Bubble Door Help

[Hoenshell]

I am trying to fit my bubble doors to my model IV door frame. The door frame has a lot of rivet holes from the previoulsy installed aluminum sheeting and plexiglass windows that have been since removed. I am drilling out holes in the frame to install rivnuts; although, some of my drilled holes "rivnuts" are not top center of my "round" door frames. They shoot off to the out side of the curvature of the tubes just a tad on some. My question is if my screws are not perfectly perpendicular to the bubble doors will that be a problem? IMG_2094.jpg

[Denalifox]

it shouldnt be an issue because you drill the door holes one size larger than that bolt itself. Allows for expansion and contraction. Also the nylon washer helps take up some of the misalignment. just be careful to not over tighten and remember the double sided tape is what really holds the glass to the door. The hardware is more a secondary thing. Word of caution, if you are using the actual Kitfox double sided tape, MAKE SURE you are ready to commit the final placement of the glass to the door. Whatever glue is used on that tape is insanely sticky. Do not use a drill bit to poke holes either, the tape will wrap around the bit and gum up. I used a soldering iron to poke the holes in the tape.

[Hoenshell]

it shouldnt be an issue because you drill the door holes one size larger than that bolt itself. Allows for expansion and contraction. Also the nylon washer helps take up some of the misalignment. just be careful to not over tighten and remember the double sided tape is what really holds the glass to the door. The hardware is more a secondary thing. Word of caution, if you are using the actual Kitfox double sided tape, MAKE SURE you are ready to commit the final placement of the glass to the door. Whatever glue is used on that tape is insanely sticky. Do not use a drill bit to poke holes either, the tape will wrap around the bit and gum up. I used a soldering iron to poke the holes in the tape.

Thanks you for this, this is what I was guessing and hoping for, but before I poked holes into these bubble door I wanted some validation to my thinking.

[4Hummer]

Thanks you for this, this is what I was guessing and hoping for, but before I poked holes into these bubble door I wanted some validation to my thinking.

Just sent you another PM on this subject. I'll post the pictures I was talking about here.

I used threaded inserts in the existing rivet holes. I think I went every 3rd hole.
Drilled the holes in the acrylic doors slightly larger than the stainless steal bolts I used (this made up for some of the off centred rivet holes) and used plastic washers.

Word of warning DO NOT USE thread locker on the bolts, it will crack the acrylic.

The Kit comes with some foam tape. I put this on the doors to cover the door metal frames (Didn't want metal on acrylic) had to order extra from Aircraft spruce to finish the doors up.

Afterwards I painted the acrylic to match the paint job of the fox, and hide 90% of the door frame


Black foam tape
doors1.jpg

Close up of the bolt spacing and plastic washers
doors2.jpg

Painted to match
doors3.jpg

[Desertwndrr]

it shouldnt be an issue because you drill the door holes one size larger than that bolt itself. Allows for expansion and contraction. Also the nylon washer helps take up some of the misalignment. just be careful to not over tighten and remember the double sided tape is what really holds the glass to the door. The hardware is more a secondary thing. Word of caution, if you are using the actual Kitfox double sided tape, MAKE SURE you are ready to commit the final placement of the glass to the door. Whatever glue is used on that tape is insanely sticky. Do not use a drill bit to poke holes either, the tape will wrap around the bit and gum up. I used a soldering iron to poke the holes in the tape.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but if screws were run in at an angle wouldn’t the head of the screw then create a stress point in the acrylic as only one side of it is contacting the acrylic?

personally I would look into having the frame holes stitch welded and dressed off and then start from scratch.