Conditional Inspection/Wheel pant fairing PIREP

[painless]

I am finishing up my 4th annual conditional inspection, and I thought I would again post what I found so you guys can maybe learn from it as you finish up your projects.

The only thing that has been a persistent problem for me is separation of my right lower gear leg fairing from my wheel pant. These are Fairings-etc units that I bought instead of making my own. There is a front and rear half of this fairing associated with the halves of the wheel pant. Where the fairing meets on the inside aspect of the gearleg fairing seems to be the problem, as the rear half of the fairing sticks out from the forward half, essentially acting like an airscoop. Since I fly at BLISTERING speeds , the airstream is peeling the fairing off the wheelpant. This is the second time I have repaired this wheelpant. I originally thought it was a bad epoxy bond between the fairing and the wheel pant. Hasn't been a problem on the left wheel pant, as this joint is more streamlined.

After I again re-epoxy and paint, my fix so far to prevent this from happening again will be to simply apply some clear packaging tape over the joint the front and rear fairing make so air can't get under there. To remove the pant I will simply slit the tape, and then use a heat gun to slightly warm the tape to prevent paint damage when I remove it.

Just something you folks may want to keep an eye on while you are building/flying.

[Spike]

Thanx for the heads up. Would it be possible for you to build up the front one a little bit more? Or are you trying to avoid getting back into the fiberglass / paint work?

Spike

[painless]

I think the problem Spike is that I am too lazy to mess with it.

I do agree, that would take care of it. Might be a good winter project next winter for me. I'll see how the tape works for this summer. Who knows... Maybe there is some other dark force at work here.

[smithhb]

Jeff,

I have the same intersection fairings and my forward edges fit over the rear edges thus eliminating the problem you are having. It would only be a weekend project to cut down the edges and layup new edges to resolve the problem, paint, and you are good to go.

[painless]

I just wonder why mine were butt joints instead of overlapped like yours. Might be a later production mod

I like the idea to overlap. Like you said it should be doable. Guess I'll go for it. Thanks guys.

Here I thought I was helping someone else by reporting the problem. Back at me I guess!

[smithhb]

Jeff, I was looking for a picture of mine but no joy. I have everything disassembled for painting now but should be able to get you a few shots this weekend.

[painless]

Thanks Bret, that would be helpful

[Bob Barrett]

My wheel pants were from Van's and the front part of the wheel pant over laps the rear half. There are nut plates on the rear half, which you have to install yourself and then you use screw and washers on the front half to mate the two halves. I am just attempting to make mine look nice and then I will paint them. I think you could fiber glass a shoulder on back half. You might be able to put release tape on inside of of the half and then lay up a fiberglass shoulder on the rear half. Then install about eight number six plate nutes on the rear half.

[BSwayze]

Hey Jeff...

Got any PICS?? It sure would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[painless]

No pics Bruce, but I think I've found the real culprit here. I noticed that when I reassembled the pant, the very bottom inboard screw that holds the rear half of the pant to the front flexes the fairing a bit when it is tightened. That along with flexing the gear on landing may be stressing that fairing to pant joint. I put some washers in this area to shim it out just a bit and will see how that goes before I re-paint this area.

Stay tuned.