Crack in canopy edge

[AllThumbs]

Hi folks. I bought my -6 used so I'm not sure how the canopy is put together. I'm seeing these cracks (see pic) on both sides now and am not sure what to do. I don't want to simply double or stop drill without understanding what stress is causing the cracking. Any ideas from the veteran builders out there?

The pic is of the left canopy edge and the crack is just aft of where an inside doubler terminates. The struts look to be the standard install and are further forward of that doubler. Could this be due to side-to-side flexing exposing a metal join of some sort? The rivets are covered on the exterior so I can't tell if its a crack in one piece of Al sheet or two sheets.

Thanks for any advice,

-Neil
KDVO

 

[Brantel]

Thats where the front skin meets the side skirts....

Here is what it looks like raw:

 

[rich]

cracks

Neil,
Looks like crack in the paint where the front canopy frame joins the side frame.These 2 parts are riveted together with a doubler on the inside and are probably flexing. A side to side flexing may cause this like you said. Just be careful when opening and closing.

 

[AllThumbs]

Thanks Rich and Brantel (is that a -7 pic?)! I'm glad I didn't let the shop stop-drill it. I'd hoped it was something like that. I'll keep an eye on this and might consider some way of bonding a small doubler just inside the join before I fill and repaint it to relieve the side stresses when the canopy is opened/closed.

Do the -7 canopies have this problem or was it addressed in the design changes?

Thanks again!

Neil

 

[Brantel]

Yes it is a 7 in the pic...

As far as I know, the things are real close if not the same design.