Canopy Latch installation question

I'm following Van's instructions and it's gone well so far. I have the latch built (having had to space the weldment and such 3/8" forward to clear the flap motor housing and preserve the latch mechanism geometry (Van's tells me this is common with the older kits like mine). That part all works and I've hogged out the holes for the canopy latch rollers to pass through. Now comes the tough part.

The instructions say to position the rollers on the back of the canopy frame and drill. But with the rollover structure in the way, how do I position them accurately? I don't want to have to adjust the holes from the original position because then I'd worry that they might move in operation, no matter how I tighten them. Is this my only choice or is there some simple trick to getting them positioned? Clever ideas appreciated here, guys.

The best I was able to come up with was the following. It worked ok for me, but it is definitely not a super-precise technique. There may be a better way.

Seated inside the fuselage, close the canopy and latch, then hold the rollers in position by hand. Use a small stubby threaded drill bit, or a sharpie if you can't make that work, to mark the positions of the holes and/or part on the canopy frame. Open canopy, drill undersize, temporarily attach using rivets+tape, small screws, etc, and check fit. If ok, drill full size, if not drill offset from the pilot holes.

Good luck, I was nervous about mine too.

Paul Eastham said:

The best I was able to come up with was the following. It worked ok for me, but it is definitely not a super-precise technique. There may be a better way.

Seated inside the fuselage, close the canopy and latch, then hold the rollers in position by hand. Use a small stubby threaded drill bit, or a sharpie if you can't make that work, to mark the positions of the holes and/or part on the canopy frame. Open canopy, drill undersize, temporarily attach using rivets+tape, small screws, etc, and check fit. If ok, drill full size, if not drill offset from the pilot holes.

Good luck, I was nervous about mine too.

Click to expand...

What Paul said.
You must determine where the brackets will be located an then drill pilot holes in the frame to use when marking/drilling the brackets. You can even start with #40 holes and work you way up to final size. I have found it to be most accurate to mark the bracket, carefully center punch the hole center, and then drill in a drill press using a drill vice.

You do have your canopy fully fitted and installed don't you? If not do not drill the brackets yet.

Thanks guys, that helps. It hadn't occurred to me to drill small pilot holes in the frame and mark back to the roller brackets. I think I can manage that. And, yes, the canopy is on the frame; I wasn't in a hurry to build the latch until I realized I needed to route some wires nearby and wanted to avoid interference. I'm still not in a hurry to attach the rollers but I noticed the problem while fabricating the latch mechanism and hadn't thought of a good solution.

Seat backs

flion said:

I'm following Van's instructions and it's gone well so far. I have the latch built (having had to space the weldment and such 3/8" forward to clear the flap motor housing and preserve the latch mechanism geometry (Van's tells me this is common with the older kits like mine). .....

Click to expand...

Make sure you install the seat backs in their rear most position and check that the seats don't hit the latch cross tube...

I moved the UHMW blocks forward a bit with a spacer (1/8 to 3/16, I think) and also moved the top of the forward channel of the flap housing back a similar amount.

You have to miss both parts....

gil A

I already knew that I wouldn't be using the last position. My copilot is short and so her seat is all the way forward and butt-testing tells us she would not be comfortable with the seat all the way back, even for napping. Me, I'm most comfortable with the seat in the second locked position and the bottom all the way back. Also, I did not like the seat simply resting on the brace.

It may be short-sighted of me but I don't expect to have to accommodate anyone else other than for short trips. When I've ridden in other AC without quick seat adjustment, I've always just lived with the seat as-is.