Date:	8-14-2011
Number of Hours:	3.20
Brief Description:	Baffle tweak, Exhaust shield, exh springs
Various items completed today. Finished up the baffles by installing the self-threading screws that hold the side baffle panels to the aft and forward baffles - 11 screws total. Next up was a shield to protect the motor mount from the exhaust heat. This is not mentioned when you rivet the bottom fuse skin to the fwd fuselage, so you must drill-out existing rivets and re-rivet the shield in place. I measured the area I wanted to protect (no measurements/plans given), cut a scrap piece of aluminum, bent to suit my taste, and did a test-fit. Had to trim it a bit shorter. Measured and marked the rivet holes. Fortunately, these were pre-drilled in the skin from the factory, so they were exactly spaced and even, making the layout of holes in the shield a simple deal. I next trimmed the springs to hold the exhaust extensions to the manifolds. Since I had to trim the length of the manifold for the pipes to fit correctly, I also had to shorten the springs - quite radically in order to allow sufficient tension. Cut 4 springs and installed. The aft edge of the exhaust must be supported. The plans show a clip being riveted to the firewall, but that won't work in my instance. The picture showed a tri-gear, and I have the taildragger - which has a motor mount brace right where the spring retention point should be. I fab'd a bracket out of 1/8" scrap, bending it to provide relieve for the head of a machine screw. I drilled the bracket and fastened the clip. I will now protect the motor mount and use two hose clamps to hold the bracket in place (don't have the brackets right now...) Lastly, applied loc-tite to the starter motor bolts and torqued to 20 ft lbs.