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Thread: Door cylinder installation

  1. #11
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Door cylinder installation

    My bracket is weld on tube,,,,


    Jf

  2. #12
    Senior Member jrevens's Avatar
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    Default Re: Door cylinder installation

    Can anyone tell me how far from the upper corner of the door you mounted the lift strut bracket that is riveted & bonded to the door frame? The struts included in my kit are 11.25" long, fully extended. With the other bracket that is welded to the fuselage frame, even mounting the door bracket very close to the corner doesn't open the door nearly as far as it could be opened & still clear the fuel tank quick drain. Because of leverage consideration, you wouldn't want to mount it real close tho the corner anyway. How far down have others found to be "ideal"? I am talking about a SS 7, and the standard flat Lexan doors. Appreciate any replies and dimensions if possible.
    John Evens
    Arvada, CO
    Kitfox SS7 N27JE
    EAA Lifetime
    Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime

  3. #13
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Door cylinder installation

    John,

    I don't have the dimension at hand, however, here are three photos so you can esitmate how ours turned out (both sides are the same). So the ball stud/bracket is about as far down the door frame as the hinge is from the front corner. The 3rd photo shows the door open so the window is very close and parallel to the wing.

    FWIW - there are two versions of the quick drain....standard one which sticks out further and the flush one, which isn't exactly flush, but sticks out from the fabric maybe/only 3/16"...we have the flush rather than the standard...I mention this because it has an effect on how you set the door frame bracket. With the flush drain the door can be set to open a bit further.

    I'd define ideal as what position puts the door in the right place when it is open with the gas cylinder fully extended.

    Sincerely,

    Dave S
    KF 7 Trigear
    912ULS Warp Drive

    St Paul, MN
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    Last edited by Dave S; 07-14-2015 at 07:27 PM.

  4. #14
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Door cylinder installation

    Just a caution: Leave about 1" clearance between the door plexi and the underwing contact point. I mounted mine too close (about 1/2") and during engine idle or taxiing with the door open it will jiggle up and make contact, which soon marks or scratches the plexiglass door.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  5. #15
    Senior Member jrevens's Avatar
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    Default Re: Door cylinder installation

    Thanks, Dave and Jim. Dave, your pictures are just what I needed. For some reason, the tabs welded to the fuselage at the factory are located so that even with the door tabs located where yours are, my doors will not be open nearly as much (with the factory-supplied struts, which are 11.25" in length when fully extended). If you have the same struts, I have to believe that the factory located my fuselage tabs lower than yours. Additionally, my struts will not be nearly as compressed as yours are in the closed position. I guess that's okay, as I've seen some pictures where the doors are open much less than yours. It seems to me that it all boils down to either my struts are shorter than yours, or the tabs are welded on lower.

    If John McBean sees this, I hope he'll comment on those 2 possibilities.
    John Evens
    Arvada, CO
    Kitfox SS7 N27JE
    EAA Lifetime
    Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime

  6. #16
    JohnB's Avatar
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    Sep 2011
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    Charlotte, MI
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    99

    Default Re: Door cylinder installation

    I had the same issue with mine. I have the flat door skins, not the bubble doors. I ended up getting longer struts so that I could open the door almost to the wing. I think the ones I got were Sachs SG459005 struts 12" extended and 50lbs force.
    _________________________________
    JohnB
    Charlotte, MI
    Kitfox 7-SS
    Rotax 912ULS / Whirlwind Prop
    Garmin G3X Touch

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