Mooney Back Seats

[corn_flake]

I'm finally finishing up a owner-assisted annual.  Before I put the seats back in, I notice there are rather unfriendly looking rivets under the back seats cushion.  The previous owner used duct tape to cover the rivets under the seat.  Since I end up removing all the duct tape for annual inspection, I wonder if I need to place something on top of the rivets to protect the seat cushion.  

Pinging the collection knowledge of MS.   

Thanks

[carusoam]

Might want to read up on the topic of cleaning and painting that thing...

The key words may be spar cap...

It’s a corrosion sensitive device that is really expensive if it needs to be replaced...

PP thoughts only not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[corn_flake]

Are you saying the device is call spar cap or is there suppose to be a cap that goes over the rivets?  

I'm planning to clean things up a bit.  Besides a little dusty and left over duct tape residual, there is no corrosion any where I can see.  The white color around the rivets are duct tape residual.

[carusoam]

The yellow paint is an anti corrosion paint and has a tendency to not wear very well....

The standard of protection over the giant rivets is probably duct tape....

The giant rivets might be called huck bolts... which are typical of holding important parts together...

Use caution when cleaning these parts... some cleaners do not go very well with the aluminum used for aircraft support structures...

If painting is needed... the anti-corrosion paint can be pretty hazardous to breathe...

Any questions... it is really good to have a mechanic to work with and be specific when you point to the various parts...

That whole device is the main spar that your plane is being held up in the air with...

It has the tendency to come in contact with anything the back seaters have ingested...

I wonder If a dense foam strip, with matching hole patterns would improve the comfort for those sitting on that...

It is Mooney’s version of the princess and the pea test...   

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...
 

Best regards,

-a-

[corn_flake]

If aviation duct tape  is the standard protection for those huck bolts, I can certainly clean things up and reapply.  After all, it seem to have worked well and haven't puncture the seat vinyl all these years.  

[carusoam]

That might have been the original duct tape applied in 69...

There are a few places where duct tape has been used...

Best regards,

-a-

[RLCarter]

I don't think there should be anything except the seat cushion over the Huck Bolts. The seat cushion is cheap to repair/replace compared to getting the Spar splice repaired due to corrosion forming under the tape. When I had my pre-buy there was a very small piece of aluminum tape (less than 1sq in) on the spar that sent the IA off on a rant

[Old Chub]

23 hours ago, corn_flake said:

duct tape

*Speed Tape* 

[Ragsf15e]

Seems that “speed tape” was also used to “seal” Under the fairing between the fuselage and wing that covers the wing attach bolts.  I’m not really sure it’s the best choice for either application these days.

[corn_flake]

speed tape it is!

Let's hope it holds better than duct tape.  The duct tape used fall apart and expose the fibers in the doct tape.  It was a quite a mass to remove.  

[PT20J]

The factory loves duct tape. There is probably a roll or two in each airplane. If you strip out the entire interior as I did recently, you will find they used it to seal all the gaps around the wing roots, baggage compartment, access panels under the rear seat and the baggage compartment, foot wells, etc. The spar huck bolts are also covered in duct tape. There is no reason to remove this tape routinely unless you are inspecting for corrosion. You should not have corrosion if the windows don't leak (especially the pilot's window) and no one spills carbonated drinks in the back seat where it soaks into the carpet against the spar.

Skip

 

[M20F]

As others have indicated I wouldn’t put tape over those.  I don’t know what the new legal solution to zinc chromate is but would spray that and drop the cushions. 
 
I don’t sit in the backseat, let them eat cake. 

[RLCarter]

 You can still get zinc chromate from Aircraft Spruce. Like mentioned above, your dealing with your Main Wing Spar so the “Do’s & Don’ts” can get pricey

[xcrmckenna]

If you’re concerned about them damaging the seat you can take a grinder and smooth that spar out.... good to go.


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[corn_flake]

@xcrmckenna  Of course, I'll get right on it.  

 

[RLCarter]

10 hours ago, xcrmckenna said:

If you’re concerned about them damaging the seat you can take a grinder and smooth that spar out.... good to go.


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Wasn’t there a pix on MS where there was a fire extinguisher bracket mounted to the vertical portion of the spar?

[xcrmckenna]

Wasn’t there a pix on MS where there was a fire extinguisher bracket mounted to the vertical portion of the spar?

I think so.


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[PT20J]

29 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Wasn’t there a pix on MS where there was a fire extinguisher bracket mounted to the vertical portion of the spar?

My ‘94 J has one. It’s located in a plastic recess on the left side in the carpeted panel that covers the main spar below the  back seats. The extinguisher mounting bracket is pop riveted to the spar web. I can’t see that it’s good for much. First, being behind the pilot’s seat it is darn near impossible to reach while seated. And, even if you can reach it, you have to release two clips to loosen it and then it is very hard to get it out of the deep recess. It’s not too hard to access if you remove the seats and get down on your knees in front of it as I did when removing the interior recently. I had to cut the plastic around it because the factory riveted the bracket in after installing the trim panel. I guess I could have drilled out the pop rivets, but it just seemed easier to make the hole in the plastic larger for future removal. 

Skip

[Ragsf15e]

10 hours ago, PT20J said:

My ‘94 J has one. It’s located in a plastic recess on the left side in the carpeted panel that covers the main spar below the  back seats. The extinguisher mounting bracket is pop riveted to the spar web. I can’t see that it’s good for much. First, being behind the pilot’s seat it is darn near impossible to reach while seated. And, even if you can reach it, you have to release two clips to loosen it and then it is very hard to get it out of the deep recess. It’s not too hard to access if you remove the seats and get down on your knees in front of it as I did when removing the interior recently. I had to cut the plastic around it because the factory riveted the bracket in after installing the trim panel. I guess I could have drilled out the pop rivets, but it just seemed easier to make the hole in the plastic larger for future removal. 

Skip

I bet if your panel catches on fire you’ll find a way to get to the extinguisher no matter where it is!

[hmasing]

I used aluminum/metallic tape by 3M, not the cloth duct tape.

[0TreeLemur]

On 7/19/2020 at 8:28 PM, hmasing said:

I used aluminum/metallic tape by 3M, not the cloth duct tape.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^  this. is. the. way. to. go.  It has no water holding capacity.