R

RV74ME

Well Known Member
Can someone recommend where to buy socket head cap screws to replace the Phillips screws that attach the access plate on the fuel tank? Thanks
 
Or go to this link... :)

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/NAS1351.php

Another option may be to use these screws with a hex head as well as a Philips slot...

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/nas1096.php

NAS1096.jpg
 
I bought some today at the aviation department at my local hardware store, as I had to remove a fuel sender from one of my tanks. 8-32 and 5/8" long. They were $.39 a piece and spruce's price is $0.385.
 
I have never quite understood why, or where, the recommendation that floats around to do this came from. I have had both access plates off for the SB and one again for a bad sender. Never had an issue with the Philips head screws.
Realistically, those plates might not even need to come off in the life of the airplane, but if they do, trust me, the Philips come right out, at least they have for me.

I pull my floor pans at least once a year, as we all do. Are you folks changing all of those #8's out too? Seems to me if your sold on torx, or whatever alternate head, that would be the place to do it.

Anyway, new builders seem to think they need them and are willing to spend the time to hunt them down when they could have been done installing from the kit supplied hardware in less time than that.

Just one dummies experience.
 
JonJay said:
I have never quite understood why, or where, the recommendation that floats around to do this came from. I have had both access plates off for the SB and one again for a bad sender. Never had an issue with the Philips head screws.
Realistically, those plates might not even need to come off in the life of the airplane, but if they do, trust me, the Philips come right out, at least they have for me.

I pull my floor pans at least once a year, as we all do. Are you folks changing all of those #8's out too? Seems to me if your sold on torx, or whatever alternate head, that would be the place to do it.

Anyway, new builders seem to think they need them and are willing to spend the time to hunt them down when they could have been done installing from the kit supplied hardware in less time than that.

Just one dummies experience.
Click to expand...

Maybe, but for those who are less delicate, or unlucky with Philips screws, these -

NAS1096.jpg


- are made of a material that is twice as hard as the AN515 screws called out in the plans and therefore less likely to get bu****ed up slots in them...:)

The hex head also allows more tool options in tight, or angled, locations.

I wish I had discovered them earlier...:eek:
 
Its not costing me any time....only a few dollars. If there is a cheap, easy solution to do something better, then I'm all for it. Sometimes its not worth the effort, but this seems pretty straightforward
 
JonJay said:
I have never quite understood why, or where, the recommendation that floats around to do this came from. I have had both access plates off for the SB and one again for a bad sender. Never had an issue with the Philips head screws.
Realistically, those plates might not even need to come off in the life of the airplane, but if they do, trust me, the Philips come right out, at least they have for me.

I pull my floor pans at least once a year, as we all do. Are you folks changing all of those #8's out too? Seems to me if your sold on torx, or whatever alternate head, that would be the place to do it.

Anyway, new builders seem to think they need them and are willing to spend the time to hunt them down when they could have been done installing from the kit supplied hardware in less time than that.

Just one dummies experience.
Click to expand...

I've had to remove enough buggered-up phillips fasteners on an RV (especially the seat pans and wheel fairings) that I'm using some other fastener type everywhere it's feasible on mine. In fact, I just received three boxes of 8-32 x 1/2 button head cap screws for my baggage floor and seat pans.
 
JonJay said:
I pull my floor pans at least once a year, as we all do. Are you folks changing all of those #8's out too?
Click to expand...
Yes, since you mentioned it...

The only thing worse than a philips head screw on an airplane is a slotted head screw. IMHO.
 
The phillips head screw is and engineering error. It does center the driver, but it does try to force the screw driver out of the seat of the screw.
 
Floorboard screws

rmartingt said:
I've had to remove enough buggered-up phillips fasteners on an RV (especially the seat pans and wheel fairings) that I'm using some other fastener type everywhere it's feasible on mine. In fact, I just received three boxes of 8-32 x 1/2 button head cap screws for my baggage floor and seat pans.
Click to expand...

I got a box of those and found that the hex needed was way smaller than that needed for a #8 socket head cap screw. I felt like my hex driver was twisting too much during installation. I ended up not using any even though they look nicer in the floorboards. :)

I switched to these #8 screws where there was good straight screwdriver access.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/an525.php

an525-832r6.jpg


They are also twice the hardness of the AN515 screws called out which will help prevent the bu*****ng up of the slots.
 
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