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Canopy install

RGaines

Well Known Member
I have been putting this off but now everything else is done.

I put the frame on and the fit is close. Do we try to fit the edges down to the longerones? How? The canopy frame /fuse attach is too tight, tends to bind . The front bar is supposed to be 7/16 away from the fuse skin but it is slightly bigger. How critical is this?

Any one with experience on how all of this is fit, how critical it is etc., would be greatly be appreciated.


Rich
 
I and Larry Geiger have just started the canopy. Send me an email to marty.santic at gmail.com with your phone number. Had a clearance problem also. Think I have it solved.
 
canopy

Read the service bulletins, you can add 2 washers to space it out from the fuse, so it won't bind in front.

When you have the canopy on, the aft frame is held up at least 1/8" or 3/16" so make sure you put cardboard down or you will scratch your sides when you uncleco it.
Dont worry about both sides of the back being 1/8" wider, that holds the canopy away from the fuse.

My bow was 7/16 from my panel or so, it is covered with tape now.

The canopy is marvelously precut, including the bow clearances and the latch hole. It appeared to be perfect, so I drilled and clecoed it on. It then bound slightly on the panel, and I had to sand the front and sides by about 1/8".
I haven't adjusted the back yet, but it is pretty good.

I had no luck with the masking tape method, so I used black electrical tape on my bow. I marked targets every 2" (with a silver sharpie) where I thought the tangent line would be. I then fitted the canopy and wrote notes on the cowling i.e. 1/16" fwd or 1/32" aft by each point.

When you drill, if you think you are going to die of boredom before the drill goes through, you are feeding at the correct speed. (this is with a plexi drill)It is harder on the vertical holes because you are used to letting gravity drill for you. Bad idea.

I ordered a grit countersink from avery. I wouldnt use a standard one.

The most forward screw hole bisects the canopy edge, so it would crack if I tried to drill mine. I wouldn't do it if it is near the edge.

The 2 diagonal guide blocks are meant to center the canopy plastic as it slides down. It seems like having them set back 1/64" would keep the canopy from rubbing on them, or putting a eaa sticker on the inside. If you try and lower the canopy from 1 side, the aft skirt screw can bash the guide block. I may shorten the screws , but now I try to lift and lower from the latch or center of rear bow.

I didn't sand the weld down in the middle of the square tubing sides canopy frame, a rivet goes in the weld. I wonder if we are supposed to.

I like how they told us to leave the screws not tight. That will give room for thermal expansion. Would it be smart to drill the side angles #27 also?

John.
 
Last edited:
John

2 things.

1. I WOULD sand down the front bow center as instructed. It will force the canopy off the bow at that point if not.

2. I don't think they want a rivet in the middle as I recall.

John Bender
 
John,

I sanded down that weld because it interfered with the side skirt. Also will have to sand down the weld at the rear bottom of the canopy frame (on the left side). This weld bead is larger than the others and interferes with the plexiglass canopy.
 
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