Tail "Strobe Beacon" installation

[Larry Brown]

RV7A
I am a little confused about how to mount the "Whelen" tail light assemble.
I cut the hole and fitted the light, but the two screws are short and can not be reach from the inside. No intructions incuded in the kit...

 

[L.Adamson]

Do some searches here and with google. It's been a while since I did mine, but there is lots of good info with pics out there. Might even be some in the builders hint's section of this web site.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

 

[jsharkey]

Effectus AeroProducts....

...make a neat adaptor. I got one from Cleaveland

www.cleavelandtoolstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RVTLR

It's not the cheapest solution at $17 - or the lightest - but it works. You do need a narrow nosed rivet puller to set the rivets in the machined counterbores though - or a suitable spacer for a regular puller. I epoxied and riveted mine in place.

Jim Sharkey
RV6

 

[Larry Brown]

Thanks for the info and the pictures.

 

[jsharkey]

Thanks for the info and the pictures.

You are very welcome Larry.
Jim Sharkey

 

[Rockyjs]

Larry,
I ground out a spot inside and bonded in some #4 nuts with JB Weld. I used some longer #4 screws oiled the threads and captured the nuts and pulled them into position through the fixture from the outside into the glue. When the JB Weld set I cleaned the threads up and used the original screws. Worked fine.

 

[Webb]

I made my own

I didn't know there was something commercially available so I made my own

 

[kevinh]

I glued two 4-40 nuts inside the existing fiberglass opening. But someone here had an even better idea:

1) Drill two #30 holes where the screws would need to go into the fiberglass
2) Lightly set a pop rivet in each hole
3) Push out the mandrels
4) Drill and tap for a 4-40 screw

Done! Zero weight, super solid. Wish I had thought of it...

 

[Chappyd]

I glued two 4-40 nuts inside the existing fiberglass opening. But someone here had an even better idea:

1) Drill two #30 holes where the screws would need to go into the fiberglass
2) Lightly set a pop rivet in each hole
3) Push out the mandrels
4) Drill and tap for a 4-40 screw

Done! Zero weight, super solid. Wish I had thought of it...

I went the JB weld route as well. I think that rivet idea may be fine for an initial install, but what's to keep it from spinning? You go to change a bulb a couple years down the road and the rivet spins in the hole, that's really gonna suck.

 

[Capflyer]

Rivnuts

Two 6-32 rivnuts and called it a day. Easy, quick, and secure.

 

[Mel]

None of these fancy methods were available 16 years ago. I just built up some extra fiberglass and drill and tapped the holes. It's still hanging on.
The rivnut idea should work fine. And the drilled and tapped pop rivet is basically the same.

 

[dhall_polo]

The idea passed along to me is a slightly improved twist to a few of these. Buy a K Lock Nut from your local hardware store, these have the built-in external tooth lock washer. You tighten down the nut/bolt combo so the teeth of the lock washer grip into the glass and then put a small glob of resin over the nut to secure.

 

[Finley Atherton]

I did something similar to Mel. I just put in a couple of generous blobs of flox and drilled and tapped them when the flox had set. I think I used longer screws for extra grip strength?

Fin
9A

 

[Larry Brown]

Thanks to all.

Thanks to all that replied. I do appreciate it.

 

[BillSchlatterer]

But first,.... another 10 minute suggestion !

Before spending much time, you might try this. I have found that over the full build, I have a couple of hundred hours tyring to complicate things so this is to "simplicate" this particular project. Two five minute jobs and you are done!

(First five minutes) Leave the base of the fairing alone for now, meaning.... drill NO holes yet.

Mix one squirt of West systems epoxy/hardner and add flox just to the point where it will easily pour. Turn the fairing up on it's end looking directly down into the inside area where the light will go. Pour in the mixture, it should give you about a 1/2 inch layer but not up to the point where it interferes with the attachment line. Now leave it standing it up so that the light base is level and let it set up for a day. You should have about a 1/2 thick plate now to drill into.

(second five minutes) Put the light mounting bracket where you want it and then drill though the mount hole with the drill size(?) needed for a #6-32 tap.

Run the tap in the hole and you have at least 1/2 inch of solid reinforced glass for the the screw to grab. I used 1/2" #6-32 hex head screw and they are not going to twist out. Try them now!

If you don't like it after you have spent that 10 minutes, THEN go on to something else. But if you do, now you just relieve the center for the light itself. At worst you have spent 10 minutes and reinforced the area in which you are going to mount the light and at best, you are done!

Just one option ?

Bill S
7a finishing
7a finishing