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Baggage Door Questions

Rick6a

Well Known Member
I'm pleased how well the baggage door came out but I do have a few concerns about improving its basic design a bit. To prevent water from entering, I want to install a good seal around the door's sides and thought about using something like this: http://www.trimco.info/images/Illustrations-Large/Seals-Gaskets/S2123.jpg Is there a better alternative?

Also, Van's suggests "an optional closed cell foam" may be installed underneath the hinge....how exactly do you do that? Where do you get the foam and what type adhesive (if any) is used to afix it?

Finally, the door begs for some sort of strut to hold it open...what are builders using? Is there an off-the-shelf strut I can use?

Ideas, thoughts and pictures sought, especially from -8 builders who have been there and done that.

 
baggage door holding device

Rick: I installed a "spring thing" on my Baron's baggage door, and it works great. Check it out on performanceaero.com. Basically, it is just a long spring
with a thin cable though it, which attaches at either end to the door and to the airframe. When the door is raised, the spring holds it open; to close the door, you simply grasp it midways, tug, and the thing folds over, allowing you to lower and close the hatch. IMHO, it looks better than the hardware store device., and it is relatively inexpensive.
Tom Navar
RV-8QB
Working on flaps
 
Gas spring

Larry Bowens website has a link in the archives from McMaster Carr for a gas spring that works.
 
Rick: I installed a "spring thing" on my Baron's baggage door, and it works great...... . IMHO, it looks better than the hardware store device., and it is relatively inexpensive.
Tom .....
Thanks for the really great tip Tom! I ordered the "Spring Thing" yesterday right after I read your post....http://tinyurl.com/3543uc....and received it less than an hour ago. It took all of 15 minutes to install and works perfectly.

Now if I can just get answers for my other two questions.

Thanks again.


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Rick, looks cool.

I had a similar setup on the baggage door on my Stinson, worked great.

One word of caution, put some anti-chafe covering on it-------clear vinal tubing worked for me, the spring can really mar aluminum.
 
I am not sure you need anything...

My RV-8 with a standard Van's baggage door seemed to be completely waterproof. When I flew it in the rain and in the clouds I never got a hint of water in there. I did get some water into the cockpit via the NACA vent though.

I like the spring thing idea. My RV-8 had a simple chain that kept the door from opening too far (when fully open it was overcenter on the hinge thus keeping it open). This was a fairly poor idea since even a slight wind would close the door (usually when I had my head in there).

One thing to think about is the door opening in flight. It happened to me once. It is not a traumatic event (in fact it stays closed until you slow down then it slowly opens almost magically). I thought about an idiot light on the panel but ended up just adding a checklist item to my run-up: "visually ensure that the baggage door is closed and locked".
 
Rick,

I just used some standard household grey closed cell foam that is used for weatherproofing a window, etc. I had to double the standard size up to get the thickness though. It just goes in the door hinge U channel stiffener and basically serves to keep water from getting past the eyelets in the hinge.

I have had my RV out on the ramp for overnites in stormy weather and have flown through rain and never had a hint of water entering the compartment.

For my prop rod, I used the Jim Daniel method and just painted the fake brass thingamajig black to make me feel better.

Ditto for me on the anti-chafe tape - I used it on all the surfaces that overlap (fore and aft and where it overlaps the fuselage side) as otherwise you do get some paint rubbing.
 
I used a McMaster strut and set it up so it holds the door open, and when closed, tends to hold it closed with an over center type of mount.

Works great, but the 5 lb strut is maybe a little too weak

I got the idea off the web, but cannot remember which RV-8 builder I borrowed it from
 
My RV-8 with a standard Van's baggage door seemed to be completely waterproof. When I flew it in the rain and in the clouds I never got a hint of water in there.
....Ditto for me on the anti-chafe tape - I used it on all the surfaces that overlap (fore and aft and where it overlaps the fuselage side) as otherwise you do get some paint rubbing.
Guys,

Are we comparing apples to apples here? Your posts make me wonder if the design has slightly changed. The kit, received March past may be different than yours.....maybe my kit incorporates a redesign in that area because so many builders experienced difficulty fitting the door. You see, there is NO fore and aft overlap.....only along the bottom edge does the door overlap. There is no need for anti-chafe tape along the sides because when the door is closed, a small gap remains between the door and the skin. I have to believe that when exposed to a serious driving downpour, rain can and will surely enter into the baggage area. After all, a gap is a gap is a gap...is it not?

 
Ah geez...

I think you are right Rick, now why did they go and do that.... :rolleyes:

I took another hard look at your pix and you are correct, they changed the design on you. There used to be a small strip of .025 that was about 1.75" or so wide and it was riveted between the firewall flange and the top skin on the forward end and on the aft end it was between the skin and the aft baggage bulkhead. The door top skin would lie on these strips for support and they effectively acted as a fairly good seal just by themselves.

I see that yours is now all just a flush fit with no "flange" for the door skin to rest on. Well, yes, then I would definitely want a seal there. I would be inclined to use the seal that you first mentioned then.
 
Interesting....

Good eyes Rob! I hadn't noticed that in Rick's first picture, but dang....I can't imagine not having the flange to act as a seal....maybe they did that to make the pre-punch work, but I don't think of it as an "improvement" to the design....
 
Rick,

Are you sure you didn't leave the aforementioned strips out? I also have a matched hole (or -1) fuselage recieved in early December last year. My fuse does have the strips for the door to close against. They go between the skin and the bulkheads. I would check the plans carefully...
 
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Rick,

Are you sure you didn't leave the aforementioned stips out? I also have a matched hole (or -1) fuselage recieved in early December last year. My fuse does have the strips for the door to close against. They go between the skin and the bulkheads. I would check the plans carefully...
Guy,

MY BAD. You are absolutely right. I dug out the DWG and there it is. I neglected to add the F821's. Geez. Can't see the forest for the trees sometimes. Okay, well, I guess I'll just have to install those puppies tomorrow. I even primed them months ago, put em away and then forgot all about it. Thanks for keeping me honest!
 
For sealing, I've used (on my access panel flanges) high temp silicone sealant on the flange, then closed the door against it with a layer of saran wrap between. When the silicone is cured, peel off the saran wrap and you have a very tight custom seal. Might need a bit of trimming when cured. You could use some acrylic sealant if you're worried about silicone = effect it may have on paint.

Allan
 
Rick, I assume you have a flange under the fore and aft edges of your door, sandwiched in between the skin and bulkheads?
 
Dang!

Guy,

MY BAD. You are absolutely right. I dug out the DWG and there it is. I neglected to add the F821's. Geez. Can't see the forest for the trees sometimes. Okay, well, I guess I'll just have to install those puppies tomorrow. I even primed them months ago, put em away and then forgot all about it. Thanks for keeping me honest!

Oh man....that is a lot of rivets to drill out! :mad:
 
Rick, I assume you have a flange under the fore and aft edges of your door, sandwiched in between the skin and bulkheads?
Dan,

Two words: NEVER ASSUME :D

I still can't believe I did that.....an hour of rework that was totally unnecessary! :eek: Imagine some of the stories Van's support staff must listen to on a daily basis.


 
Well, I think you should be complimented about how well the door fit without flanges to rest against! Excellent workmanship.
 
Mickey,

Thanks, I tend to work fast but I'm not that fast. I only had to drill out and replace about 27 rivets....mostly those that tie in the r/h upper cowl hinge/firewall/F-821. The skin is otherwise 100% clecoed in place and I'm not going to permanently install it until the instrument panel and other work is completed.
 
baggage door cut-out from the F-821PP

Is the baggage door cut-out from the F-821PP needed for anything. I know this is a stupid question but I want to be absolutely sure before I hack it up.
 
Is the baggage door cut-out from the F-821PP needed for anything. I know this is a stupid question but I want to be absolutely sure before I hack it up.


I've still got that "scrap" in my box Brian, and the airplane doesn't seem to have missed it in 630 hours.....I'd say it's fair game!

Paul
 
Spring Thing

Just to add some information to this post for future builders:

I located the "Spring Thing" device referenced in an earlier post, sold at less than one-third of the price the other place has them. South Seas Ventures, LLC has them for about $22, vs. $69. The call it, simply, a "baggage door holder."

No aviation mark-up! :D
 
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