The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Louie, found this quick at Wicks. Bet Spruce has it as well.

http://aircraftproducts.wicksaircraft.c ... iano-hinge

For some reason which escapes me now, I've always thought of these hinges as difficult to replace with another style and still have the window close without stress on them. And then of course dealing with the pop rivets and what ever others over time have used to hold the hinges. Nothing worse than a spinning Cherry Max rivet to remove.

MS20001-P3, Is the replacement material for your 53 and up cowl door hinges should anyone need to change theirs. Also available at aircraft spruce.

Thanks Bruce, you’re the man! I looked at spruce first but couldn’t find it. Of course that doesn’t mean it’s not there. What it means quite often is that I don’t know how to search their particular website... I think the stress factor comes into play when a rivet contacts the opposing side of the hinge before closing completely. As you know the rivet holes are staggered and this should not happen if the correct rivet is used. Originally they probably used ordinary aluminum rivets (only George knows for sure, he was most likely there at the time). I used the countersunk rivets which is probably overkill but I wanted to make sure the window closes smoothly and completely with no interference at all. I used Stainless because I didn’t think I had any countersunk cherry max rivets. Turns out I did but they’re in there now and the hinge would probably fall before the rivets. I’m definitely going to keep an eye on them if and when I get in the air again and at the first hint of trouble I’ll install the extruded variety and double the length of hinge used.

While using stainless rivets could be used however instead of using cherry max rivets why not use cherry lock rivets . The removal of cherry lock rivets is easier by removal of the locking ring and then center pin is punched out .

That's it Louie, the rivets hit each other forcing the hinge apart when forced.

Doors, windows and airframe should be reunited soon.