Anti-chafe tape locations on an E

[lithium366]

As I am getting ready to deliver my freshly painted airplane I also try to get a sense of where I should apply an anti-chafe tape in order to protect my new paint. One location I think is where top cowling meets avionics access panel. Where else? 

[Vance Harral]

Our F model has anti-chafe in the following locations:

• all around the cowl
• belly panel where nose gear doors touch when closed
• leading edge of main gear doors
• specific locations on flaps where they touch the trailing edge of the wing skins (this is kind of a band-aid, the trailing edge skins should probably be tweaked to eliminate the touching
• rear empennage, under the fairings that cover the the gap where the trim mechanism operates

[lithium366]

3 minutes ago, Vance Harral said:

Our F model has anti-chafe in the following locations:

• all around the cowl
• belly panel where nose gear doors touch when closed
• leading edge of main gear doors
• specific locations on flaps where they touch the trailing edge of the wing skins (this is kind of a band-aid, the trailing edge skins should probably be tweaked to eliminate the touching
• rear empennage, under the fairings that cover the the gap where the trim mechanism operates

Thanks. Is this the same type of a tape for all locations? I bought this one for the cowling: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/cowlingchafeseal.php?clickkey=6458 

 

[Guest]

Cotton tape is likely too thick for most applications, Teflon or fibreglass type tapes are much thinner.

Clarence

[Skates97]

This stuff has worked well for me.

2" wide - https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00823JFAI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3/4" wide - https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00823JEUO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[PT20J]

I used this tape on the gear door edges: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00823H1BS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used the same UHMW tape @Skates97 used on the belly where the edges of the doors rub. It is available in various widths and thicknesses. UHMW tape is designed for applications where parts slide against each other.

@GEE-BEE AEROPRODUCTS has some silicone anti-chafe tape that is great for the cowling. It's thicker than most but not too thick, at least on my J.

Some Mooney wing skins are too tight against the flaps as @Vance Harral noted. I have seen very recent airplanes with the heads of the rivets on the flap leading edge almost worn through. Don Maxwell's trick to fix this is to partially extend the flaps and then place a thin piece of wood on the flap to protect it and then place a stiff putty knife blade between the wood and the lower trailing edge of the wing and gently pry up to increase the gap just enough to clear the rivets. You have to go slowly and work your way along the wing in several passes. Some tape on the rivets afterwards cannot hurt.

Skip

 

 

[Vance Harral]

The thin Teflon tape from Aircraft Spruce has worked well for us.  It's quite expensive compared to UHMW, though, so like many CBs, we tried the UHMW tape from Amazon instead.  It works OK, but I wouldn't recommend it for airplanes that are actually pretty (ours is a workhorse).  What we've found over time is that the Amazon stuff oxidizes, turns yellow, and (most importantly), the adhesive hardens and leaves a very tough residue behind when the tape skin eventually peels off.  I haven't found any solvent that takes this hardened adhesive off, without also taking off the paint underneath it.  I don't know if this is characteristic of UHMW tape in general, or a specific problem with the Amazon stuff, but I'd recommend caution.  If you do use the UHMW tape, I'd recommend replacing it frequently before it oxidizes too badly.  That eats up some of the savings.