Upgrades

Watkinsnv · Post by **Watkinsnv** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 10:39 pm

Looks like Iâ€™ll be getting some up grades and add-ons for my 52 170B. First a RNAV -21 Loran, My Narco Loran was unreliable because it was always looking for its fixed points of reference and the signal strength was weak, I think it had problems . Second is a wing leveling autopilot. My brother is upgrading his Bonanza and has given them to me to put in my Cessna. That should make flights to new locations where you have to navigate and read maps a lot easier. I just love looking over your map and seeing the horizon 20 or 30 degrees off. Or is it the wings that are no longer level? I had a old handheld GPS that I mounted with a bracket right in the middle of my instrument panel, but now I've gone and changed my panel so I donâ€™t have that space anymore. Lance

Post by **GAHorn** » Mon Dec 02, 2002 4:51 pm

I strongly recommend that you not consider making a new installation of any Loran's other than King KLN-88's or Northstar's. They are the only ones fully supported by their maker's and still provided with full database and software upgrades.

funseventy · Post by **funseventy** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 8:55 pm

Garmin has the Pilot3 Gps that will mount to the top of the dash and costs $495. The install is easy and it can be hooke to the airplane bus very easily. The antenna is on it, so no running of coax, etc. If you had a reliable source of navigation you'd leave the map in the glove box. The 170 doesn't respond well to the addition of weight and I would advis against the wing leveler.

Kelly

Watkinsnv · Post by **Watkinsnv** » Sat Dec 21, 2002 7:16 am

Does anyone have a Century I auto pilot in their C-170 I havenâ€™t gotten the paper work on this unit or the unit itself yet. I am just trying to find out if its STCâ€™d for the C170. It appears a couple of auto pilots are on the T/C. As for the weight this is no stock C-170B Lyc O-360, C/S prop, 180 gear, STOL leading edges, fences, droop tips, aleron gap seals. A baggage door waiting inline to be installed probably with a extended baggage compartment. And for the Loran the data base are the locations you input and store in it and it is still supported by the manufacturer, and they are up gradable. The main part being I get two of them, they're free and they work. Lance

Watkinsnv · Post by **Watkinsnv** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 12:58 am

I picked up a early model 172 engine cowl to modify and install on my 52 170B. Del-Air has a nice nose bowl to go along with the Lyc conv. I think with the blisters and new nose bowl a newer style cowling was the way to go. I'll have to add an oil door to the R/H upper hood, and it does away with the latches. So It looks like I'll have a late model 170B or early model 172 well used nose bowl For Sale and possibly latches and parts off of my old cowling. Lance

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 5:33 am

I'm a big fan of the early (48-52) cowl,you can open up both sides & have good access to everything. I never have to remove either the top or bottom cowl for oil/filter change. Plus you can really eyeball things every time ya check the oil.If something's coming loose,breaking,or leaking oil you can easily spot it . The later cowls with the "peek-a boo view" of the engine thru them little hatches are much less desirable.
I kinda like the airbox baffling vs the pressure cowl baffling too,but that's another story. A friend has a 180-horse 52 model,he kept the early-style upper cowl and added the different (fiberglas?) nosebowl but it's now pressure cowl baffling. Does anyone ever put airbox type baffling on the big-engine conversions?

Eric

Dave Clark · Post by **Dave Clark** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 1:43 pm

I agree completely Eric. I like engine access. My conversion will be early top cowl, glass nose ring, and pressure cowl. I think all the STCs for conversions are for pressure cowl cooling so to change to the early style airbox cooling as you call it would be a modification (to the STC) requiring some approval basis. Also I'm not sure it is an improvement or why wouldn't all the planes still have that?

The really neat thing about the new setup is that the nose ring is split and I'll be able to pull the cowls without pulling the prop. I never did put a hole in the spinner backplate to get to the cowl bolts. Also I just put some nutplates in the airframe to take machine screws for the top and bottom screws in the bottom cowl and for the two outboard top cowl center strip locations. The mods to the stock cowl added a noticeable amount of weight. I think the glasswork was done by an amature, it looks nice but is way too thick and heavy. Probably all matt no cloth. If I only had the molds...

The International Cessna 170 Association

Upgrades

Upgrades

Engine cowl