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How to secure side cowling hinge pin?

pazmanyflyer

pazmanyflyer

Well Known Member
Looking for ideas of how to secure the -7 lower cowl vertical hinge pins. How did you do it? Post picks if you have them. TIA.
 
Carlos My -7 pins are about 5" longer than the hinge (they stick up above) and have a loop on the end. I bend the pin in under the hinge attaching the top cowl and leave it there. Hasn't moved ever.

I'll look for a pick, but they only their ends when the cowl is off!

Cheers
 
This is an old shot, but take a look just above the upper motor mount bolt. That hinge pin was bent into a loop long enough to settle and tuck in just below the cleco...
 

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Both my RV-8s just have a 90° bend at the top of the vertical hinge pins, with no retention device. They have never migrated out (up).

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My 7 is like Carl's 8. Put a ninety degree bend in the end of the pin and the horizontal hinge pin keeps it from backing out (up). Never had it move. Keep it simple. It's also easy to grab with gloves on when it's hot.
 
Tie base glued to firewall

My lower cowl hinge pins have a 90 degree bend with a tie base glued onto the firewall. There is always a spare tywrap there in case I need to remove the lower cowl on the road. I was thinking of changing to a simple twist tie thou….
 
I had one side on my 14 keep creeping up. I secured a short length of safety wire and put three or four loose wraps around the 90 degree bend . To remove I just slide he safety wire off the pin . No pictures but has never moved since I installed the safety wire.
 
On all three builds I have the horizontal side hinge pin removed from the cabin side of the firewall. Once the bottom cowl is on, the side pin slides over the top of the firewall vertical pins 90 degree “handle” - providing the locking function.

All hinge pins have a retention device.

Carl
 
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+1

Carl Froehlich said:
On all three builds I have the horizontal side hinge pin removed from the cabin side of the firewall. Once the bottom cowl is on, the side pin slides over the top of the firewall vertical pins 90 degree “handle” - providing the locking function.

All hinge pins have have a retention device.

Carl
Click to expand...

Works perfectly and 100% secure.
 
My pin securing version

Thanks for the ideas. I was out this morning and during my heat stroke hallucinations (105+ heat and crazy humidity in AZ this morning), this idea came to me. I cut a slot in one eyelet and riveted it to the bottom cowl. Then bent the pin basically into a U shape but with just enough tension to snap into the eyelet without loading it, and securing the pin from rotation. We'll see how it holds up.

PXL_20230730_162412099.jpg
 
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Don't want to step on any toes here on the forum, but this is a very doable DIY cover for the firewall. I used an outer layer of Newtex Z-Flex K-570 58" Aluminized Aramid Fabric over Newtex Z-Block F-407 Flame Retardant Fabric.

It's sewed up with Nomex thread and riveted to the FW with stainless large head rivets. Sealed up around the edges with 3M fireblock.

Easy stuff to work with, but the Z Flex is a bear to cut (Kevlar). It's basically the same material as the silver fire suits are made of.

Newtex was available on Amazon a while back but you might contact them directly for supplies...

Cheers
 
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