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Tip-up Canopy Hinge Pin Edge Distance

T

tx_jayhawk

Well Known Member
OK, I know others have had this same issue, and I am requesting feedback on what might be done. I marked the location (with Sharpie) of where my hinge pin will go (blue dot). As you can see, there is little to no edge distance if I drill it there. I've obviously already drilled the ribs and hinge blocks, and the canopy frame and splice are riveted (skin just clecoed). I'm happy with the canopy skin gap where it's at (I have between 1/32 and 1/16 skin clearance). Options I am debating include:

1) Just drill it where it is at. I think I would have around 1/16" edge distance on the gooseneck.
2) Move the canopy back slightly to better center the pin. This solves the pin problem, but then I get an undesirable gap in the skin.
3) Drill out the rivets near the goosneck. Put a spacer (.050"?) between the gooseneck tab and c-channel and re-rivet. Assuming I can still align the skins ok, this should effectively pull the hinge arm back somewhat. Risk in this is I don't know what happens to the overall fit at this point (until I do it).
4) Buy new hing blocks and follow Jeff B.'s method. The way I see that method, I would also need to elongate or otherwise replace the ribs as well (the holes have to line up with the hinge blocks).

Any thoughts?

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Mine ended up the same and the canopy is just fine and fits well. Remember the canopy pulls on that hinge and does not push, so most of the meat on the hinge is where you want it to be. Or should I say that was my conclusion .
 
Common

Mine ended up in the same spot as well. I know of at least a half dozen others the same way also. Dan C I believe was in this boat and checked with Vans at the time and they said not to worry. So I didn't worry about mine. Over 2 yrs of flying later, it still hasn't come off.
 
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