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Aerosport hinge pin covers?

Don E

Well Known Member
Has anyone installed the Aerosport hinge pin covers in their cowling? If so, feedback? Did it go smoothly and what did you have to change from the Van?s installation? Thank you.
 
I installed them on my -8 and it wasn't hard at all. If there's a trick to it, and it's not much of a trick, you have slightly different locations on either side of the cowl. Pay attention to the measurements given in the instructions. I used 8.9 oz harness fiberglass cloth to back up the nut plates you'll install. I used three plies and should have used four if not five, so there's some learning! They work fine and look good.

You'll need to remove a couple of the hinge eyes to make room for the covers.
 
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I installed them on my RV-10 recently by following the Aerosport provided instructions.

The only minor difficulty I encountered was figuring out how to remove the temporary covers used when fiber glassing in the opening cut for the covers. I used mold release but apparently not enough as after the fiberglass cured I couldn't easily pop the temporary covers out.

What finally worked for me was to cut the top/bottom cowl split line into the new fiberglass as far as I could from the inside using my Dremel tool with diamond wheel cutter (could not reach very far up the line due to confined space within the cowl nose). I then inserted a hooked knife blade (roofing shingle blade) in my Stanley retractable razor knife. I found that by inserting the hooked knife blade into the cut just in front of the cover plate from the outside and then rocking it forward, the hooked tip of the blade pushed against the back of the cover plate and popped it out of the cowl. This now allowed me to cut the split line from outside with my diamond disk.

I haven't flown yet, but I believe these should greatly improve the appearance of the cowl.
 
Another option

On the last two planes I install the side pins so they come out the back into the cabin. This eliminates the pin cover issue.

I?ll do the same on the new RV-8 project.

Carl
 
On the last two planes I install the side pins so they come out the back into the cabin. This eliminates the pin cover issue.

I?ll do the same on the new RV-8 project.

Carl

What do you use to seal around the pins so as to not let any CO into the cabin?
 
What do you use to seal around the pins so as to not let any CO into the cabin?

The pins are routed via 1/4? aluminum tubing aft of the firewall as a conduit. The pins then pass through a 3/16? rivet shank with a hole just big enough to allow the pins to slide. The rivet shank is epoxied into the 1/4? tubing. The rivet shank extends a little beyond the tubing, the tubing ends at the cabin side of the firewall and is sealed, the rivet shank extends just a past the firewall.

So - to answer the specific question, the pins seal is the same as you have for your engine control cables, your cabin heat cables and the rest.

Carl
 
My recently acquired RV-8 has the long cowl pins that insert from the cockpit forward. Part of the run-up checklist is to reach down on each side and check the pins are engaged fully. They have a propensity to creep aft under vibration. That's not insurmountable amd I plan on designing and installing some retainers at next condition inspection.

In so far as carbon monoxide ingress. There are more plentiful ways than the pin conduits for gas to enter the cockpit. The pins fit very tight in their conduits. It is akin to the engine control push pull cables. Totally negligible.

I could take some photos of the pins and email them upon request. I have all but given up on web-based photo hosting since Photobucket went insane and I no longer trust web photo sites.

Jim
 
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Carl, any chance of posting some photos of your in cabin pin setup?
Sure - on the road right now so give me a few days.

The pins are locked in place by using a 1/4? AN bulkhead fitting that has a 3? or so piece of 1/4? tubing that slides over the aft pin end so the pin penetration is sealed and does not move.

A lot harder to discribe than do.

Carl
 
Thanks, but one more question

Appreciate all the responses. Watched YouTube, read the instructions. One thing remains unclear. These are not covers for the pins as Van?s designed, so how are you guys treating the forward end on the hinge pins?
Thanks again!
 
Appreciate all the responses. Watched YouTube, read the instructions. One thing remains unclear. These are not covers for the pins as Van?s designed, so how are you guys treating the forward end on the hinge pins?
Thanks again!

Mine have about 1/2" right angle at the forward end. I use this to push and pull the right angle extension through the whole behind the cover.

I push this right angle aft until it hits the first hinge loop. In five years, I've never had it slide forward during flight. If it did, it can only move a few inches forward with the cover in place.
 
Are all the Aerosport pin covers the same aside from the lettering?
A friend has them on his 14 and I wondered if I could use his fitting blanks for my 6 rather than having to wait for delivery.
 
Are all the Aerosport pin covers the same aside from the lettering?
A friend has them on his 14 and I wondered if I could use his fitting blanks for my 6 rather than having to wait for delivery.

Contact Will Westfall [email protected]
Bought the aerosport eyeball vents off him. Good guy to deal with.
 
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