| Author | Message | ||
     Kevin Dennes (Kdennes) |
Is there anyone that could provide me with the firewall details of where to drill for the throttle, pitch and mixture cables please. The engine is the IO-550. I know that Reinhard Metz provided the layout for the IO-360 but I am sure that it would not be suitable for the IO-550. I am not aware if anyone has provided this information previously. As usual, I would be most grateful for any help. Regards. Kevin (from Downunder) | ||
| James Lee |
Kevin.. as a potential Express builder myself, I would think that the Express Factory would sufficiently supply this information to help you in your progress. Reading some of the questions & comments by various builders leads me to think that there is some question as to the level of support provided after the kit sale. Have they not been able to provide you the information you need? Good luck with your project. James Lee | ||
| Kevin Dennes (Kdennes) |
James. I would very much like to answer your questions but for the benifit of all participants in this forum I would rather keep the postings as positive as possible. I would be more than happy to have a dialogue with you via the private route at the present time if you would like to do that. My email address is kdennes@ihug.com.au. Regards. Kevin (from Downunder) | ||
| Ted Gaston |
First I would like to address Kevin's question. The Throttle, Prop and Mixture cables exit the firewall in the location that best suits each individual builder. The variables include, cable placement within the panel, the angle of the cable leadout from your panel and the route you have chosen for your cables. The length of the particular cable is also a factor. As you can see, The individual, as builder, determines the particulars of the installation. While the factory finish mechanics have developed a set of typicals for the series 2000, to apply these to everyones unique application would only invite disaster as the variables of individual installation define its configuration. As to the question of builder support from the factory, Express Aircraft has developed its Builder Assist Program to facillitate the timely completion of kits purchased from EXPRESS. Express also offers Factory Finish Services for the final assembly and inspection phase. Those who choose not to use these sevices have made a decision to build an EXPRESS they'r way. It is unfair to those builders who have chosen to utilize the services we offer, to spend an inordinate amount of time and resouces, responding to inquiries regarding details that we have no knowledge of or control over. We are, and always have been, willing to answer legitimate questions regarding builder issues as they relate to the kits sold by us. We have also gone out of our way to respond to inquiries related to Wheeler, Auriga and EDI kits, although we are under no obligation to do so. I too would be willing to enter into a dialogue with Mr. Lee with regards to the level of builder support provided after the sale. My email address is avionics@express-aircraft.com | ||
| Kevin Dennes (Kdennes) |
Ted, I am reluctant to buy into this debate for the reasons that I told Mr. Lee (above), however if you are going to post entries into the forum from the EAC perspective and try and convince readers that "all is well" with the service that you offer, then the time may not be far away when the users may not be so circumspect in their responses. Let us try and keep the forum for the sole purpose for which it is intended and that is to offer positive and helpful dialogue to Express builders. It ought not be used for EAC advertising or for providing builders a forum to beef about EAC. As an aside Ted, Reinhard Metz publised a drawing of the firewall positions for the IO-360 and I did not think it unreasonable that when I quoted that I was using an IO-550 that you would be able to provide a close proximity drawing of where these cables would be positioned since you know the length of the cables which you provide with the kit and there are many aircraft that you have built at the factory with this setup. You provided me with photographs of the three engine mounted brackets and I would have thought that, in the spirit of co-operation some assistance would have been offered. Regards. Kevin (from Downunder) | ||
| Ted Gaston |
Kevin, as I stated in the first paragraph of my response, the T,P&M cable lead out location is dependent on the location of these cables in your panel. When we place the cables lower in the panel, the lead out is drilled all the way at the bottom of the firewall, usually on the right hand side adjacent to the nose gear support. Otherwise, they can be brought out high and centered on the firewall as long as you pay attention to engine location and bend radius. We have not been able to allocate enough of our resources to draw many of these details since firewall forward installation is not a builder assist item therfore I am unable to provide a drawing for what you ask. This only underscores the importance of this forum as a place to share the (how I did it) details of various EXPRESS projects. Ted Gaston | ||
| Kevin Dennes (Kdennes) |
Ted. I appreciate your follow up with some good, positive input. I think that co-operative support from the factory on this forum is what most of us look forward to and would help dispel some of the negative notions about factory support. Thanks again. Regards. Kevin (from Downunder) | ||
| J Michael Johnson Unregistered guest |
Regarding the firewall, I was shipped an aluminum sheet to be used in a part of a "fiberglass-Fiberfrax-aluminum" sandwich for the firewall structure. I have noted that several builders are using stainless steel sheet instead of the aluminum. My question: Is this worth doing for safety or other compelling reason, and if so, what thickness of stainless is sufficient? I notice that Aircraft Spruce sells three different stainless sheets for firewalls. Also, have builders been putting fillers between the fiberglass and stainless to prevent dimpling the stainless when installing accessories? I know the engine mount bolts are supported by phenolic(?) blocks. If so, what fillers or spacers? | ||
| Tom R. Hutchison New member Username: Tomhutch Post Number: 112 Registered: 01-2003 |
Michael, I am suprised you were shipped an aluminm sheet for your firewall. EAC sent me a stainless steel sheet for my S2000 kit. When you consider that aluminum will melt at a temperature far below stainless steel, I would not want to use aluminum for my firewall. EAC recommended strategic blocks of G10 between the metal firewall and the fiberglass firewall to bolt through for accessories. Hope this helps, Tom Hutchison | ||
| J Michael Johnson Unregistered guest |
Tom, Thanks for the response. It was a help. I have decided to get the stainless firewall. I was shipped the aluminum firewall in the mid-nineties (EDI). It's a sad commentary on my building prowess and speed. What thickness was your stainless firewall? Aircraft Spruce has .016, .018, and .035 inch thickness available. |