What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

clearance between carb air box and nose gear leg

After installing the carb air box on our RV-7A below a Marvel-Schebler MA-4.5, there is less than an inch clearance between the lower edge of the air box and the nose gear leg. Clearance will be even less when the gear fairing is on. Seems like there are two options to increase clearance: make a recess in the air box and glass it over, or fabricate a new air box mounting plate with the hole pattern shifted to move the box forward. Latter would require re-matching the box inlet to the cowl air inlet. Ideas?
 
I did a third alternative. Take a hair dryer or heat gun and warm up the area where the leg is too close. Use a pipe of appropriate diameter and press the area in as you apply heat to invert the edge of the fiberglass portion of the air box. Way easier than re-glassing the area and is outside the area of the filter element. I dented mine in about an inch. Worked on my 7A. Never had an issue.

Roberta:)
 
Same issue on my -6A. I flattened the back side of the airbox. Later in life when I got around to installing the upper nose gear leg intersection fairing, I discovered that the upper portion of the fairing can be cut down below the airbox and still be captured by the intersection fairing.
 
Back
Top