that a new thread be started to address mods, etc. that a new owner might put on his list of "Important Considerations"...a sort of "to do" list of mods/work that are considered important/preferred by those of us who've already been involved with the airplane. Keep in mind that this message thread is only a list and not intended to be an actual discussion-thread. If anyone feels that items mentioned here deserve special treatment or lengthy discussions (pros/cons/etc.) then please feel free to begin a new thread with it's own subject line regarding that item. Pros/Cons should probably be started in The Pilot Lounge and details of performance or "how to's" should probably be placed in The Hangar.
If anyone has their own ideas/favorites...feel free to add them here along with a short description of why the mod/work is considered of import.
Some of the mods/work I've thought might start this list off are:
1. Convert to either the Solid Ski Axle (PN 0541124-1) (or the H.D. steel axles with the proper documentation) to avoid breakage of the standard hollow aluminum axles. Inspect the axle attach bolt holes for cracks with a magnifying glass/dye penetrant. Radius the holes. Check for AN6 lower bolt holes and install/radius them if not present. AN bolts are OK, NAS are stronger.
2. Disconnect the parking brake and completely remove the parking brake hardware from the top of the master cylinders, to avoid accidental setting of a brake in strong crosswinds (hits the firewall blanket and inadvertently sets the parking brake) which results in blown tires, runway departures, and ground loops on landing. (The park brake control is a Bowden cable, similar to a lawn-mower throttle cable, consisting of a solid wire core wrapped by a spiral wire sheath. Push the knob IN, and bend the solid wire core over the end of the outer sheath. This will prevent anyone in the future from being able to pull that knob believing they've set a parking brake, yet will allow your panel to retain it's original look.)
3. P-ponk landing gear bulkhead beef-up. (OK, I know. some mechanics claim this causes even more damage if the airplane is truly wrecked. But my position is that if you can show me two identical wrecks, one without and one with the P-ponk kit, then we can make a more accurate assessment. ANY airplane can be damaged beyond economical repair if you drive it into the ground hard enough. I just want the added strength of the P-ponk so that a simple bolt failure doesn't total my airplane!)
4. At least ONE vented fuel cap (on the right wing filler.)
5. Upgrade to modern Tefzel electrical wiring.
6. Inspect the wing attach blocks inside the wing spar carry-through for corrosion.
7. Inspect the rudder cables where they pass through the rear bulkheads in the tailcone. You'll have to either pull them out for inspection, or add an inspection hole to the aircraft per the structural repair guidelines.
8. Replace your tailwheel main leaf spring every 500 hours. Remove the sharp lower/trailing edge of the leaf spring just above it in order to avoid it creating a stress-riser on the mainspring.
9. Install B.A.S. tailpull handles (to avoid sideways pressures on the vertical stab. fairing when ground handling. Pushing/Pulling on that vert. stab. fairing cracks the bracket in it's leading edge.
10. Avoid use of rudder locks that hold the upper counter-balance area of the rudder, as a strong wind will break your upper rudder internal rib. .(Also avoid blocking the rudder at it's bell-crank stops as it overstresses them.) Use a rudder lock that holds the rudder at it's trailing edge such as rope/bungee types.
11. Install shoulder harnesses. (Remember that shoulder harnesses do not have to be PMA'd, STC'd, or TSO'd for installation in a 170B, because you don't have to cut/weld/alter the airframe...the B already has the #10 rivnut installed in it's rear spar....so you can use experimental, automobile, non-certified cheapies if you wish...just install some! The authority for this statement is FAA Policy Statement Number ACE–00–23.561–01)
12. Install Cleveland brake conversion to avoid parts availability and locked-up brake problems with Goodyears.
13. Install a carbon monoxide detector. The paper stick-ons are neither durable nor sensitive enough for serious use. The best ones are specifically designed for aircraft use and are permanently mounted. See Aircraft Spruce, Chief, etc. for aircraft C.O. Detectors. (Residential/Home types are rarely sensitive enough for aircraft use, although Canadian types are generally more sensitive than those intended for the U.S. market. U.S. rules are designed to prevent false alarms, which may be too insensitive for value in an aircraft.)
14. Install an L19 tailwheel tie-down eyebolt (PN 0642105) in lieu of the AN7-22A bolt that holds your tailwheel assy to the main leafspring.
Addendum: Member AR Dave suggested:
15. Consider an additional seat stop to prevent inadvertent release of the seat and/or undesired travel of the seat in flight. (I personally didn't consider such items which should be covered by regular mx or AD notes to merit inclusion in this list (such as seat track/seat latching condition), but if I understand Dave's concern correctly, the addt'l seat stop is held by some to be an important mod. due to safety concerns surrounding the Cessna seat latching system. I once had an aftermarket seat stop that I removed because I found it an unwanted complication which prevented me sliding my seat aft for exit purposes. I found it difficult and time consuming to reach down/around the lower seat tracks to loosen it sufficiently to exit the aircraft. I'd personally rather keep my tracks/seats in proper safe working order, and still be enabled to get out in a hurry if I desired.) But I agree with Dave that it's a consideration all might with to contemplate.
16. Replace the engine-to-firewall COPPER oil-pressure sense-line with a rubber line. This is an age-old problem (copper oil lines) that date all the way back to Lindbergh and Rickenbacker. Copper work-hardens from vibration and bending and it’s only a matter of time before it fractures in-flight and your oil dumps overboard and the engine seizes if you don’t notice the loss of oil pressure. At the very least, replace it with what Cessna eventually did...aluminum on C-150s. Still-later Cessna, Beech, and others graduated to flexible hydraulic-type lines. (Thx to Member Richard Wilkening for the reminder)
These are just a few recommendations that come to mind, and are my own opinions. Many other participants in this forum have their own favorites/opinion.
I'm a "visual" type of learner and was wondering if you could put a more "visual" description of this process...as the above description hasn't computed into the finished product in my "computer"...