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help needed- cowl door

Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 11:04 pm
by Maineboy
I was having a nice flight the other day until my cowl door opened ! I have the cowling with an access door on each side. I believe the part number is 0552002-4.
Does anyone know where I can get one (passenger side)?
Also what kind of aluminum are there made of ?
Thanks

Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:22 am
by blueldr
Those cowling doors are very difficult to fit to another cowling due to wear and individual distortion. The best bet is to make a new door to custom fit your cowling. The material used is 2024 T3 aluminum alloy(formerly 24ST). You'll have to mike the door for the thickness. The inner piece is spot welded to the outer piece so you will have to drill out the spots to re use the inner piece by riveting it to the new door. It is a job best suited to someone rather well versed in sheet metal repair and fabrication.

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 3:26 am
by DaveF
Reviving an old thread ...

The fore and aft edges of the cowl doors on my '54 are fretted away to nothing where they overlap the cowl, so I want to repair or replace them.

I'd consider buying new from Cessna, but they're not in stock and cost $325 (LH) and $575 (RH).

I'm sure I can find someone to do what BL recommended above, but before I do, is there any other advice out there?
cowl doors from PM.gif

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 3:41 am
by GAHorn
Advice? What? You are soliciting advice?

Waal.... I almost never volunteer advice, even when asked, but I'll make an exception just this once. :wink:

When you get those doors repaired, purchase some teflon tape and install it and trim the excess, so as to prevent future chafeing and wear.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/c ... fetape.php

Image

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 3:59 am
by DaveF
Thanks for breaking your silence, George. I'm honored ... :)

I've got a roll of Teflon tape and will definitely use it on the repaired doors.

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:10 am
by Indopilot
The doors are not difficult to make but they are VERY time consuming to do it well and have a nice tight fit. And again they are only half the problem. As mentioned the cowl lip is more difficult if you want a nice repair and are not satisfied to just rivet more material on top of the old stiffner.
I found it as easy to fabricate the door doubler as well as the skin. Leaving the old door intact to use as a pattern for bow and curl. One set I trimmed the old skin to match the doubler and riveted the doubled doubler to the new skin. That gives you a stiffer door which stays put better but is a little more difficult to operate as well as possibly requiring a shim under the latch.
After that it takes mounting the door to the cowl, installing the cowl and carefully marking, trimming and fileing to match the cowl hole. New hinges should be installed of course at the start.

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:15 pm
by tweiss
As I draw nearer to a paint job with lots of this kind of prep work between now and paint, I have a question.
As a type club, is there a way to get a run of these types of parts made up through Cessna, or some other type of manufacturer?
Realize I know as close to nothing as a person possibly can on this type of stuff, but I seem to remember many years ago that there was talk amongst members regarding having Cessna turn out a run of certain parts and at a reduced price for club members.
Just trying to stimulate the economy.
Plus I need parts.
Thanks
Tom

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:31 pm
by GAHorn
If you've followed the discussion regarding check valves for the ragwing, you'll recall that it was Cessna who was asking US for parts. :?

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:36 pm
by GAHorn
gahorn wrote:If you've followed the discussion regarding check valves for the ragwing, you'll recall that it was Cessna who was asking US for parts. :?
The last time Cessna was approached by us to make parts was when Tom Hall gathered together enough to order a special run of metal wheel pants. That was back when they cost a pretty penny. Which part(s) will everyone commit to purchase in sufficient quantity to get a run made?

I will happily take on the job of getting the orders gathered and do the foot-work, but other than upper left door hinges... what other parts do we think we can gather orders for to make any difference in price from Cessna....versus simply having the part made privately?

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:44 pm
by c170b53
You can ask your local Cessna dealer to ask the factory for a quote on a sheet metal part. You'll get a response in which they may or may not fabricate for you. The quote may take a week or two and the part may take a month or two but I've gone down this road. Cost will depend on the part but as you might have guessed, it won't be cheap.

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:28 am
by rydfly
To resurrect an old thread... I'm basically in the same boat with my own cowl doors. Where can I source replacement hinges? My IPC shows them as part no. 0552002-46 , but this is either an old part no. that's been superseded or the parts flat-out don't exist anymore. Any suggestions?

-Kennet

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:54 am
by GAHorn

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:26 am
by n3833v
The new Sport Aviation has an article on piano hinges. Very Good. :D

John

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 5:16 am
by DaveF
Found this old thread and looked up the article.

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-buildi ... ano-hinges

Re: help needed- cowl door

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:58 pm
by mschlender
Give me a call 715 584 2136