[BGordon]

Good afternoon everyone,
I’m working on my top cowl and can’t find the drawings or instructions about securing the pins holding the top cowl down. Did I miss them or am I on my own to find a way.
Thanks
Brandon

 

[RV8JD]

Enjoy:

Cowl retaining pin

I came back from a flight and there was a large puddle of oil under the engine. I opened the oil door on the upper cowl and saw the right hand pin that holds the cowl in place sitting on the battery. It turns out the pin had shorted between the battery and the oil pressure hose. The hose has a...

vansairforce.net

P.S. It would help if you put the type of RV you're building in your post or in your signature.

 

[Scott Hersha]

You probably need the cowl pin retaining bracket:

FF-00005 Cowl Pin Retention Bracket

store.vansaircraft.com

This might be an RV14 part,or maybe an RV7 part, but no matter. I used it on my RV6:

zoom in to my firewall in the hinge gap.

Works fine. Takes 30 seconds to remove the hinge pins, less than a minute to reinstall.

 

[BGordon]

You probably need the cowl pin retaining bracket:

FF-00005 Cowl Pin Retention Bracket

store.vansaircraft.com

This might be an RV14 part,or maybe an RV7 part, but no matter. I used it on my RV6:

zoom in to my firewall in the hinge gap.

Works fine. Takes 30 seconds to remove the hinge pins, less than a minute to reinstall.

Thank you very much. Looks like something that can be fabricated pretty easily..
B

 

[Janekom]

Brandon please tell what RV you are building

 

[BGordon]

Bradon please tell what RV you are building

An RV7

 

[Janekom]

Brandon if you can - please try to incorporate the pins as done on the RV10 and RV14. I have done it on a 7 build and really like it. I am attaching pictures taken in 2015 during the 7 build. Easy to replicate. Now you have two same length pins that are so easy to install or remove. Also no more ugly bulge while flying where the standard two pins meet.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Brandon if you can - please try to incorporate the pins as done on the RV10 and RV14. I have done it on a 7 build and really like it. I am attaching pictures taken in 2015 during the 7 build. Easy to replicate. Now you have two same length pins that are so easy to install or remove. Also no more ugly bulge while flying where the standard two pins meet.

Kind of what I did except: I had a half inch or so bend in the pins that laid forward in the little slot, almost touching each other, then covered those with an aluminum plate that was screwed into nutplates completely hiding the pin ends. I had to carve grooves in the inside of the plate to accommodate the pins and make the plate lie flat. Easy job with a Dremel tool with a round head. Nothing sticking up. Did the same for the pins at the front of the cowling. And the aluminum plates are flush with the cowl. Sorry no pictures. I might get some today I can send along. Mine is a -4 but the hinges and pins are similar.

 

[Richard Connell]

Kind of what I did except: I had a half inch or so bend in the pins that laid forward in the little slot, almost touching each other, then covered those with an aluminum plate that was screwed into nutplates completely hiding the pin ends. I had to carve grooves in the inside of the plate to accommodate the pins and make the plate lie flat. Easy job with a Dremel tool with a round head. Nothing sticking up. Did the same for the pins at the front of the cowling. And the aluminum plates are flush with the cowl. Sorry no pictures. I might get some today I can send along. Mine is a -4 but the hinges and pins are similar.

I did a very similar thing. Works well.
The idea of staring out the windscreen at those two pins sticking up did nothing for me. Before paint I may modify it slightly with a small Al or SS square riveted to the hinge outboard to stop the wear you can see at each side.

 

[mack55]

I did a very similar thing. Works well.
The idea of staring out the windscreen at those two pins sticking up did nothing for me. Before paint I may modify it slightly with a small Al or SS square riveted to the hinge outboard to stop the wear you can see at each side.
View attachment 56028

View attachment 56029

Richard,
I am in the process of fabricating the top hinges. I like your idea here with the pin extraction in the center. Could you share some additional pics?

Also, any input on the hinge placement on the firewall side? If you had to do it again would you position the hinge forward to hide the eyelets on the hinge. I just drilled mine and they are positioned like yours above. I am wondering about moving the hinge forward 1/8" to hide the eyelets under the cowling. See my post here.

Cowl Hinge Pin Placement…

All, I just finished drilling the upper hinge for the top cowling to the firewall. I heard that there were RV14 plans that had more detail on the cowling install. After review I realized that my hinge placement might be too far aft. Once I fit the cowl and have a .040” gap for paint am I going...

vansairforce.net

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Richard,
I am in the process of fabricating the top hinges. I like your idea here with the pin extraction in the center. Could you share some additional pics?

Also, any input on the hinge placement on the firewall side? If you had to do it again would you position the hinge forward to hide the eyelets on the hinge. I just drilled mine and they are positioned like yours above. I am wondering about moving the hinge forward 1/8" to hide the eyelets under the cowling. See my post here.

Cowl Hinge Pin Placement…

All, I just finished drilling the upper hinge for the top cowling to the firewall. I heard that there were RV14 plans that had more detail on the cowling install. After review I realized that my hinge placement might be too far aft. Once I fit the cowl and have a .040” gap for paint am I going...

vansairforce.net

I did something similar to SuzieQ. I did NOT want to be looking at hinge pins sticking up as that seemed like it was an incomplete installation. And looked kinda silly, IMHO. I have a small plate on the top cowling held on with 6-32 countersunk screws into nutplates on the back side of a holding plate under the cowl where the hinge would otherwise be. I also carved the underside of the plate to accommodate the pins. My top and horizontal pins are 0.090" which are smaller than the original 0.125". The two vertical sides are still the larger diameter. Smaller pins are MUCH easier to put in/out and allow a slight bit of cowl movement. I was not concerned with the eyelets under the cowl showing and left a small gap, again allowing for slight cowl flexing. It also puts less stress on the eyelets and I have had no eyelets break off. No problems after 1200+ hours. Pictures pending.......... IMHO YMMV

 

[Dustyone]

I did the same on our RV-14A except I liked longer 1" extensions so it is easier to grab the pins for removal.

It's all about making a void for the pins to nestle into.

Used West Structural filler to fill the void, minus the pin locations,

Stiffened up the underside of cowl and added nut plates,

Insert pins,

Enjoy cover,

This was on a completed aircraft so a cowl re-spray is in its future but it sure is easy to remove the top cowl pins now

 

[Richard Connell]

Richard,
I am in the process of fabricating the top hinges. I like your idea here with the pin extraction in the center. Could you share some additional pics?

Also, any input on the hinge placement on the firewall side? If you had to do it again would you position the hinge forward to hide the eyelets on the hinge. I just drilled mine and they are positioned like yours above. I am wondering about moving the hinge forward 1/8" to hide the eyelets under the cowling. See my post here.

Cowl Hinge Pin Placement…

All, I just finished drilling the upper hinge for the top cowling to the firewall. I heard that there were RV14 plans that had more detail on the cowling install. After review I realized that my hinge placement might be too far aft. Once I fit the cowl and have a .040” gap for paint am I going...

vansairforce.net

I’ll take a look for some more photos. I’m not sure if there are many though.

Yes I would move the hinge forward. Not an 1/8. Only 1/16 max though.
I have no excuse for the hinge being where it is. I messed up. I offset all the rest of my hinges to hide the eyelets including the wingtips with larger flanged extruded hinges especially.

I don’t use smaller pins on the hinges. No need on the 10. Appropriately pre bend the pins, bullet point the end and keep them clean and lubed and it’s no problem.

The 2 seater RVs specify a reduced diameter pin. My RV7s cowl sat up noticeably in flight plus moves backward due to that. No issue just make sure you have a larger gap else the paint will wear off.