MikeOH

That's why I'd use the commercially available automotive part as a 'base part' to upscreen and prove it is equal or better than the aviation part; so, way less than $1700. Yes, the DER would be one plane at a time...and, his cost might ruin the financial break-even. Again, my response is how I would proceed to investigate an alternative. Might not workout...but I'd try it before bending over and just accepting $1700 for a 50 buck part!

Thankfully, I haven't faced this issue....yet. After reading the problems with Skybolt, my normally CB self wonders just how much of a price premium I would pay for Camlocs? Sounds like it might just be worth it!

Yes, as a practical reality, there is not much to be done with getting vendors to cease greedy monopolistic pricing. What would I do if I was unfortunate enough to need these V-band clamps? I.e., how would I 'fight back?' I'd look at OPP...I would investigate my suspicion that the turbochargers on our aircraft are NOT any special design but, rather, an automotive design 'converted' to aviation via a different part number! As such, I'd then determine the appropriate high-quality riveted automotive clamp. Then find a willing DER to come up with a QA/testing protocol to 'test' the automotive part against the materials/properties of the old aviation clamp. Finally, apply the OPP protocol using that 'testing' methodology to legally approve the use of the part on my aircraft. The question is where each individual's 'pricing pain point' is located before going to that much trouble. It appears that many here are 'happy' to pay the current $1700 price...but everyone is going to cry 'uncle' at some point. Again, just my guess, but if the OPP method proves viable, and others 'go to that trouble' we will magically see the price of these clamps plummet to a fair price.

I hate to bring this up...but any chance the old material contains asbestos? If so, I'd be very careful, and wear a VERY good respirator, when removing it.

Yes.

Sure, if I want to lose half of everything in the ensuing divorce

Top Gun didn't think so when they performed my annual. Not surprisingly, I'll take their judgement over the lack of yours.

Like a joke that you don't get, it's pointless to explain it to you.

@IvanP I couldn't agree more with your post. I'm getting old enough to be pretty cynical about 'miracle' coatings having seen many different 'miracles' touted over the decades I've been detailing my vehicles. Frankly, like getting a good paint job in the first place, it's the quality of surface preparation that results in a superior finished look. As far as longevity, I've had the best luck with hand applied pastes/waxes vs. 'spray on' or thin/watery 'coatings' IMHO, longevity is largely/mostly a result of coating thickness, more than what 'miracle' material is employed. Sure, technology has improved UV resistance, but thickness matters

Yeah, usually a mallet was all you needed

I believe WAAS also provides more accurate lateral guidance; not just vertical.

This is the correct answer for these V-band clamps!

Only on MS can I learn a Lucas joke I never heard before!

Good move! Having a spare will insure you'll never have a failure

@Jer I think your plan is solid. You may have had the ohmmeter set to a too-high resistance scale; it would read zero when, if fact, resistance could be excessive. Successful operation when you grounded locally, plus your previous voltage measurements, strongly suggests high resistance in the switch circuit, as you suspect. I'd check for a good ground from the switch to the airframe. Worst case will be a high on-resistance switch

In season? Or, is the PIC looking at Fish & Game fines?

Mine has the rear headrests, but someone removed the front ones long ago (seat upholstery covers the mounting holes). Seems to me the chances of a rear-end collision causing whiplash are pretty slim

^^^ THIS ^^^

Keep in mind that the gear Sonalert is intermittent NOT continuous like the stall. If you just touched the wire to the terminal to test and did not immediately hear a tone you might come to the wrong conclusion!

Somehow, now knowing that the tail of my plane is ONLY held on by a single row of rivets is NOT comforting!

Is this what you are looking for? From the download section: https://mooneyspace.com/files/file/177-m20-series-service-and-maintenance-manual-1968-1978-1pdf/ If not, there are other factory manuals available there if you look around.

On my F the ONLY sound comes from the Sonalert; nothing to do with headphone/speaker audio. No idea if it's different for a J.

In my F, it is in the headliner. $17 from DigiKey: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/mallory-sonalert-products-inc/SC628/528117?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=120565755&gbraid=0AAAAADrbLlit1t_cdCF17FKAaGWeiA0_S&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-4XFBhCBARIsAAdNOkvHv19kfm6slsPwSpvnE730c_jKFrVanQUJYXM_hnIZtAdKFYtM3tUaAlkOEALw_wcB

Good to hear, but if you read your prose objectively it strongly suggests otherwise. Agree 100% on the debt culture. The answer is 'instant gratification'...but as to 'these days', I think things don't change so much as they remain the same. Well, sure, if you insist on looking at it as a dollar break-even proposition. We trade our dollars for goods and services all the time and we don't 'break even' on all of those transactions either! It also fails to take into account PASSIVE income; my wife and I worked, eliminated debt, and saved so that we could live in "the lifestyle we have become accustomed to" WITHOUT working! So, by your analysis, I'm now making an infinite amount per hour since I spend zero time working! Maybe I should look into that PC-12 after all Exactly! I grew up being tasked with doing all the yard work, mowing, edging, trimming, weed pulling (gawd I hated that!). Guess what? After buying our first house I spent exactly one month 'doing it myself' before I hired a gardener...40 years later I've NEVER regretted the money I've spent on gardeners

@Jackk I have to say I'm sorry that your opinion is so narrow as to exclude others' approaches to life, and view them as inferior. No point in trying to argue with that arrogance. I will say I am quite capable with many of the hands-on skills you seem to value above all else. I retired early debt free, and never made anywhere near $2M/year (or I'd own a PC-12). Yet, I have no issue paying others for things I am perfectly capable of doing myself because I value my time greatly for things I WANT to do. An aviation example is that I change my own oil and filter as it's easy and quick. OTOH, I have A&P/IA friends that would supervise me performing most of the work for my annuals, yet I choose to pay for them as I don't want to invest that kind of time (30-40 hours), regardless of how many dollars it would save me. I prefer to do other things with that time. To denigrate those with 'non calloused hands', or those that just don't want a project, seems incredibly elitist to me. As my high school biology teacher said to our class many years ago, "The only thing you cannot buy more of is time". None of us knows how much we are given; spend it wisely.