Oil door damage

[Michael Burbidge]

I noticed that the piano hinge wire on my oil door is working it's way out, by eating away at the fiberglass on my cowl. Attached is a picture.

Have you had this problem? If so how did you fix it? I was thinking of filling the divot with epoxy, or maybe using epoxy to attach a little piece of piano hinge wire to fill the divot.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Michael-

 

[pazmanyflyer]

I noticed that the piano hinge wire on my oil door is working it's way out, by eating away at the fiberglass on my cowl. Attached is a picture.

Have you had this problem? If so how did you fix it? I was thinking of filling the divot with epoxy, or maybe using epoxy to attach a little piece of piano hinge wire to fill the divot.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Michael-

Does it not have a bend at the opposite end that is safety wired or secured in some way so it doesn't creep? If not, adding it would stop the pin from moving. As to repair the cowl, clean area out, bevel edges (a little sanding), fill in with micro/epoxy and feather out to blend then repaint.

 

[Michael Burbidge]

The other end does not have a bend, nor is it safety wired.

I went back and checked the plans. They are pretty scarce in regards to installing the oil door. I'm pretty sure it is built to plans though and that the wire is inset into the cowl and designed so that the cowl keeps the pin in place.

I also noticed that the plans refer to a "coreless zone" or cutout (trench if you will) on the cowl on one end of the hinge. I believe this is designed so that the wire can be inserted. Perhaps that is what we are looking at and it has always been this way. Looking very closely at the paint, it has a slight lip, which also makes me think it has always been this way.

I'm not sure I'm going to do anything right now except to measure it and keep an eye on it to see if it is gets longer.

Thanks,
Michael-

 

[pazmanyflyer]

The other end does not have a bend, nor is it safety wired.

I went back and checked the plans. They are pretty scarce in regards to installing the oil door. I'm pretty sure it is built to plans though and that the wire is inset into the cowl and designed so that the cowl keeps the pin in place.

I also noticed that the plans refer to a "coreless zone" or cutout (trench if you will) on the cowl on one end of the hinge. I believe this is designed so that the wire can be inserted. Perhaps that is what we are looking at and it has always been this way. Looking very closely at the paint, it has a slight lip, which also makes me think it has always been this way.

I'm not sure I'm going to do anything right now except to measure it and keep an eye on it to see if it is gets longer.

Thanks,
Michael-

Maybe make another pin 1/8" or so longer than the original and hammer one end flat so when it is reinserted it can not pass thru the hinge eye? Easy to do and still a "floating" pin.

 

[RV7A Flyer]

I just made the hinge pin a touch longer and put small collets on both ends. Problem solved. (I do have the "hidden hinge", which may give a bit more clearance off of the fiberglass...YMMV).

 

[Ron B.]

You could also make the pin a bit shorter and very slightly pinch the hinge holes on each end( with the shorter pin in place), preventing the pin from coming out of either end.

 

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A bit shorter and pinch the end eyelet, solves the problem for sure. Bit of a pain to get back out, But, don't pinch to much.
I did and didn't look back. Never had to remove it anyway
Art