Marcel:
Most of my photos are in archive with the client files and are with them.
For a trigear conversion you can see that the belly hole was filled in with
a flange on the inside, and then a recessed plate installed for a clean fi
nish.
The hole I make in the tunnel area for access normally measures 6 inches wi
de by 8-10 inches long.
If the belly pan is stock, it is a very thin two to three layer panel on th
e belly and over time is no longer straight and smooth. I cut the hole, an
d build up the inside to fit my flush panel (normally .063 aluminum, or FRP
or 1/8 ply) and glass it in from the inside. If the tunnel is sealed and
work inside is impossible, I cut the access hole and make an exact copy and
then cut the inside out (making a ring) for access to allow proper but ted
ious glassing of the flange.
On others for expediencies sake, I have just put a plate on the inside holl
owed out as a flange, reduxed that ring to the inside and riveted it in to
get a good bond. Then I fitted a plate for the outside to match the skin c
ut out to avoid the glassing. Install nutplates and used 525 screws to hol
d it in. The outer sheet metal cover is of .025 6061 aluminum and rests ro
ughly even with the belly skin cut out. This is easy but what a bear to tr
y not to cut into his wires laying all over the place in the belly. Much w
ork with a flashlight and borescope to cut an initial round hole to prevent
whacking his brake, fuel and wiring into shreds. We then tacked up his br
ake lines, repaired his brakes, and reran his wires. Get a creeper to lay
on with a body lift or develop very strong stomach muscles.
Here is a photo of one a client did on his trigear conversion. He just lef
t the old hole in place. After seening how I did my belly access, he insta
lled his new firewall about 1.5 inches behind the nose gear frame where we
put in a ply and glass firewall and covered with A/C Spruce firewall materi
al (excellent stuff).
This access to the tunnel made the process of conversion of the tunnel quit
e comfortable.
Transformation of the mono to trigear tunnel is a piece of cake. Glassing
and finishing was tolerable. I normally like the access hole to be a littl
e further aft of the firewall to allow for the Fascet fuel pump to be moved
where it is easier to service in the tunnel as shown in the second photo.
[cid:image001.jpg@01D45E27.81163A00]
[cid:image006.jpg@01D45E27.81163A00]
The belly hole allows for access to the brakes wiring, fuel selector, and w
iring. Annual flashlight inspections are a breeze.
Hope that answers your questions. Don=92t over think it, just do it.
Regards,
Bud
Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Window
s 10
________________________________
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com <owner-europa-list-server@matr
onics.com> on behalf of zwakie <mz@cariama.nl>
Sent: Sunday, October 7, 2018 6:30:26 AM
Subject: Europa-List: Re: Advise wanted: route new wire bundle through tunn
el
Hi Bud, thanks for your suggestions as always.
budyerly@msn.com wrote:
> There is no easy solution
Yes, I came to that conclusion myself ;)
budyerly@msn.com wrote:
>
> 1. Make sure the com/transponder/vhf nav antenna wires are clear of th
e com and any current carrying wires.
> 2. Shield all the intercom and radio wires you can. Power and ground
are not shielded normally.
Sure enough.
budyerly@msn.com wrote:
> 3. [...] clearly mark all the wires using permanent marking ties. (A
zip tie thingy with a tab.)
>
For markings I use printable shrink wrap labels, that works very nicely.
budyerly@msn.com wrote:
>
> 4. [...] as fuel, brake, and wires are present and by adjusting the po
sition of much of this you may cause a brake line leak, fuel line cut etc.
>
This was my reason for thinking before acting as this is my biggest concern
also due to lack of 'easy' access: I only have two small panels where the
tank outlets are (for fuel line replacement),. Unfortunately these are too
small to get arms through far enough to reach the top of the tunnel. So may
be...
budyerly@msn.com wrote:
> Make a new access hole if necessary. I have one large belly panel and a
smaller one at the rear
is the best thing to do first.
Where do you have that large panel, is it approximately where the landing g
ear is mounted, and and do you have a picture that you can share? (I could
not find any picture on your website)
--------
Marcel Zwakenberg
XS TG || 912ULS || PH-SBR
Read this topic online here:
https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fforums.m
atronics.com%2Fviewtopic.php%3Fp%3D483673%23483673&data=02%7C01%7C%7C
71577be769d34718806b08d62c407b17%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0
%7C636745052781108582&sdata=D2u5shtQXMLK5fc%2F1HU5YvJwHq2l5%2BB1h8Oy0
%2FC6DDw%3D&reserved=0
F%2Fwww.matronics.com%2FNavigator%3FEuropa-List&data=02%7C01%7C%7C715
77be769d34718806b08d62c407b17%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C
636745052781108582&sdata=nnljNAcKrfr9HQXtZuh4yPzQGfsXTGKLFAnhU%2BHCof
s%3D&reserved=0
F%2Fforums.matronics.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C71577be769d34718806b08d62c
407b17%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636745052781108582&
sdata=hHJmPPxAVIevNdL4m9ie0CIj%2BFay3nccOTecUTkyw%2F4%3D&reserved=0
F%2Fwiki.matronics.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C71577be769d34718806b08d62c40
7b17%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636745052781108582&sd
ata=4F6bmSVjytMCZ4lt8E0LQ290QzqcYtGPTSt5o%2BBK1MM%3D&reserved=0
F%2Fwww.matronics.com%2Fcontribution&data=02%7C01%7C%7C71577be769d347
18806b08d62c407b17%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C63674505278
1108582&sdata=aukRCw%2BIwKdprUCGQ%2BSnF%2FGjM68xdLNe6tp6GNEm9wA%3D&am
p;reserved=0
|