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camlocks

C

cknw

I'm New Here
Has anyone used camlocks instead of wires? If so, what thickness of backing plate(camlock base plate) used? There is a web site about baffling that shows a camlock backing plate. Exactly the way I want to install camlocks. Anyone with info who the website belongs to and how to contact them?
I have the honeycomb in the upper cowling. The camlocs (Milspec) require 9/16" from the center of hole for camloc. With the honeycomb, there isn't sufficient room. Can the honey comb be notched to make room for tabs to hold camlocs without weakening the cowling?
 
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Search Milspec and you'll get better parts plus their installation guide is downloadable and has pictures of RV installation.
 
a happy Milspec customer ...

I used the Milspec fasteners on my firewall , with hinges on the horizontal side joints. I highly recommend the Milspec kit .... They're top quality fasteners, with adjustments for height/material thickness, and the kit includes all the tools and goodies you'll need. BTW, I used .050 Al for the backing plates and am very happy with the result.

Terry
 
What are the advantages of the camlocks? I really like the clean look of the piano hinges, but I'll sacrifice for ease of build/maint.
 
The hinges are a cleaner look, but getting the pins in and out on the ones adjacent to the firewall is a pain, While the cam locks are quick and easy, and in my opinion look decent here as well. The cowling will be coming off and on a lot, so I think it's well worth it

Erich
 
To me, the camlocs look more 'aviation'. And, yes, they are much easier to deal with. Plus, one will never back itself into the prop the way a hinge pin can. But I don't really have anything against the hinges; while I'm going to use camlocs in my RV-10 cowling, I am thinking about doing the hinge mod for the wing tips.
 
One good reason.

Sig600 said:
What are the advantages of the camlocks? I really like the clean look of the piano hinges, but I'll sacrifice for ease of build/maint.
Click to expand...

The pins along the top rear have to curve to match the firewall/cowl radius, so Van uses a .090" pin in a .125" hinge for easier insertion. That gives you .035" of slop, allowing the cowl top to vibrate and 'smoke' gray streaks.

It also gets to be a bear, reaching through the oil filler hole to wrangle the pins into place, whereas the vertical pins for the lower cowl and the pins that join the upper and lower cowls are essentially straight.

Best,
 
Sig600 said:
What are the advantages of the camlocks? I really like the clean look of the piano hinges, but I'll sacrifice for ease of build/maint.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trade the clean look of the hinges on my RV-8, and I can get them on and off VERY fast. But on the -3, we're going with Camlocs on the firewall because of the cheek cowls - lots of funny radiuses there. We're still going to use hinges down the sides because they look so nice (being invisible!).

Paul
 
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I bent my pins and rounded their edges. After a few installation, now they go in and out in one shot, without any helper (5 seconds each). During the first times, another man had to apply pressure where the pin bumped to the hinge: basically at the middle of the curves.

Main concern is that pin is thinner than the original one and at the middle the cowl goes slightly up, when in flight. Maybe an improvement would be placing one single camloc or screw camloc just there, to keep the cowl aligned with the upper skin.
 
Hello Charles...

We used Camloc strips on the 7A here using the method described by Peter McCoy in his post? We used .063 for the strip.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=65753&highlight=TruTrak+engine+data+module

We liked the keeper rivet idea, strip and receptacles on with the top skin off and motor mount installed. Use a strap duplicator to locate holes in the cowl when the time comes.

We used the Milspec Fasteners here, nice product? http://www.milspecproducts.com/

Saw a fellow at a Fly-In showing his engine with cowl off.... at the end of the day he had a deuce of a time getting the pins back in around the firewall. I decided right then to go with Camlocs around the firewall and pins along the seam. Don't want any reason to not take the cowl off for a quick check when a guy should.

Paul
 
Atip.

When you use hinges along the sides, you can get a hinge that has a wider side on one of the sides and it allows you to offset the hinge so that each tab doesn't show from the outside. In other words, you shift the hinge so that the tabs are NOT aligned with the parting edges of the cowl and only smooth aluminum shows.

Perhaps Paul has a picture of what I'm trying to describe.

Best,
 
hinge pins are great!

i used full sized 1/8" pins rather than the suggested .090 ones and they fit great, much better than the undersized ones. they need to be pre-bent to work but they slide in and out easily and hold the join tight.
 
Maybe this pic will do.

pierre smith said:
When you use hinges along the sides, you can get a hinge that has a wider side on one of the sides and it allows you to offset the hinge so that each tab doesn't show from the outside. In other words, you shift the hinge so that the tabs are NOT aligned with the parting edges of the cowl and only smooth aluminum shows.

Perhaps Paul has a picture of what I'm trying to describe.

Best,
Click to expand...

19694728474dbc9658a107b.jpg
 
For many years Skybolt has displayed and/or conducted forums on the topic of of using and installing the 'camloc' style fastening systems. This year at Sun 'n Fun Skybolt introduced the most innovative system on the market which now includes a flange system making the installation so much easier than ever before. Take a look at www.skybolt.com and download instructions for Vans RV Installation for a good idea of what is involved. There is a huge discount on kits and hardware going on right now. Good luck on your project!

SkyPartner1
 
Camloc Mounting Flanges

cknw said:
Has anyone used camlocks instead of wires? If so, what thickness of backing plate(camlock base plate) used? There is a web site about baffling that shows a camlock backing plate. Exactly the way I want to install camlocks. Anyone with info who the website belongs to and how to contact them?
Click to expand...

The best answers to your questions and most up to date products for fabricating your engine cowling and fastener installation is www.skybolt.com. Go to Installation Instructions. Skybolt now supplies pre-fabricated mounting flanges as part of our kit system. Even better, the kits are discounted through Oshkosh.
 
Something like camlocks?

My RV-8 uses some form cam system. I google camlocks and skybolts. Neither seem to match what's on my aircraft. Can someone "name" these ?

20110719-203937.jpg
 
cowling

Rupester said:
I used the Milspec fasteners on my firewall , with hinges on the horizontal side joints. I highly recommend the Milspec kit .... They're top quality fasteners, with adjustments for height/material thickness, and the kit includes all the tools and goodies you'll need. BTW, I used .050 Al for the backing plates and am very happy with the result.

Terry
Click to expand...

Terry, did you have problem with spacing on the cowling for camlocs. I have downloaded the install info from Mil Spec and the info stated that I need 9/16" from center of hole for the camloc. With the honeycomb in the cowling, I don't have enough room.
 
Sig600 said:
What are the advantages of the camlocks? I really like the clean look of the piano hinges, but I'll sacrifice for ease of build/maint.
Click to expand...

I want to install camlocs as all the RV owners I know state that the wires on firewall are a bitch to install or remove through the oil door. A friend had a -8
and I have watched him install and remove quite afew times. I said that is not for me. I can install cowlings by myself with camlocs, as I have done with the Cessnas I have owned. Anyway, that is my personel likes. There must be a few others that think the same way as Van's is making them an option for cowling fasteners. CKNW
 
cknw said:
Terry, did you have problem with spacing on the cowling for camlocs. I have downloaded the install info from Mil Spec and the info stated that I need 9/16" from center of hole for the camloc. With the honeycomb in the cowling, I don't have enough room.
Click to expand...

The honeycomb is not a problem. Fit the mounting tabs so the cowling rests on it and is flush on the outer surface. Then follow their instructions to locate and drill the mounting tabs for the receptacles and the cowling for the grommets. Before installing the grommets, seal any exposed honeycomb with some epoxy. The receptacles can easily adjust for thicknesses in that range and the studs are long enough.

By the way, though my first installation was Milspec and I liked them enough to buy their kit for my -10, Skybolt has sent me a nice PM pointing to the recently completed installation instructions on their site. I notice that they have a clever interlocking tab system so you don't have to fabricate large tab strips and can easily adjust the spacing within a certain range. I'm not necessarily pitching it because I haven't tried it and don't mind fabricating my own tab strips but it does look real nice and is worth checking out.
 
Skybolts

I used Skybolts on my first 7 and will be using them again on the new 7. Customer support is exceptional and the instructions are great. Now with the precut interlocking tabs, your workload is significantly diminished.

Skybolts are the real deal!!!
 
Well, after talking to some pilots and mechanics, I have finally found out where the mystery "cams" came from. The challenge now if to find a source :eek:

a7b_corsair2_va215.jpg
 
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