How To Stake A Hinge Pin

[Dvanlanen]

I am cutting the door hinges from the hinge stock provided with my S7 SS kit, and the instructions say to "stake the hinge pins" after I have the hinge cut and filed to its finished shape, to prevent them from working their way out of the hinges. What is the correct procedure for staking the hinge pins?

[MotReklaw]

Hi,
I think that is when you take a punch and hammer and crush the end of the hinge to keep the pin from sliding out. I've also drilled a hole in the last hinge and run a safety wire through it and twisted it off. That will keep the pin from sliding out and you can still remove the hinge pin.

That would be the last thing I would do, because I might want to remove the door for maintenance before the first flight.

Hope this helps..

[Dvanlanen]

The idea of drilling through the end hinge knuckle and pin, and installing safety wire, is a good one, but I don't think I could make that work in this case. The hinge pin is only 1/16" diameter, so it would be very difficult to drill a hole in such a small diameter pin. Also, the back sides of the hinge knuckles are not exposed (they are bolted against the door and hinge tab) so there would be no way to install and remove a safety wire or cotter pin.

[kitfox2009]

Dvanlanen

I use "Presto Pins" on the doors on my Vixen. They snap in safely, but easily removed when you want the door off. I also use larger ones on the wing lock and support braces on the transport kit.
Should be available at auto or farm supply retailer.
Cheers

Don

[HighWing]

The Outback, I helped with had hinge pins that were about a 3/8 inch longer then the hinge. The 3/8 inch extra was bent 90°, flattened to gain some width and drilled for safety wire. He then put a coupld of drilled bolts, head down in the fairing between the but rib and door frame. He safety wired the pins to the drilled bolt heads. Another way to do it, I would think, is to put a small drilled tab (bent down) under the rivet that secures the hinge on that end and safety wire to that.

Lowell

[Tomfox]

I used 3M 2216 epoxy dabbed on the end of the pins. I check each time I fly the aircraft.
Tom Livermore
SS7 Supersport 912 ULS

[jiott]

Airfox can post some pics of his cool way of doing it. He either bought, or made his own from the right size hinge wire, safety pins that hold the hinges secure or can be removed quickly to fly with doors off.

[PapuaPilot]

I just bent my hinge pin into an L shape and pushed them in from the front. No safety is required. I do check them on every preflight. In 70 hours they have not moved. Another option would be to form a 1" loop on one end to make it easier on the fingers when you pull them.

[TahoeTim]

buy these

[Dave S]

Hi All,

I went the route Tommy Walker did - cut the pin off short enough to allow a drilled hole on each end of the hinge then did the safety wire thing. I can always cut the wire and push the pin out.