bottom, I am wondering how many folks are using the hinges on the upper cowl attachment at the firewall. Is it holding up over the years? Any problems getting the pins in or out?

Larry

I purchased flying, I did not build my 6a. It has hinges all but bottom. Built in 1992 and no records or evidence of it ever being anything different. Tony Bengilis built the 6a I own. I have on one occasion had a little bulge top/right, so I can attest that can happen. The recommendation of larger wire likely would address that.

[rocketman1988]

I was planning on using skybolts on the firewall and hinges on the sides...until I flecked the hinge in place and attempted to push 30+ inches of wire through all the knuckles, twice. That was enough for me. I went with all skybolts and never looked back...

Ask around, there are quite a few people who did the hinges that wish they hadn?t...

[Carl Froehlich]

Originally Posted by Jesse

Page 47-7 specifies 0.090? pin material for this, not 1/8?.

Reread my post. The 1/8? pins are filed down on the ends so they make the bend. They are full size along the top flat parts. This takes out the slop that exists between the 1/8? hinge eyes and the standard 0.90? pins along the top so under pressure the cowl does not bulge up.

Carl

[DanH]

I really like the piano hinges on the flaps

[Bill.Peyton]

I did what Carl did and 850hrs later they still look good. I can tell you that the first few times it took a drill to spin the pin into the hinges.