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Control cables & wires thru firewall

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WayneJ

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My fuselage is still on a rotisserie. The F-01471 Fwd Top Skin and Canopy are not on yet. This allows easy access to the area between the panel and Firewall. I have been installing my AFS/Dynon HDX Advanced Panel and wiring. Routing and organizing the wires and harnesses is a challenge but made much easier by the easy access with my current setup.

Now I'm thinking I should install the five control cables which go thru the firewall while I still have the easy access. That would pretty much complete the work behind the panel. But I'm not sure of the problems that may cause when it comes off the rotisserie and it's time to install the engine mount and engine. Am I getting ahead of myself or does that sound like a good plan?
 
Yes and no, I had run most everything like you on the rotisserie, and I did not run cables fwf, and I don't think it would have been much different with them on, now that I've got the engine on and working fwf. I would say fwf wiring feels like a mess anyway, so if it makes you feel better, run them, but know you'll probably move things anyway, so don't sweat it.
 
WayneJ said:
My fuselage is still on a rotisserie. The F-01471 Fwd Top Skin and Canopy are not on yet. This allows easy access to the area between the panel and Firewall. I have been installing my AFS/Dynon HDX Advanced Panel and wiring. Routing and organizing the wires and harnesses is a challenge but made much easier by the easy access with my current setup.

Now I'm thinking I should install the five control cables which go thru the firewall while I still have the easy access. That would pretty much complete the work behind the panel. But I'm not sure of the problems that may cause when it comes off the rotisserie and it's time to install the engine mount and engine. Am I getting ahead of myself or does that sound like a good plan
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I think working around the cables when hanging the engine will be more hassle than routing them when appropriate. As mentioned above, they'll also be in the way until the panel wiring harness is finished.
 
I'd leave them off until after you mount the engine. It's only a few hours work and most of it will be rigging the throw of the controls and that can't be done without the engine anyway.
 
Yea, I am worried about the cables being in the way when mounting the engine. But the benefit , to me, is that while I still have easy access to the area (top skin and canopy off and still on rotisserie) I can more easily route and secure everything in that area.

So there are pros and cons either way. Has anyone out there installed the cables before the engine and regretted it?
 
If you're worried about crawling under the panel once those skins are on, it won't matter a bit. You'll be under there so many times on your back for other reasons...
 
Do a search on the “access panels” that can be installed on the upper forward fusealge. Very helpful for things like routing control cables and filling passthroughs with Fire barrier after everything is routed.
 
WayneJ said:
Yea, I am worried about the cables being in the way when mounting the engine. But the benefit , to me, is that while I still have easy access to the area (top skin and canopy off and still on rotisserie) I can more easily route and secure everything in that area.

So there are pros and cons either way. Has anyone out there installed the cables before the engine and regretted it?
Click to expand...

Hi Wayne, can I get a couple of pix of your rotisserie set-up? Thanks!
 
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