Firewall/Boot Cowl Install

[Tomfox]

I am attempting to fit the boot cowl. First - It does not fit nicely around the longeron at the bottom, because the 6" of firewall that extends on the bottom extends beyond the longeron. Also - I don't see how the firewall bottom is attached at all - and if it is attached, it blocks access to the nuts that are necessary to access if you need to work on the rudder pedal assembly.

I know I am missing something obvious - but I can't see it.

thanks
tom

[jiott]

You may have to do a little trimming of the firewall piece that extends to far out to the sides.
The bottom firewall is not attached to the bottom of the fuse. I overbent mine somewhat so it would stay up tight against the bottom of the fuse. Yes it does block access to those screws you mentioned. I left mine as is, but some people have cut holes in theirs to allow access.

[jtpitkin06]

It's much easier to assist when we have all the information.

What model airframe?
What Engine?
Which cowling, round or smooth?

John

[Jch]

Tom, i was out at the hangar today and took these pictures. I remember looking at the overlap of the boot cowl to the bottom firewall on a factory LSA and thought it wasn't as tight as I might have liked but I don't really notice it now. I wanted the firewall extension to be tightly secured to the bottom of the fuselage.

[Tomfox]

Thanks for the Pix That helps - the instructions don't say anything about attaching the bottom and I see how you did it

Kitfox SS7, 912 ULS - cowling that came with the standard FWF kit.

Tom

[jiott]

As I mentioned below, if you overbend the 90 degree bend at the front it will lay tightly up against the fuse bottom without any fasteners.

[colospace]

Since I just started working on the nose gear, this thread became relevant in more ways than I originally thought. The nose gear pivot brackets will be sandwiching the firewall "tail" (and thus restraining that aft edge) but this also means there is no access from to the pivot bracket mounting nuts from below for torqueing. My thought is that I need to make some access holes in my floor board for torqueing the nuts. This also means that accessing those rudder pedal assembly nuts would require removing the nose gear and boot cowl (at least partially) to get very awkward access behind that firewall "tail" to those nuts. Sounds like some access holes in the firewall as jiott mentioned might be worth doing. Seems like one of those things that you might do now while its easy, but never need, and yet if blown off as unnecessary, will surely end up being needed.
Bit of a ramble for me, but have I got this right or all hosed up?