Looking for suggestions how to fabricate an access panel on my baggage floor. I want to be able to access the bolt holding in the airplane step and plan to place my comm antennas on the undersurface at that location. Any suggestions how to create an access panel on the baggage floor so I can reach that area.
Van's Air Force
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Access Panel
- Thread starter dspender
- Start date
flion
Well Known Member
Tons of ways. Using a doubler to tie the stiffeners together and create an opening, with nutplates in the doubler and stiffeners to hold an access panel on is probably the simplest. I'm not doing the bolt accesses myself but I did bury my Oxy filler and a ground power plug in the space below the baggage floor, accessible from the baggage door. I'm using the above idea along with a hinge on one side and 1/4 turn fasteners for quick and easy access; same for the Garmin AHRS under the rear seat.
I don't feel the need for access for the COMM antennae; I'm using nutplates to hold them on and there is enough cable to allow them to drop down and be disengaged. If I need to replace the cable, I will use the existing run to act as a puller for the new cable, through conduit in the fuselage.
I don't feel the need for access for the COMM antennae; I'm using nutplates to hold them on and there is enough cable to allow them to drop down and be disengaged. If I need to replace the cable, I will use the existing run to act as a puller for the new cable, through conduit in the fuselage.
As simple as it gets!
Install a #3 nut plate on a piece of aluminum 1/2"x 2" by .032.
Permanently secure this piece with 2 hose clamps to the step tube.
Drill a hole into the bottom skin only large enough to accommodate a socket
to access the -3 bolt from the bottom. Use a plastic rubber plug to close up the hole in the bottom skin.
The bolt is located directly beneath the close out panel in the baggage compartment. If you decide to build and access panel you'll have to make that close out panel removable too.( Lots of work)
Install a #3 nut plate on a piece of aluminum 1/2"x 2" by .032.
Permanently secure this piece with 2 hose clamps to the step tube.
Drill a hole into the bottom skin only large enough to accommodate a socket
to access the -3 bolt from the bottom. Use a plastic rubber plug to close up the hole in the bottom skin.
The bolt is located directly beneath the close out panel in the baggage compartment. If you decide to build and access panel you'll have to make that close out panel removable too.( Lots of work)
Tom Martin
Well Known Member
We put four access panels in the rear area, two on each side. The forward two were for the com antennae and the aft two were for checking the step fittings.
The access panels also helped with running wires in the aft fuse area.
There is no need to purchase pre made panels as they are just a flat piece of aluminum. Cut the hole you want an then make a panel to fit it. Faster done then typing it out here!
The access panels also helped with running wires in the aft fuse area.
There is no need to purchase pre made panels as they are just a flat piece of aluminum. Cut the hole you want an then make a panel to fit it. Faster done then typing it out here!
Nice work
This looks like a really good / clean job. I used the doubler from Van's that's for the stall warning horn in an almost identical position as this. I will say that it is just small enough for somebody with good size meat claws like me that it's difficult to actually get to the bolts without contorting yourself.
I also 2nd the access panel in the rear seat floor pan. I just spent a couple evenings retrofitting a similar one because I did not run enough conduit for all the wiring needs in the tail. Much easier to do before closing up the rear seat pan. The cutout in the front corner that will be behind the side panel wall is brilliant. Nice work!
We put four access panels in the rear area, two on each side. The forward two were for the com antennae and the aft two were for checking the step fittings.
The access panels also helped with running wires in the aft fuse area.
There is no need to purchase pre made panels as they are just a flat piece of aluminum. Cut the hole you want an then make a panel to fit it. Faster done then typing it out here!
This looks like a really good / clean job. I used the doubler from Van's that's for the stall warning horn in an almost identical position as this. I will say that it is just small enough for somebody with good size meat claws like me that it's difficult to actually get to the bolts without contorting yourself.
I also 2nd the access panel in the rear seat floor pan. I just spent a couple evenings retrofitting a similar one because I did not run enough conduit for all the wiring needs in the tail. Much easier to do before closing up the rear seat pan. The cutout in the front corner that will be behind the side panel wall is brilliant. Nice work!
