Van's Air Force
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RV-10 Cowling Mounting for 3 Blade
- Thread starter Gulf
- Start date
Bill.Peyton
Well Known Member
Although I have a two bladed prop, I used the hinge material all the way except for the lower cowl bottom. I like the clean look, and I am not sure how just changing from hinge to quarter turns would help the issue. The issue with the three blade is the blades never get out of the way, making the stock method of fabrication difficult to remove. Several mods can be done, eliminating the lower front ramp baffle. Cutting a much longer slot for the nose gear and fabing a cover plate, some have completely separated the air intake snorkel and using quarter turns to remove it.
I am sure you will get some good responses from those with more specific experience with the 3 bladed prop.
I am sure you will get some good responses from those with more specific experience with the 3 bladed prop.
Jesse
Well Known Member
Piano hinge versus quarter turns make no difference for the bottom cowl. There are a number of different ways to make the bottom cowl easier to remove with a 3-blade. The easiest method I have seen is to split the lower cowl in 2 pieces side to side, so the pieces separate and pull directly sideways off the plane. That way the prop doesn't matter. It's a big job for a metalworker and a piece of cake for a composite expert.
The easiest way to make it workable is to extend the slot on the bottom cowl so you can drop it further down then pull it forward past the prop blades. I know some who have used an engine hoist to lift the engine so the nose wheel relaxes and gives more clearance. Either way, quarter turn on the top-bottom joint make it harder because they remove at least 1" of clearance.
The easiest way to make it workable is to extend the slot on the bottom cowl so you can drop it further down then pull it forward past the prop blades. I know some who have used an engine hoist to lift the engine so the nose wheel relaxes and gives more clearance. Either way, quarter turn on the top-bottom joint make it harder because they remove at least 1" of clearance.
chazking
Well Known Member
Three Blade Magic
Added 12" to 18" of removable / replaceable slot on the bottom of the cowl under the air intake (gives sufficient fwd / aft "wiggle" room to maneuver the cowl) ..
Push (or winch) the tail to the floor / ground - relieves tension on the nose gear ...
Drop the back part of the cowl 45? and slide slowly down the nose gear ... adjust the prop as necessary.
Retrace the removal steps to replace the cowl ...
All is good!
Added 12" to 18" of removable / replaceable slot on the bottom of the cowl under the air intake (gives sufficient fwd / aft "wiggle" room to maneuver the cowl) ..
Push (or winch) the tail to the floor / ground - relieves tension on the nose gear ...
Drop the back part of the cowl 45? and slide slowly down the nose gear ... adjust the prop as necessary.
Retrace the removal steps to replace the cowl ...
All is good!
CharlieWaffles
Well Known Member
With the three blade one thing to watch for with the QT is that the lower cowl barely fits between the two downward propeller blades. So in the stock setup, the flanges for the QT need to be in top cowl, as the flanges will extend the lower cowl and make it impossible to get between the blades. This is true even with an extended nose gear slot cutout. The removable snorkel may not have this problem.
chazking
Well Known Member
Snug
In Excess has the piano hinge. After tilting the bottom cowl 45? (front up / back down) & sliding toward the prop, the cowl can be teased off the nose gear.
It is snug on the bottom two blades, but moving the blades slightly to the left (or right), move/tilt the cowl (left or right), then move the blades slightly in the opposite direction does the trick. It's a delicate process best done with a cool cowl and moderate patience.
Because the extended snorkle slit has a metal backing, it tends to scratch / scrap the nose gear fairing. Recently, I repainted the nose gear fairing & added a plastic cover. That reduces the scratching from the cowl. But, frankly, the plastic cover needs to be replaced with something more durable as it's crinkling around the edges. But, the fairing is not scratched!
In Excess has the piano hinge. After tilting the bottom cowl 45? (front up / back down) & sliding toward the prop, the cowl can be teased off the nose gear.
It is snug on the bottom two blades, but moving the blades slightly to the left (or right), move/tilt the cowl (left or right), then move the blades slightly in the opposite direction does the trick. It's a delicate process best done with a cool cowl and moderate patience.
Because the extended snorkle slit has a metal backing, it tends to scratch / scrap the nose gear fairing. Recently, I repainted the nose gear fairing & added a plastic cover. That reduces the scratching from the cowl. But, frankly, the plastic cover needs to be replaced with something more durable as it's crinkling around the edges. But, the fairing is not scratched!
Bill.Peyton
Well Known Member
I remove the nose gear fairing every time I remove my lower cowl. It makes it much easier and protects the fairing. It does take a couple more minutes.
Bill.Peyton
Well Known Member
The powder coat on the strut is durable enough that I have never seen it get marred by the cowl. When I was building I was taking it on and off quite a bit, so I had the strut covered with masking tape.
