where do you see cracks at the flap attachments?

[rbridges]

I was looking at mine yesterday.  I didn't exactly know where to look, but I couldn't find any.  Is it usually above or below the attachment point?  The second pic has a little dirt/oil that looks like a crack on the left side.

[Yetti]

2nd pic top left.  clean it and run a fingernail across it to see what it is.  What does the bottom of that attachment look like

[Sabremech]

Here's what mine looked like after removing the bracket for a closer inspection.  Before I removed the bracket, it just looked like a pencil mark and I was unsure if it truly was cracked. 

 David

 

[Sabremech]

I think I see what looks like cracks on either side of yours in the exact same location as mine, just above the top bolt. I think it's worth pulling the bracket to clean and confirm. Here's a picture of mine after completing the S/B to repair it. 

David

[rbridges]

3 hours ago, Sabremech said:

Here's what mine looked like after removing the bracket for a closer inspection.  Before I removed the bracket, it just looked like a pencil mark and I was unsure if it truly was cracked. 

 David

 

Thanks David.  Now I see the location and orientation.  I'll go back with some cleaner and a small brush to remove the dirt and grime.  

[carusoam]

Wow, David!

Fantastic detail!

What it is...

Where to look...

What it looks like up close.

How to fix it...

What it looks like when fixed..!

 

With that sturdy approach I’m surprised you don’t get a faster Vfe speed.  

Best regards,

-a-

[rbridges]

What's a ballpark cost for the repair?

[Jim Peace]

I had it done about 2 and a half years ago.  The pictures I have enclosed were a couple of the before and only part way through the repair.  I was not around for the completion.

The last picture is the part that I have no idea how my mechanic got in there, you have to be a contortionist  to get inside.  Anyway doing the SB removes the AD to check for cracks in the future.

Again I know it looks like the repair is missing parts but it was not complete when the pics were taken.

[Sabremech]

7 hours ago, rbridges said:

What's a ballpark cost for the repair?

There’s no solid answer. The S/B says to pull up the baggage floor which would be a nightmare and very time consuming. I made an access panel through the baggage floor to allow for riveting in the doubler. It definitely saved me quite a bit of labor. 

[rbridges]

14 minutes ago, Sabremech said:

There’s no solid answer. The S/B says to pull up the baggage floor which would be a nightmare and very time consuming. I made an access panel through the baggage floor to allow for riveting in the doubler. It definitely saved me quite a bit of labor. 

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. 

[ELT]

Interesting topic!

I just did an owner assisted annual with our new very very thorough inspector.  He not only checked ADs but also SBs.  His suggestion was to get the SB kit#20-217 and do a preemptive.  The kit apparently had a 16 week wait from Mooney, so I dropped that plan this year. 

Question:  Is doing this SB preemptively a good idea?  Next November at annual I plan to do interior and hopefully Trutrack install.  The airplane will be apart and down for easily a month.  Also, I must admit that the 100 mph flap speed can get exceeded in my modified E easily.  The kit was about $400 but is now up to $800. We have very good sheet metal people at MCAS Cherry Point.

If anyone has an old kit in stock at the non-inflated price contact me

Thanks for your input and suggestions.

Eddie

[Jim Peace]

51 minutes ago, ELT said:

Question:  Is doing this SB preemptively a good idea? 

If your plane is a keeper I would do it if the interior is already out.

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, ELT said:

Question:  Is doing this SB preemptively a good idea?  Next November at annual I plan to do interior and hopefully Trutrack install.  The airplane will be apart and down for easily a month.  Also, I must admit that the 100 mph flap speed can get exceeded in my modified E easily.  The kit was about $400 but is now up to $800. We have very good sheet metal people at MCAS Cherry Point.

There is a large school of thought, backed up by data, that unnecessary maintenance adds risk. For this reason many large organizations (e.g., airlines) don't do unscheduled or unnecessary maintenance.

That being said, you have to manage your own risk and time and money.   If it gives you more peace of mind to do it, then that has some value.

[MB65E]

Anyone have the drawings of the doubler and Shims. Mainly material thickness? 

-Matt

[Andy95W]

4 hours ago, Sabremech said:

 I made an access panel through the baggage floor to allow for riveting in the doubler. It definitely saved me quite a bit of labor. 

When I ordered my SB kit from LASAR, I asked if they had any recommendations for the install.  Dan in parts got Paul (Loewen) on the phone and that is exactly what he said to do also.

Great minds think alike.

[jamesm]

Mine M20C has never had  the doubler mod done. Every annual I start thinking to myself  did I remember to raise the flaps .

 

Thanks for the Pictures.

James '67C

[cliffy]

IIRC the baggage floor is NOT structural to the airframe. Only has to hold the weight of baggage (120 LBS)

Is my recollection correct?  Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?  :-)

[47U]

1 hour ago, cliffy said:

IIRC the baggage floor is NOT structural to the airframe.

Perhaps the baggage floor is not primary structure, but consider that the front section is riveted to an aluminum angle that is bolted to fittings attached to the aft end of the fuselage tubing.  The other three sides are riveted to the longerons on the sides and the first bulkhead aft of the fuselage tube structure.  There is no monocoque skin on the bottom of the fuselage under the baggage floor.  Instead, it’s the flap torque tube access panel… and the baggage floor.  There’s the stub spar and wing structure forward of that, but I’m not sure how much longitudinal support that provides.

Disclaimer… I am not a structural engineer and I’m not trying to impersonate one.  

 

[M20F-1968]

On 11/1/2018 at 7:51 AM, ELT said:

Interesting topic!

I just did an owner assisted annual with our new very very thorough inspector.  He not only checked ADs but also SBs.  His suggestion was to get the SB kit#20-217 and do a preemptive.  The kit apparently had a 16 week wait from Mooney, so I dropped that plan this year. 

Question:  Is doing this SB preemptively a good idea?  Next November at annual I plan to do interior and hopefully Trutrack install.  The airplane will be apart and down for easily a month.  Also, I must admit that the 100 mph flap speed can get exceeded in my modified E easily.  The kit was about $400 but is now up to $800. We have very good sheet metal people at MCAS Cherry Point.

If anyone has an old kit in stock at the non-inflated price contact me

Thanks for your input and suggestions.

Eddie

Yes, putting in the doubler even when there is no crack is what you should do. I did mine during the rebuild of my airplane.  This is a weak spot which should be reinforced before there is a problem if possible.

John Breda