The International Cessna® 170 Association

Thanks Bruce. I have a line on NOS shaft parts 0511227-7 but I am still unclear if there are LH and RH parts or the shafts are inserted into another part in the assembly and if so, how difficult it would be to swap out.

Thanks,

Bob

Both the 1956-1962 and the 1963-1974 C-172 IPCs shows that the right door handle shaft is p/n 0511227-6 and the left door handle shaft is p/n 0511227-7 for C-172s from 1956-1965. They are not interchangeable.

Thanks Gary

… Looking online, these shafts are rather expensive. Looking closely at the part, it is actually an assembly of several parts silver soldered together. I think one could heat the part and pull out the spline shaft and replace it with a new 16-spline 7/16” shaft which has been machined to match the original. So far I have been unable to find such a stub shaft online.IMG_1126.jpeg

I found a match for the spline shaft at Grob Inc. Their 406-16-2 is the same size as the shaft spline on the C-170 door handles. The minimum order was 35” so if anyone is interested in turning shafts to match ones on their plane PM or email me for a couple of inches of this stock. More often it’s the handle splines that have worn as the pot metal is softer than the steel shaft it mates to. Grob sells broached sleeve bushings to match their splines. Their p/n BS-0406-16-2 mates with the shaft linked above. It costs around $10.

To repair your existing handles using inserts such as these here are some ideas:
McFarlane attaches their handle to the spline with set screws. Cessna used an insert, p/n 0517041-1, on later model handles. I can’t find that part online but insert p/n 0517041-3 is used on the rear door of the C-206. It’s available from AirPower for $42. Cessna issued SEB96-12 to add a roll pin to this insert/handle. Finally, take a look at the last picture on this website. So the question for you A&P/IA’s out there would be is modifying/repairing a door handle by adding an insert a minor alteration, minor repair, major alteration or major repair? I know what Blueldr would have said.

so the question for you A&P/IA’s out there would be is modifying/repairing a door handle by adding an insert a minor alteration, minor repair, major alteration or major repair? I know what Blueldr would have said.
Gary

?????????????So it probably went some thing like " whatsamater with you asking a question like that"?

I want to remove the door panel to investigate further. Is this held on to the door with pop in spring clips? I can’t see any other method of attachment.

Thanks!

The upholstery panel is held with spring-clips to the door frame. YOu’ll have to remove that interior door handle first of course.

B-model IPC, pgs 60/61, Fig 33, item 5. 13 of ‘em. (Think of crossed-fingers…made of wire)

Thanks George that’s what I thought, and I could have looked at the IPC first!

Bob

Well…the IPC isn’t sufficiently detailed…except it tells us how many are involved. The clips are similar to what holds the false-panel to the floating instrument panel….without the “buttons” on the end.

Below are photos of what I found as my door handle/shaft mechanism, which seems to be as suspected above.

A few of the door panel fasteners did not survive the removal and re-installation process; it looks like aircraft spruce has them.

Thanks for all the help.

Bob

Rob,

Good photos. I recently went through both door mechanisms on my 52 model. Once you have it this far apart you should definitely look at the latch spring mechanism as well. Bruce Fenstermacher can provide an owner with replacement springs made to spec. Of course proper lubricants etc on re-assembly is most important. Best wishes we need to fly together soon.

I’d like to add further clarification and/or confusion to this door handle discussion…. In Bob’s case, it appears to me that the existing handles with the set-screw are automotive-aftermarket parts which were installed (likely) by a previous owner who decided that was preferable to doing the hard-work of true-restoration which Bob has undertaken (to his credit, IMO).

I’d prefer not to be identified as someone who “insists” the early Chevy handles are the only ones appropriate to this airplane as that most assurdely is not my position. I recognize that Cessna used automotive parts common to the era when mfr’g these airplanes and it makes sense that by 1954 Chevy had stopped making Chevy’s of the 40’s… so the surplus door handles for those 1940’s Chevys became scarce and would not be as available to Cessna to install in a ‘54 Cessna……. so they grabbed the next best thing…. Last year’s ‘53 Ford/Mercury handle (as Bruce was able to identify during his visits to the Carlisle, PA auto extravaganza.)

The IPC…. remaining true to tradition…. did not illustrate the part-change-over….. leaving the owners with misleading part numbers and illustrations.

Meanwhile…. the fleet today…. has many airplanes which have been modified with out-of-sequence salvage-yard parts from unknown year-models …. which may explain why owners often obtain “correct” parts ….which do not fit the door on their airplane which may have come from a different salvage airframe …. decades ago and undocumented.

Ain’t this FUN…?

Jack, thank you I will definitely look into the door latch mechanisms. For now I have put everything back the way it was while I ordered NOS shafts from Preferred Airparts. Not cheap but better than what is available on eBay etc. I am in discussions with having a tailwheel/170 get-together at KMMK this spring. The airport manager grew up in a 170 family and is very interested in making something happen, I will keep you posted.

The splines on the NOS shafts I received do not look exactly as expected but everything seems to line up correctly. Now I think I should get the Mercury-style handles re-chromed since I am going to all this trouble.

Thanks for all the help on this.

Bob