Tip Up Canopy Installation

[jsharkey]

I have just mounted the the tip-up canopy for the first time with the top skin riveted and using the basic plans configuration of quick release mechanism. What a pain in the bahooky! Upside down in the footwell with a mirror and flashlight while passing messages to the long suffering wife who was supporting and wiggling the canopy. The things you do for a giggle.

Has anyone come up with an easy way of getting the hinge bearings to line up with the pins before pushing the plunger?

Configuring the mechanism to insert one pin before the other might help, i.e. get one aligned, push the plunger part way to engage it and then forget about it before moving on to align and engage the the second one.

But there has to be an easier way.

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - On the way to the airport to fit the wings.

 

[gasman]

Did you taper the pins? They should be tapered.

 

[noelf]

Yes, I agree...what a pain!!

You can try this...
1. using the canopy release twisty, start with the release pins fully retracted.
2. place canopy on a/c.
3. cut the threads off of a longish bolt and taper the "grip" area.
4. insert this tapered pin into the "other" side of the canopy hinge bearing block. You are now using this taper pin to try and align the canopy hinge to the canopy release mechanism.
4. When you feel the taper pin bottom out, rotate the release arm and it will push the taper pin out of the way as the AN-43B-16 pins move home.

 

[rvbuilder2002]

Using a helper, I get inside and have them help me get the canopy in place and then we carefully lower it to normally closed position (the may have to push down on the front slightly to compress the seal). Once in the closed position the pins line up and the release mechanism can by operated to engage the pins.

 

[jsharkey]

Using a helper, I get inside and have them help me get the canopy in place and then we carefully lower it to normally closed position (the may have to push down on the front slightly to compress the seal). Once in the closed position the pins line up and the release mechanism can by operated to engage the pins.

Scott,

That sounds like a good idea and a conclusion that I was coming to also.

Thanks

Jim