Brief Description: Landing Gear Box Access Panel Mod
This mod was also inspired by reading several builders' blogs regarding the lack of access to the components inside both LH/RH landing gear tower boxes. Access to items such as fuel and brake lines is difficult because the existing lightening holes are very small and constrictive. The mod differs from builder to builder, but overall it is basically creating an access hole big enough so that hands and tools can be used when both towers are installed.
In this case, I decided to enlarge the middle lightening hole to meet the bottom lightening 'oval'. It was very easy to do this, as I only needed to follow the edges of the middle circle down to the edges of the oval. After this, a cut is made and proper edge deburring takes place.
Next up is fabricating a cover plate so the hole(s) will be covered to protect the aluminum plumbing that will eventually be inside. A sheet of .025" aluminum was traced, cut, deburred, and then duplicated for the opposite tower. After this, I drilled the holes for AN515-8R8 pan head screws. Also match-drilled these holes to the cover plate. Finally deburred all holes and set the cover plates apart for primer.
Next I installed the K1000-08 nutplates (12 on each L. G. Tower).
Drawing the cut-out for the access panel
Cover plate done
Both towers with their access holes and nutplates in place
