floorboards and nose gear

[Flybyjim]

I was about to install I thought for the last time the front floorboard and then I realized there are two mounting holes that look like nose gear mounts. The problem would be accessing these holes once the floorboards are in place and one is not going to remove the floorboard once mounted with the rudder pedals. The floorboard is not cut for the access and I do not see any instructions about addressing this issue, or I have missed it. What have others done about this?

[efwd]

Made it a tailwheel. ;):D

[Flybyjim]

Yes, I get that. I have not flown a nose gear plane since 2001. But at some time this plane will be sold like all items we are custodians of over the years. I want the option for the next owner to be an easy switch.

[neville]

I installed a nose gear when the machine was built. However, I also purchased the tail wheel option for later use. At that time I removed floorboard material in order to gain access to the nose wheel hardware for its removal later. (not yet done). No issues appeared due to the approximately 1 inch dia. material removed.

[Dave S]

Jim,

With our nosegear S7, I found that it is easy to make small U shaped relief cuts in the floor boards when fitting them so a socket can be inserted through the cut from the top without removing any floorboards. With a new build, this was done before the rudder pedals were bolted down. Simple matter of getting the correct placement of the front floor set first, then observing where the nosegear bolt holes end up in relation to the floorboard. A magic marker stuck up through the bolt holes from the bottom is good for marking the center of the relief cutouts.

If a person sets the console sides in place, it was discovered that the relief cutouts would not be visible either:)

I don't have a photo of this in spite of the fact I must have burned up a gazillion pixels during the build;)

[efwd]

I would imagine that, should I choose to add a nose wheel later, I should be able to send a drill through the mounting points straight up through the floor. I could then enlarge that hole in that wood with a dremel. Am I over simplifying it?

[Flybyjim]

Thank's folks, all good info. I will make the cuts now, I will just have to go back and stain/seal the wood after these cuts.

Did I miss this in the instructions somewhere or is this not addressed?

[efwd]

nothing was mentioned in the SS7 that I remember. But, I didn't order a nose gear version so it is quite possible that had I ordered the nose gear there may have been mention of it.

[colospace]

I also did the relief cuts as Dave mentioned.

[neville]

Well I finally looked in my SS 7 assembly manual. Fuselage assembly section, page 33, Rev A of 05/11, outlines the procedure and includes a pictorial diagram for the hole locations.

[Flybyjim]

Thank you, yes I went to that page and it is on the drawings but no reference in the instructions.
Thank you for looking this up, I should have seen it.