Van's Air Force
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Door hinge nut-plates?
- Thread starter fehdxl
- Start date
Bill.Peyton
Well Known Member
I don't see why you would need to use the nutplates. I fabricated a cover for the hinge area so I could use the Mcmaster Carr seal and get a seal around the hinge, but left enough of an access to install the washers and bolts fairly easily.
I have seen this done before on Robin Marks's Rv-10, the 21st photo down http://www.painttheweb.com/painttheweb/RV-10/Doors.aspx
My background is electronics, so I can't really give you an opinion on the structural integrity of using the nutplates.
I have seen this done before on Robin Marks's Rv-10, the 21st photo down http://www.painttheweb.com/painttheweb/RV-10/Doors.aspx
My background is electronics, so I can't really give you an opinion on the structural integrity of using the nutplates.
door hinge
I am putting nutplates onto a piece of .060 aluminum the size of the hinge recesses and glassing it to the door then covering the area with micro to make it flush. That will allow the stress on the hinges to carry into a much larger area of the door than 4 countersunk screw heads. The hinges can slide in or out of the recess and the door lifted off the plane when needed. If my door flys open during taxi or flight, it may stop them from tearing off the plane. We already know that the countersunk screw heads won't. The additional weight of the aluminum and micro is all located right at the fulcrum of the door, so will have minimum impact on the door weight that has to be lifted by the gas struts. All of the systems out there to prevent inadvertent un-latching of the doors are great, but when the door flys out of your hand from a prop blast or gust of wind while parked, I would like a better chance of not sustaining damage than provided by the flimsy, stock method of attaching the hinges.
I am putting nutplates onto a piece of .060 aluminum the size of the hinge recesses and glassing it to the door then covering the area with micro to make it flush. That will allow the stress on the hinges to carry into a much larger area of the door than 4 countersunk screw heads. The hinges can slide in or out of the recess and the door lifted off the plane when needed. If my door flys open during taxi or flight, it may stop them from tearing off the plane. We already know that the countersunk screw heads won't. The additional weight of the aluminum and micro is all located right at the fulcrum of the door, so will have minimum impact on the door weight that has to be lifted by the gas struts. All of the systems out there to prevent inadvertent un-latching of the doors are great, but when the door flys out of your hand from a prop blast or gust of wind while parked, I would like a better chance of not sustaining damage than provided by the flimsy, stock method of attaching the hinges.
I'd like to see pictures of that. I considered tinnerman washers to increase the screw head surface area, and may still do it, just haven't yet.
Thx,
Jim
w1curtis
Well Known Member
The door hinge is a critical piece of equipment!
If you want to use nutplates I would use the ones that are epoxied on and have only the fastener hole and no rivet holes.
Click Bond makes them, otherwise the nut and washer if very safe.
I think the fiberglass door will fail LONG before the steel hinge with a few extra rivet holes in it will fail. If the door should inadvertently open in flight, with out without nut plates, the door will be ripped off. I think nut plates are fine.
douglassmt
Well Known Member
I did
I put nutplates on the door hinges. I covered the inside hinge pockets to work with the McM Carr seals, and the nutplates on the hinges work great. I'd do it again. Makes door removal much easier. One trick is to use a strong magnet to get the hinge to come up to the door when you're trying to get the first screw in.
I put nutplates on the door hinges. I covered the inside hinge pockets to work with the McM Carr seals, and the nutplates on the hinges work great. I'd do it again. Makes door removal much easier. One trick is to use a strong magnet to get the hinge to come up to the door when you're trying to get the first screw in.
GAHco
Well Known Member
You are right!
I have not seen a 10 up close yet, I expected the hinge to be aluminum.
It was not obvious in the picture what material it was, so I assumed incorrectly.
I have not seen a 10 up close yet, I expected the hinge to be aluminum.
It was not obvious in the picture what material it was, so I assumed incorrectly.
