The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Today at a fly-in, I got blasted by a 182 with my pilot door open and my door completely blew off the 170 and landed out front. Both hinges are broken at the pin. I have heard they are hard to find. Does anyone know if there is anyone manufacturing these door hinges anymore?

I don't know of anyone producing new ones, but for used ones, try:

Williams Airmotive
9838 N 1100 E
Kendallville, IN 46755
(260) 347-0807


BTW, when does the 182 pilot get out of the hospital?

Miles

Did you get to fly home with the pilot's door in the back seat? Nothing like that wind in your hair.

One of my pet peeves are pilots that seem completely unaware of the prop blast behind their airplane. A few months ago I was changing the oil in my hangar, and some kid did a 180 in a Super Cub right out front, blasting sand and dirt over my engine, which happened to have the oil filler cap off. After counting to ten, I calmly walked over and asked the young man to please think about what was behind him. He did apologize.

Years ago while doing an annual on my Stinson, some nitwit in a 182 fired up and blew my cowling across the hangar floor, scratching the paint badly. He took off before I could let him know the error of his ways.

Grrrrr....Russ Farris

Steve

Can help with a supplier but generally these hinges other than the actual pin area are pretty tuff.

Unless the hinge itself is bent badly there is a very good possibility they can be repaired.

Chances are that just the tube area the pins slide through are broken and these can be repaired by brazing on a new tube.

If I remember right, I think John Benham talked about this years ago. It seem like his fix was to weld a AN3 bolt to the old hinge body after removing the old broken part of course. Then drilling down through the bolt to accept the hinge pin, and then filing away the part where the two hinge halves mate. Sounds reasonable and probably stronger than the original. Looks like I may have to do that to ours one of these days as they are getting worn pretty good. It pays to look at these real close once in a while. I have had a hinge pin break before several years ago. Replaced with a SS pin.

Ed I was thinking about the bolt idea or just a steel shaft of the right diameter welded on then drilled out for the pin which then would leave a tube.

I just typed tube but should have been more descriptive.

BTW if the hinge is actually bent you may be able to very carefully straighten it but it will more than likely take a hydraulic press and helping hands. Been there done that.

I think I got lucky, The local Cessna dealer found both hinge assemblies somewhere (new) for $546.00 for top and $186.00 for the lower. I was very happy. Thanks for all the good advice.

Steve

Well Steve your easy to please. $546 for just the top.

Luck would have been having the 182 blast your door and tweek it just right so that it closed oh so nice, like it had never done before

I certainly hope the 182 insurance is paying for it. Mild steel tubing in sufficiently-small size is not difficult to find and can be welded onto an existing base.

Meanwhile...everyone take a lesson.... KEEP YOUR DOORS CLOSED! (Sorry it happened to you.)


(You might be reminded to check your RUDDER for damage as well. Look at where the lower bell-crank meets the rudder-stops.)

I watched a pilot for the state of Texas pull his King Air around by the open door of the hangar in College Station, he gave the right engine a hefty and unneccesary blast that was perfectly aimed into the hangar, knocking over an engine cowling and scattering all sorts of stuff. Needless to say the mechanic was livid and told him in no uncertain terms to never do that again! I had flown with the guy and he seemed like an experienced and good enough pilot, I'm not sure what he was thinking that day.
I was supposed to copilot with the guy (read sandbag), and was a little embarassed to climb in with him.
David

Aircraft steel tube 1/4" od 1/8" id welded to the hinge strap and cut out to match, works good.

dacker wrote:I watched a pilot for the state of Texas pull his King Air around by the open door of the hangar in College Station, he gave the right engine a hefty and unneccesary blast that was perfectly aimed into the hangar, knocking over an engine cowling and scattering all sorts of stuff. Needless to say the mechanic was livid and told him in no uncertain terms to never do that again! I had flown with the guy and he seemed like an experienced and good enough pilot, I'm not sure what he was thinking that day.
I was supposed to copilot with the guy (read sandbag), and was a little embarassed to climb in with him.
David

Hey, Dave! Was the guy's name Robert? (Bob)? ( I knew most of those guys when I flew for the state.)