Protection for tow bar openings in fairing?

[thinkn9a]

Any good ideas for protecting the nose wheel fairing so the tow bar does not take out chips or worse, due to misalignment when closing?

Something along the lines of a cap, but with a sleeve to provide some additional strength and protection? Might be a good place for stainless steel...

[Geico266]

I use 2" leading edge protection tape from 3M. It is lite, clear, and extremely tough.

[aerhed]

I use 2" leading edge protection tape from 3M. It is lite, clear, and extremely tough.

That would work, wouldn't it?

[Bob Axsom]

It doesn't take much skill to move the plane without a tow bar and I have no tow bar holes in the nose wheel fairing. I did that for speed of course but it is an option.

Bob Axsom

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by Geico266

I use 2" leading edge protection tape from 3M. It is lite, clear, and extremely tough.

I've also seen heavier stainless steel tape used in the same location on Grummans. Cut with nice rounded corners.

[Pilottonny]

No, no, no..... just use some large diameter heat shrink on the tow bar. If you leave it just a little longer as the tubes of the tow bar, while shrinking it will "curl" around the edge of the tubes nicely. This will not only protect the inside of the hole in the fairing, but will also protect the sides of the fairing against hitting it with the end of the towbar tubes.

Regards, Tonny.

[Ron B.]

I used thin SS and cut a circle the diameter I wanted. I cut a slightly smaller inside diameter than the finish size desired. I then used a round steel ball and centered the SS circle over a short pipe and tapped the ball , rolling the SS down into the pipe. This made a lip inside the wheel fairing. I then used a similar technique to contour the SS circle the shape of the fairing. Polish the circle and Pro-seal in place.
Both are still secure after 48 hrs flight time.
Ron

[flion]

Extending the bolts for the bar to go on cured all problems for me. They sit just slightly proud of the fairing now (about 1/8" over at the forward edge and recessed by about that much at the aft edge) which centers the bar nicely and prevents damage to the fairing (mine are not yet painted but I can see that the paint will not be in danger).

[dmaib]

Originally Posted by Pilottonny

No, no, no..... just use some large diameter heat shrink on the tow bar. If you leave it just a little longer as the tubes of the tow bar, while shrinking it will "curl" around the edge of the tubes nicely. This will not only protect the inside of the hole in the fairing, but will also protect the sides of the fairing against hitting it with the end of the towbar tubes.

Regards, Tonny.

Great idea Tonny! I am going to do that tomorrow! RonB has an elegant solution as well! I love this forum.
Bogert was going to send me an extended bolt solution a few months ago, but they never showed up and I forgot about it until now. I don't see anything on their web site about it, so maybe they dropped the idea.

[Randy Means]

Thanks I just finished my 10 and have already scuffed the wheel pant paint. Maybe I should just over it. The virgin scuff is always the worst.

N595RV
Randy Means
Merritt Island Fl.