EFWD Build

[efwd]

Thanks Ross.
Im not done yet! I have put pins in three of the 4 holes now and damn, I don't know how quick I am going to need to be at whacking a bolt through with all the spring Im dealing with. I have made of some new stainless steel bolts just as John described above. I am going to need as short of a taper as I can get. Thanks John for the description. My tapers were pretty long.

[efwd]

Whoo hooo! I got it done and all torqued (with Loctite). Man what a challenge. It looks like the ratchet is on the tube but I was sure to not let that happen when I ratcheted it down. No mars on the engine mount just scuffs from the rubber mallet glancing off it once or twice. Had to use a little geometry to get the last two top bolts in by ratcheting the straps and then using Johns technique of whacking the bolt through after having a dummy bolt passing through from the back side.
Eddie

[DesertFox4]

Victory at last. Nice milestone reached Eddie. Congrats.

[efwd]

Thanks Steve. It was certainly a challenge.

[efwd]

Oh Man, before I go to this with a saw I want to ask you all first.
this stuff looks way messed up at first glance. I have trimmed the bottom cowl as instructed. Now, I am to start cutting and making only the front of the top cowl meet up with the bottom. As you can see on the top cowl, there is an impression of something like masking tape on the cut line. I am assuming I will be nearly cutting off this entire amount. It appears to be about 3/4" just to make the holes in the intake line up. How much material have you found necessary to remove? the bottom cowl seems to have had the material all removed for me. What you see in the photo is all work done by the factory. I just measured the required one inch to the joggled edge along the horizontal edge and cleaned it up with a file. I really didn't have to remove but about an 1/8" The front tabs have already had the material removed for me.

[rosslr]

Hi Eddie,

Frustration time ...again!! Rule 1 - go slow. Rule 2 - go slow. Rule 3 - go slow.

John McBean sent me these photos to help me - good luck.

cheers

r

[dcsfoto]

the fit on mine is the worst I have ever seen.

one of the local RV guys had a good trick. the two tabs at the front on the bottom, cut them off , after you are done tape protect the top area assemble the cowl, glass in new tabs they will fit great.

my lower tabs will not fit and need redone.

David Kelm

[efwd]

Thank you David and Ross.
I think Im on the right track. My tabs are so thrashed from the manufacturer that I may just do that David. It would be so much better if I cut it off and Hysol an aluminum piece in its place. I notice Johns photo has short tabs so Maybe if I cut mine down that short it may not look like a feather at the edge. I have just positioned the bottom after incrementally cutting pieces off.

[efwd]

All in all, it turned out pretty good. Thought I would add a couple pics of tools that made the job go pretty smoothly. The first is the little tool I made to locate the edge of the "joggled" edge. After cutting off the excess with a dremel cutoff disk the edge is always a little jagged. Using the sander smooths it all out and takes off all the little fiberglass fibers that are left behind. Inexpensive tool from HF tools.

[DesertFox4]

That looks good Eddie. I think you've mastered cowling fitting.

Those little belt sanders work great. Used one today on my strut fairings and many times so far in my build.