Centered radio stack interferes with forward deck center rib & roll bar support

I had my IFR panel made and wired by an avionics shop and, with their blessings, placed my radio stack (Audio panel, Garmin 430, Icom 200, and Garmin transponder) near the center of the panel of my 9A slider. When the panel arrived all professionally wired and beautiful, I held it up to the forward deck and found that, to install it, I would be required to remove a major portion of my center front deck support rib- the one that also is used to support the windscreen/roll bar brace! I am very reluctant to do this! What did others with slider canopy do? If I have the shop that made my panel move the radio stack over toward the co-pilots side of the panel, it would solve the problem with the rib but would then make it difficult to see the Garmin 430 screen while doing an approach.
I also have a GRT EFIS in the center of the pilots panel and it will require that I also alter the left side rib but since it does not support the roll bar etc, I think that I can do this safely. Any comments?

HELP

Ouch!

Cleve, I'm sorry to hear of your predicament. I'm guessing removing and reworking a good deal of the forward fuselage structure is likely not a task you'll want to undertake. It seems a new panel may be the most ideal solution. If it were me, I'd call the avionics shop and discuss the problem with them. Since the radios are already wired, it'll likely cost significantly less to cut a new panel and shift the radios.

Good luck.
Fred

Lower the stack?

Would it be opssible to remove something from the stack and lower the rest of the items enough to clear the brace? Maybe you could move the transponder to an alternate location? This is only a WAG without seeing a picture of what you have.

Garmin Center Stack

Cleve,

I am doing a similar arrangement, but with a Garmin 530. The Garmin boxes are 11 inches deep, and won't fit anywhere without cutting the bulkhead ahead of the instrument panel. Haven't done it yet, but will be doing it next week.

To make the audio panel fit at the top of the stack, or any radio for that matter, you have to grind down the flange under the windshield brace, and rivet a duplicate on the othe side where it doesn't interfere with the radios. You also have to grind off the center instrument panel attach bracket, and fabricate one for the opposite side.

I did all this on the advice of Affordable Panels. They are the folks that cut my panel. Talk to Fabian if you have any more questions.

Panel mounting

I believe it would be wise to contact Vans prior to cutting any significant amount from this structure. This is a highly stressed area.

Vans doesn't like to give advice on mods, but they didn't offer any strenuous objections. Many com radios, as well as Garmin 430/530 are much deeper than the 8 inches of clearance provided. Many of these radios in use, so I've got to assume this has been done many times before.

Can't agree that this is a "highly stressed area". In any case, I feel that by relocating the flanges, and installing a doubler around the cutout, original strength can be retained.

Here is a picture of the central radio stack that will require me to modify the central rib that supports the windscreen brace. As you can see the stack is right under the center of the panel. As I stated in the 1st post, I really don't want to do that but I need advice what to do. I will call Van's tomorrow. I have thought about lowering the stack but I don't think that this will fix the problem.


[img=http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/6/image14op4.th.jpg]

Your radio stack appears to have been placed in the panel without regard to the position of the windshield brace rib. You are about 1 inch to the left of my stack, making my mod useless for your problem. I'm thinking you will have to move the radios.

Use the unused space at the bottom of the stack

You certainly can move the stack lower in the panel. Even if you still have to cut away a bit of the center support structure, you will minimize any negative effect if you make the stack cut extend downward and locate the entire stack as low in the panel as possible.

You can make a blank plate to cover up the unused opeinig at the top of the stack, then find something useful (but of shallow depth) to mount in the blank cover plate. Do you need an anunciator panel?

Or you could start over with an entirely new panel.

Not the Answer but some clues.

Cleve,
This won't save your Garmin 430 problem, but might help with the GRT.
Pete.
[/IMG]http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1029/efiscutoutix9.jpg http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4827/subpanelcutoutix1.jpg

Try again

Sorry, pics didn't take.

cleve_thompson said:

Here is a picture of the central radio stack that will require me to modify the central rib that supports the windscreen brace. As you can see the stack is right under the center of the panel. As I stated in the 1st post, I really don't want to do that but I need advice what to do. I will call Van's tomorrow. I have thought about lowering the stack but I don't think that this will fix the problem.

Click to expand...

How much room do you need on top of the stack? I know the audio panel is not very deep and that the 430 is.

I would look into moving the radio stack down. If you only need 1 inch or so then maybe make a frame that would be held in place by the screws that hold the stack in place and that would cover up the hole at the top. Also you may need to move other equipment that is shorter above the 430.

Kent

center rib

I stumbled on the fact that the left edge of the factory prepunched radio hole is in line with the center rib on the slider fuse. I took advantage of this to fab a brace (made from 6" length of J-stringer) to stabilize the forward end of the radio stack.

plumbing the pitot / static,
Steve

There's always the option of switching to a tip-up... if you don't have your finishing kit yet.

Thanks Guys!!!!!!

I am lowering my radio stack 2.5 inches and everything will work out just fine! This was suggested by several of you guys! I will move some switches from under the panel to up on top of the radio stack and that should take care of the problem!

Again thank you all and thank Van's Air Force forum!

Switch location

cleve_thompson said:

....
I will move some switches from under the panel to up on top of the radio stack .....

Click to expand...

I think this switch location is a good solution to the "wasted" radio stack space on the tip-up canopies.

Easy to see and makes good use of an area with very limited panel depth.... seems an obvious location for the lighting type functions that are not switched often...

gil in Tucson