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Center stack radios in an RV-9A -- depth behind panel? Surgery required?

Ed_Wischmeyer

Ed_Wischmeyer

Well Known Member
Don't yet know the extent of the damage caused by plastic dripping from light fixtures in yesterday's fire, two hangars over. But if the windshield needs to be replaced, and also the associated sheet metal, that might be an opportunity to remodel the instrument panel to a radio center stack, instead of the questionable arrangement now. I think the "professional" shop chewed through some aluminum when it installed the current for a previous owner.

The main question is depth behind the panel. I've currently got:
GMC307 autopilot controller
GMA45 audio panel
GTN650 nav/comm
GTX330ES

And if I feel rich, I might try to update the GTN650 to a GTN750. And go to LED wigwags if I want to run more wires, etc. Creeping feature-ism.

So the question is, in a stock RV-9A panel with center stack, is there enough room behind the panel for these, including connectors? Or if not, what aluminum surgery might be required?

Thanks!

Ed
 
Hey Ed,
Sorry to hear about the damage.
You didn't state tip-up or slider.
My slider has a full center stack with no modifications to the secondary panel/bulkhead.
I have the audio up top. GTN650, GTR225 and a GMC305 all in the center.
If I remember correctly the audio up top helped as it was shorter.
 
Mine's a slider, of course tip ups are different. I removed the bottom 2/3 of F-7105A Center Sub Panel from the notch where the Forward Fuselage Ribs pass through it. The GTN 650s protrude several inches forward of this panel. The A/P controller has lots of room, the audio panel D-sub connectors and wiring need the cutout. To restore the strength of the panel I removed, I added 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/16" angles down each side of where the F-7105A panel connected to the F-7105B R&L Outer Panels using the existing rivet holes. Due to the position of my GTN 650s, the trays ended up below the level of the bottom flange of the center and outer panels, so I extended the side angles down and added triangular doublers to pick up a 1" x 1" x 1/16" square tube that connected the outer panels back together. It turned out the GTN 650 trays ended up resting on this tube so I glued a piece of rubber to the top surface of the tube for the tray to rest on. Don't know about the XPDR I'm using a 45R remote mounted one.
 
You know that autopilot controller is only a couple inches deep.
In our 9a, I installed a GTN650 and it had plenty of depth without modification.
 
Center stack

Ed: If you are ok with the 507 at the top life gets easier because it’s so shallow. The 650 & connector will protrude thru the subpanel a couple inches so requires an opening to be cut into the subpanel. If you reinforce this opening with angle stock it makes a good place to attach and secure the forward ends of the equipment racks. I wanted the 507 at the bottom and the 650 as high as possible so my stack top to bottom is audio panel- 650-Gtr 200-507. Xpond is remoted. To make this work the center rib needed to be modified. I have lots of pics if you go down this path. Regards

Don Broussard
RV9 Slider Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
 
Thanks.

I'm single radio -- been that way for eight years -- so the audio panel gets used primarily as an intercomm. On this last trip, I listened to music, first time I'd done that in years. Very occasionally for getting clearance over the cell phone And with only one radio, I use the audio panel radio selector to shut off the radio's audio without having to fuss with volume knobs.

I very much like having the autopilot controller at the top and it's been that way for eight years.

To each his own... at least within budgetary constraints!
 
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