S

Stewie

Well Known Member
Patron
Hi all-
I am prepping my bulkheads and need to fab the instrument panel. I recently sat in a neighbor's -4 and had "clearance issues" (I'm 6'2) with my knees and the bottom of the instrument panel (never mind my head and the canopy...). I plan to move the seat back 2", but I'm curious if anyone has ever raised their instrument panel to gain knee room? Looking at the plans, I don't see any problems in raising the panel 1.5" level with the longeron. Currently planning a 7" Skyview, 430w, VP-X and a couple of backup steam gauges so I don't see a problem there either. I would prefer to make instruments bend to the demands of my knees than the other way around. Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Eric
 
Knee room

Eric,
I am 6'1" and had same fears as you when building my -4, so I located the seat as far aft is I could. You will find 2 main things that limit the position, that being the roll bar mounting and the rear control stick travel clearance of the seat back. Without major design changes, I have mine back as far is I can. My panel is even with the bottom of the chanel that goes across the forward end of the cockpit/canopy side rails and leaves plenty of knee room.I even mounted breaker panels to the bottom of the chanel, and they are not in the way. My radios are in a center stack consol, and work well there. I located toggle switches across the bottom of my panel, and I can bump them with my knees getting in and out..plan to put guard bar accross them eventually. Rocker type switches wouldnt be a problem. I have some decent pictures I can send you if you want to PM me with an Email address. The -4 is tight, and planning the layout certainly makes the difference.
 
I did what Bill did... I put the roll bar back two inches and I cut the bottom of the instrument panel off so that it is even with the bottom of the cockpit rails. I riveted a piece of 3/4 x 3/4 aluminum angle to give the panel strength. It works great.

If you try to raise the panel, it will interfere with the canopy. On the panel I have a D10-A, 496, ACS 2002 engine monitor, Vertical card compass, CO detector, Steam A/S indicator and altimeter and a Microair txpdr
. I built a center stack that has a ICOM A200, all of my switches and breakers... perfect fit for me. I am 6' 2" 230 pounds.

Mike
 
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Sounds doable

Bill and Mike-
Thanks for your comments. Mike, I actually meant cutting off the bottom of the panel as you suggested, rather than actually raising it. Glad to see others have done this.
Cheers,
Eric
 
Good thinking ahead and plan. I sat in a 4 that had the drawer below the panel and it was very low for my 6'2"
 
The Bees Knees

Hi Eric,

When I built my 4 back in the "dark ages" the panel height most builders used was the bottom level with the canopy rail as mentioned above. (My instrument panel is 1/8" aluminum!) I used this and the new owner who is 6'2" has no knee clearance issues with a 1" thick NASA foam back cushion. Here's a picture:



V/R
Smokey

PS:I also relocated my odessey battery to the firewall and hinged the access panel which converted the battery box to a forward storage area
 
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Smokey-
Thanks for that pic, it's just what I needed to see how high to raise the panel. Always appreciate your many posts on VAF.
Eric
 
Inst panel room.

While I'm vertically challenged, so I don't have a ht problem....I am rebuilding my panel soon. I will move it forward about 4 inches to be flush with the fwd bulkhead. I have seen this version on multiple RV 4s and it seems to look/function well. Just a thought.

Anybody have any difficulty with this modification, anything to think about?

Thanx,

Dave
 
Moving the panel fwd will run into the canopy quite quickly as mentioned previously. That being said, there are other solutions. You can make "leg cutout" in the panel like the EZ/Berkut drivers have or raise the entire panel. Either way, it's easier with than with any other RV beause the panel and fwd section are usually jus screwed in (vs. riveted). Get yourself some cardboard and a pair of scissors and play around a bit until you get something you like. then take the stock piece of metal for the panel and cut away (or have someone else do it for you). Just remember you have to be creative with instruments in the 4's due to space constraints. Using the modern more efficient digital instruments is a huge help!

Just my 2 cents as usual.

Cheers,
Stein
 
Forward panel/RV-4

The panel location is moveable..I put mine about 1" farther forward, but keep in mind there is a structural crossbrace just forward of the panel that limits forward movement and cant be raised any higher. Ultimately, it could all be re-designed if one was so inclined. The forward skin panel must still be of original shape, as it will be the mating edge to the canopy frame/skin. So the "overhang" of the forward skin will be longer an the attach angle on the instrument panel will have to be modified to accomodate the attach screws. Also, the canopy lock pin wil require a block on the aft side and or a longer pin to penetrate the panel. It all seems simple, but alot is affected.
 
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