Machined Door Latch Pins

[dgrayent]

Possible GROUP BUY of machined latch pin tips:
I have been helping Dan Lloyd with his RV-10 and have come up with an improved latch pin tip (see dwg 45-14 for Van's threaded tip). If you are interested in a set of 4 with instructions, please contact me. Sorry, no credit cards or website.
Regular price is $45 including S & H, but the group buy will be $40 including S & H if I can get more than 20 orders by May 15, 2007.
[email protected] 330-718-2688

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I have designed an external door lock and will have it ready for shipment in about three weeks. Machining and powder coat details are being worked out. More details later.

 

[rvbuilder2002]

It looks like these are not the same as the original design pins (beveled on the outboard edge to help it engage with the hole without the door being fully closed).
This will make it more difficult to properly latch the door.

 

[dgrayent]

The "bullet taper" takes care of alignment as the latch is closed.

Don

 

[rvbuilder2002]

The "bullet taper" takes care of alignment as the latch is closed.

Don

The seal around the perimeter of the door produces a lot of resistance against being able to fully close the door before latching.

The original design has a ramp the full width of the pins, so that as long as the door is closed enough for the ramp to start into the hole, it will draw the door inward as the handle is moved.

I admit that the taper on the pin in the photo will be doing a similar thing but the tapper is only 1/2 the width of the pin. As I said before, This will make the door more difficult to latch. Not impossible to latch, but more difficult.

A couple of RV-10's have already lost doors because of people not correctly closing the doors (one airplane had it happen twice to the same pilot).

What ever builders do...make darn sure the doors are not difficult to securely latch, and use pins that accomodate magnets for the door indicator system.