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14A canopy hinge auto body filler

Allan Stern

Well Known Member
I am at the point finishing the canopy where I must apply some autobody filler next to the canopy hinge area. Any ideas on this? You just put some into the space between the hinge and frame? Smooth it down. Plans are not real clear on this.

Thanks
2019 donation made
 
As described on 38-36, in step 3 and shown in figure 1, you are to fill the recessed area between the C-01440 and the F-01445 sub panel.

The goal is to fill this space so that it is flush and level with the side face of the C-01440.

This will become the smooth surface that the ends of the seals installed in Figure 2, will seal against.

I use a single edge razor blade as a small trowel and try to make it as flush and smooth as possible. Another method is to apply an excessive amount and then as it begins to harden but is still soft, cut it with the blade to trim it flush to the surfaces show in figure 1.
 
Where it says "keep the slot clear" it is talking about the little gap between the top rear of the doubler and the hinge bearing block too. I didn't keep that area clear and wasn't able to move the hinge clip forward until I cleaned it out. It seems to me that the filler should only go as far up as the top of the hinge bearing block but it doesn't explicitly say that.

There is also a little gap between the skin and the flange aft and lateral to the doubler; it is hard to get proseal into, so I want to make sure the flange sealant goes that wide when I put it in.
 
I'm finally at this step, myself. Has anyone used a thick mixture of epoxy and microballoons instead of Bondo? I can't find Bondo locally so I would have to wait until I'm in a bigger town to pick some up. But I can mix up microballoons in a jiffy.

Second question: Figure 1 on page 38-36 doesn't make it very clear how far down the filler should go. Is the rough black line the limit or should the filler go all the way down to the hinge in the open position?
 
you can make epoxy and microballoons as thick as you want and it will not sag. when i am making it ''drier'' i put a drop of straight epoxy on my rubber gloved finger and rub it onto the area the stiffer mixture is applied. maybe it is just me but it removes any doubt for me that the dryer mixture is going to make good bonding contact to the surface. i am not sure about bondo these days but i think it is heavier.
 
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