Eyeball Vents

[BGS]

This may seem like a dumb question but I was wondering if anybody had a good idea on how to get the eyeball vents tight for a overhead console that is already in place. I have the aerosport overhead console and eyeball vents from Stein Air. I cannot get the screw on ring that goes on the back tight enough to keep the vents from moving and can't get my hand inside the console with so little room. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[philb]

i'm right at this step - finishing the console and attaching to cabin cover. I've cut out the eyeball holes and trial fit them.. I assumed i could use channel lock pliers to get them tight - think that would work?

Phil
RV10 finishing
Salt Lake City

 

[BGS]

Hello Phil, Don't think that will work. Inside the overhead console, the screw on rings drip down into the round groove. The only tool I can get in there and in the small slot on the ring is a paint can opener with the hook on the end. Was maybe thinking of getting them as tight as I can, then putting some sort of adhesive in there, which would make removal just about impossible.

 

[n348pb]

As I recall there is a notch in the ring and I just bent the tip of an old screwdriver and inserted it in the notch. You can then tighten it from the outside or if the console is finished use the screwdriver to "pry" the ring tight.

 

[Strasnuts]

eyeballs

Someone should machine a spanner wrench for this. I loctited my eyeballs in before I mounted my overhead console to the cabin. I did not want them to move later when someone adjusts them. The downside is I probably will have a heck of a time getting them out if I ever have to and I had to paint around them.

 

[Bill.Peyton]

I had the same issue and found that the overhead wall thickness was insufficient together the vents tight without them bottoming out. I made a fiber washer and put it under the nut. I tightened it with several variations on screwdrivers and then I siliconed the around three quarters of the nut to keep them tight. I know they won't be easy to remove, but they are tight and won't leak

 

[Rupester]

"I loctited my eyeballs in before I mounted my overhead console to the cabin"

...can't say much for the comfort of that, but I bet it cured your wandering eye.

 

[Strasnuts]

"I loctited my eyeballs in before I mounted my overhead console to the cabin"

...can't say much for the comfort of that, but I bet it cured your wandering eye.

Good thing I have great peripheral vision

 

[BGS]

Solution

Showed my issue to a friend who does machine work. He came up with a tool that worked perfect. Slide over the top of the eyeball vent and use a allen wrench in the top slots to tighten.

here are a couple of pics of the tool he made.