Baggage door strut

Prior owner · May 15, 2021

7 hours ago, Immelman said:

@PilotCoyote That looks awesome!

How does this new hinge sit/fit between the baggage door and the frame? Any issues with the door being nudged slightly when closed with this hinge?

Also looking at the photos, did you bend the hinge attached to the fuselage or did it come like that?

On my ‘64 there is quite a bit of room between the edge of the door and the edge of the door frame. Maybe 3/8” - 1/2”. One of the pics I posted shows the door nearly closed. It’s kind of hard to see the gap in between, but it is there....

the two bends in the arm are necessary because folding stay will not flex outwards to take up that space- it’s too rigid. You can easily make the bends with a hammer over the end of a work bench. Just be sure to drill the holes AFTER you bend the arm- the holes need to match up. Note that these things come in a package as a set of left and right- so compare them carefully to see whether one will fit better than the other. I just grabbed one and started cutting it to length. It probably doesn’t matter....

Nudging the door won’t disturb the locking support- if I were to grab the door and push and pull it violently, I would break the piano hinge on the bottom of the door, or break the screws that mount the folding support arms. Perhaps that is not a desirable feature...something to think about.

Immelman · May 15, 2021

Thanks Coyote.... maybe I'll order two and give your bends a shot. On my 66E the hold-open is mounted in a similar configuration as yours.

redrider54 · September 3, 2022

On 9/22/2019 at 6:53 AM, RLCarter said:

Not sure on yours but the C's & E's just go over center to hold them in place. Mine was MIA and not available so I copied a buddy's , fairly easy to make

Trying to find a new one of these. How did you make this and would you be willing to make another?

Andy95W · September 3, 2022

For under $10, you can get two of these:

https://www.hingeoutlet.com/collections/lid-support-hinges/products/180-locking-lid-support-steel-construction-nickel-finish-sold-individually

Just trim a little of one end, drill a new hole, and bend one leg as an offset.

redrider54 · September 3, 2022

11 minutes ago, Andy95W said:

For under $10, you can get two of these:

https://www.hingeoutlet.com/collections/lid-support-hinges/products/180-locking-lid-support-steel-construction-nickel-finish-sold-individually

Just trim a little of one end, drill a new hole, and bend one leg as an offset.

Seems simple enough. I just made an order. Can't believe others want close to $200 for this!

**Don Gates** · September 3, 2022

Ordered two, going to give it a try. Cessna guys have the diamond scar on their forehead, Mooney guys have scars on the top of their noggin….

**Ned Gravel** · September 4, 2022

21 hours ago, Andy95W said:

For under $10, you can get two of these:

https://www.hingeoutlet.com/collections/lid-support-hinges/products/180-locking-lid-support-steel-construction-nickel-finish-sold-individually

Just trim a little of one end, drill a new hole, and bend one leg as an offset.

Exactly what I did last year. Works good.

RLCarter · September 6, 2022

On 9/2/2022 at 9:54 PM, redrider54 said:

Trying to find a new one of these. How did you make this and would you be willing to make another?

Unfortunately I’m out of the 4130 and don’t plan on ordering any time soon….. look back in the thread on page 2, dimensions are on a pdf

**Greg Ellis** · September 7, 2022

On 9/2/2022 at 9:54 PM, redrider54 said:

Trying to find a new one of these. How did you make this and would you be willing to make another?

This is available on ebay and may work for you.

MOONEY SHORT BODY BAGGAGE DOOR PROP | eBay

**jamesm** · September 8, 2022

how is it attached to the airframe just a #6 sheet metal screw? or it's screwed into more than thin sheet metal framing?

Thanks,

James

**47U** · September 8, 2022

1 hour ago, jamesm said:

how is it attached to the airframe

#8 countersunk machine screw…

**Skates97** · September 8, 2022

After one of the mechanics at the shop busted mine off (grumble, grumble) I put one of these on. It is over center so when the door is about 3/4 of the way closed it is extending again and holding pressure to keep it closed. The slide on cabin door quit holding open long before I owned the plane and I replaced it with one of these as well. It's perfect, holds the door open, it doesn't slam shut when starting up the engine, once rpm are about 1,000 and I am taxiing there's enough wind that it closes most of the way, leaving about 2-3 inches open. In the run-up area back at idle it swings back open for some airflow in the cabin.

I'm guessing some MSC's would take issue, but it isn't structural and my IA had no issues.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B098K2B82X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

redrider54 · September 8, 2022

3 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

After one of the mechanics at the shop busted mine off (grumble, grumble) I put one of these on. It is over center so when the door is about 3/4 of the way closed it is extending again and holding pressure to keep it closed. The slide on cabin door quit holding open long before I owned the plane and I replaced it with one of these as well. It's perfect, holds the door open, it doesn't slam shut when starting up the engine, once rpm are about 1,000 and I am taxiing there's enough wind that it closes most of the way, leaving about 2-3 inches open. In the run-up area back at idle it swings back open for some airflow in the cabin.

I'm guessing some MSC's would take issue, but it isn't structural and my IA had no issues.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B098K2B82X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Happen to have any pictures installed?

David Lloyd · September 8, 2022

The gas strut sounds really interesting. Not 30 minutes ago, I asked Paul Loewen about rebuilding or repairing my cabin door slider. He said pry it apart and make a new roller from a drill bit cut off with a Dremel. I might give that the first try. First time I talked to Paul in 40 years. We were young men then. Slower but still pretty sharp.