William Slaughter

William Slaughter

Well Known Member
After something of a hiatus, I've now working hard to finish up all of the sheetmetal work in the cockpit. The manual tells me to leave the forward stiffeners off of the floorboards until they are permanently installed, then rivet the stiffeners on. This would require a bucker and a riveter bending over into the cockpit, reaching up under the floorboards, etc. I sure would like to rivet these on up on the bench instead, and it occured to me that this would be no different from having to remove and reinstall the floorboards later for maintenance. Can you readily get them past the seatbelt mounts with all of the stiffeners in place? I'd love to hear from anyone who's actually done it. Thanks.
 
Hi Will,

It was way too long ago for me to remember how I actually did this, but I don't remember doing it in place - are you talking about the aft floorboards? I am fairly certain that i put those stiffeners on out of the plane. You can always cleco them on and try to install them - that should tell you if they have to be done in situ or on the bench.

Paul
 
Did mine on the bench

I puzzled over that for awhile and could not understand the rationale so I went ahead and did them all on the bench. The floor panels go in just fine with the stiffeners in place. Before you do the deed, however, work out the install method with the stiffeners clecoed in place. I think that is what I did, but do not remember for sure.

Chuck
 
I thought the instructions told to wait until the end of the project, simply because they go in and out way easier (more flexible) before all the stiffeners are added. You do them on the bench, you just wait until they are about to be permanantly installed.
 
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