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prkaye

Well Known Member
I've finished laying up my roll-bar fairing. I used a couple of layers of duct tape as a mold-release on the slider canopy. Now, there is a small gap under the lip of the fairing when i close the canopy. Probably enough for water to get in if i parked outside without a canopy cover.
I'm wondering about applying some kind of rubber or tape on the underside of the roll bar fairing, so that when the slider closes I get a tighter seal. Also, it would remove the need to paint the underside of the lip. Has anyone else done this? What have you used?
 
One possible route is a layer of RTV. Put RTV on one surface, cover it with saran wrap and close the canopy until it sets up. That makes a good seal at the roll bar.

Bob Kelly
 
Interesting idea. I get water in my 6A slider from an unknown entry point. When left outside, I tape the slider/windshield junction with electrical tape and use a canopy cover but still get water in the fuselage.

I will have to drill some holes in the fuselage bottom to let the water escape.
 
Yeah, my 6A canopy leaks in two places. At the front where the gap is under the fiberglass/slider and at the back water seeps under the rear canopy skirts. I have seen people put some P weather stripping from Menard's Aviation in the front and my buddy sealed the rear skirts on his 9A with Pro Seal. I am not sure if RTV is compatible with plexi.
 
Ron Lee said:
Interesting idea. I get water in my 6A slider from an unknown entry point. When left outside, I tape the slider/windshield junction with electrical tape and use a canopy cover but still get water in the fuselage.

I will have to drill some holes in the fuselage bottom to let the water escape.
Click to expand...

I've got a 6A with same issue. Did you ever treat your canopy cover with a spray on weatherproofing sealant like they use on tents??
 
Weather Stripping

I used what I had laying around, which was simple closed cell cheap weather stripping with the self adhesive backing. I did not expect it to last but 300 hours later, it is still doing its job. Sometimes the simplest cheapest stuff can do the job.

I know that I could hear the air "whistling" through the gap before I put the weather stripping in. You may not be able to discern this noise but while flying take your finger and slide it along the gap. I could pick up a slight change in pitch an new I had a leak. The weather stripping fixed that. Now, the only water leak is a slow drip down my slider handle if it is raining really hard. A minor issue in the air and my canopy cover makes it a non issue on the ground.
 
It requires a lot of thought during construction

Ken Scott warned me about leaks and skirt suck out at speed so I paid a lot of attention to this during the build. I posted all of this stuff before and I assume it is still in here somewhere. My canopy is tight and dry in case you want to look up what I did. RV-6A slider.

Bob Axsom
 
So I ended up doing a combination of proseal and now sikaflex to build up the area where the slider meets the roll bar to give a better seal.
I used Sika 291LOT (Long Open Time). My shop temperature is probably around 16 or 17 degrees Celcius, and I've set up a himidifier to help it cure (sika is moisture cured and the air is extremely dry in ottawa winters).
After 2 days the sika is still sticky to the touch. Is this normal? How long will it take this stuff to lose its stickiness?
I'm going to have to do a couple of iterations to smooth out the lumpy appearance that resulted when i started with proseal (too sticky to apply smoothly).
 
Air Leak around slider rear bar?

I'm about ready to start on another of my "Engineering Adventures" - and would like to know if anyone else has solved this problem 1st.

My RV-7A slider leaks air around the rear skirt "dog house" - and it hits me right in the back of the neck. I've put the little UMHW "dog house" follower on - and it helps a lot. But I had to trim the bottom of the follower so it doesn't scuff the paint. The air shoots in between the bottom of the follower and the fuse. The rest of the skirt fits really well (I glassed it vs using the alum. part).

I can't put a foam/rubber wx strip there because the UMHW canopy slide would tear it off each time it passes.

So I'm THINKING of using the nylon brush weather stripping (http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2806037) stuff - as it should allow the canopy slide to pass and then flex back into place and block the airstream.

Anyone else tried this/solved the problem another way?

"Jerry"
RV-7A, 120hrs
 
I glued vinyl to the inside of my canopy rear skirt. The vinyl goes back between the slider and the rear deck and I did not glue it down at the very back, probably about 1/2". At the air comes forward under the rear skirt, it forces the vinyl down against the top deck. Not a track of draft comes forward. I also sealed around the center slider rail with foam. Hope that is understandable, and that it helps.

Bob Kelly
 
Velcro

I used the "fuzzy" side of a 1 inch Velcro tape all around the perimeter of my skirt. I have a one piece laid up canopy skirt that fits real well to start with. The Velcro is perfect used as a seal, and it closes like a refrigerator door. Prevents scratches on the paint, and eliminates the initial friction encountered when opening. I have a self adhesive weatherstrip on the roll bar that contacts the face of the frame when the canopy closes against it. No leaks at all so far. As for the small clearance at the canopy to windshield lay up, It may be a good thing. You need a little clearance to allow the canopy to "pop" up for that first fraction of an inch for easy ingress. I would not close the gap until you were sure it operated well in all temperatures. Try adding some tape to the canopy front edge to test it. Mine tightens up in hot weather, and I have seen marked scuffing at the leading edge of the canopy on a few RV's that I can only assume is from too tight a fit at the top of the windshield.

Hope this helps,
Chris
 
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