Section 30 - step installation

[RV6-KPTW]

Working on the step installation, I am wondering how to get access to the bolt if it needs to be removed. I don’t like the method in the plans which is to drill holes in the skin and the baggage floor.

Fast forward to section 33 - baggage area, the F-1080 baggage cover flange is right over top of the bolt head and the web is pretty close. An access plate can be used but the proximity of F-1080 might not allow the bolt to be removed. I think F-1080 could be modified or made removable to get to the bolt head.

What have you done to enable the removal of the step bolt other than drill holes in the skin?

Thanks

 

[jacoby]

I made an access panel for the floor and enlarged the 1/8” holes in the floor the instructions say to drill to accommodate a socket. I left the lower holes 1/8” for drainage.

Unfortunately you’ll have to drill out those cover panels if you ever need to replace the step since the bolt has to pass through the floor to come out. The alternative would be to drill the lower holes large enough for the bolt to come out the bottom and put the nut on top.

Making the cover panels removable could be done with some nut plates as well.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

Working on the step installation, I am wondering how to get access to the bolt if it needs to be removed. I don’t like the method in the plans which is to drill holes in the skin and the baggage floor.

Fast forward to section 33 - baggage area, the F-1080 baggage cover flange is right over top of the bolt head and the web is pretty close. An access plate can be used but the proximity of F-1080 might not allow the bolt to be removed. I think F-1080 could be modified or made removable to get to the bolt head.

What have you done to enable the removal of the step bolt other than drill holes in the skin?

Thanks

I drilled adequate holes, then filled the holes with snap-in plugs. You'll never notice, but you'll have easy access later if you need.

 

[Richard Connell]

I drilled holes in the floor and belly skin after the fact so I could remove the steps for paint. It was pretty straightforward.
They ended up being maybe 5/8 or so in diameter. Just big enough to get 3/8 sockets onto the nut/bolt.
They now have plastic snap-in plugs.
Fortuitously the external ones are right on the paint stripe

 

[RV6-KPTW]

Ok. I think I am convinced that the hole drilling approach is reasonable and won’t look horrible. I assume that you “hole drillers” have seen that the baggage cover (F-1080) allows for access to the bolt head with the appropriate hole.

I am scratching my head over the S30, Page 2, Step 4 which states to install the baggage floor, pull it back, then drill the support block bolt holes? Why do we do this?

Seems like it just gets in the way of drilling the support blocks bolt holes. Once the blocks are bolted, a pilot hole can be drilled thru the step support guide hole down into the belly skin to locate the lower access hole, then the baggage floor and the baggage cover can go on temporarily and using the same pilot hole, drill up from the belly skin into the baggage floor to locate the upper access hole.

Thanks

 

[togaflyer]

Definitely make access panels. After 7 years I had a step fail. There is only a small weld radius that attaches the step to the insert tube. That's the failure point. Fortunately I made access panels for this situation.