Stainless Camloc's

[JayMatt]

I would like to buy all new stainless camloc's for my cowl top and bottom. Anyone have a good idea of how many of which ones? 78' M20J. 

Right now I know I need the STAINLESS PHILLIPS FLUSH WIDE FLANGE SK28S3-4S but I don't remember how many. When I took them out originally, I had little tiny C clips that locked them to the cowl. Anyone know if camlocks come with that standard or what special setup I may need? Also the top ones next to the windshield appear to be larger screw heads than all the side ones. Anyone that knows what they may have bought would be very much appreciated. 

 

EDIT: I would also like to know about what volt sysem I have because it looks like I ordered the 12v LED's for the wing tips but I'm being recommended the 14v for the tail beacon. trying to figure it if I made a previous mistake or am being recommended something wrong. 

Edited March 15, 2023 by JayMatt

[jlunseth]

12 and 14V are the same system. The battery is a 12V battery, the alternator is set to put out 14V. There has to be a 14V potential to charge the 12V battery. Sometimes the system is called a 12V and sometimes a 14V. 

[PT20J]

The number embossed on the head designates the length. Often, lengths vary because the fiberglass cowling thickness isn’t uniform. The C clips for the 2700 (small) are a separate part number. Some omit them so that the Camlocs can be removed making it easier to install and remove the top cowling. You need a special pliers for the 4002 (large) Camlocs. If you want to order the Skybolt parts, you can get their catalog on line at www.skybolt.com. Spruce carries both. The Skybolt 2800 is the wide flange.

 

[ArtVandelay]

The number embossed on the head designates the length. Often, lengths vary because the fiberglass cowling thickness isn’t uniform. The C clips for the 2700 (small) are a separate part number. Some omit them so that the Camlocs can be removed making it easier to install and remove the top cowling. You need a special pliers for the 4002 (large) Camlocs. If you want to order the Skybolt parts, you can get their catalog on line at www.skybolt.com. Spruce carries both. The Skybolt 2800 is the wide flange.

 

Doesn’t match my plane, shows screws (4) at forward corners and 4002 (2) at aft corners, I have 2700s (2) at both.

[PT20J]

1 hour ago, ArtVandelay said:

Doesn’t match my plane, shows screws (4) at forward corners and 4002 (2) at aft corners, I have 2700s (2) at both.

Single landing light version

[DCarlton]

I ordered a Skybolt kit for my battery access panel.  Worked out great.  Didn’t have to count fasteners and research individual part numbers.  

[0TreeLemur]

Four weeks ago I ordered from AS 2 ea. 27S3-7 camlocs, which are the longer ones used in the aft-most holes on the top-cowl.   They were back ordered and arrived two days ago.  Spruce's P/N is 1127004-7.

Q:  Split washers installed on the stem keep them from falling out.   A couple of the holes in my cowl are worn to the point where they fall out anyway.  Is there such a thing as an oversized split washer?

[PT20J]

21 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

Four weeks ago I ordered from AS 2 ea. 27S3-7 camlocs, which are the longer ones used in the aft-most holes on the top-cowl.   They were back ordered and arrived two days ago.  Spruce's P/N is 1127004-7.

Q:  Split washers installed on the stem keep them from falling out.   A couple of the holes in my cowl are worn to the point where they fall out anyway.  Is there such a thing as an oversized split washer?

I don’t think so. Both the Camloc and Skybolt cataligs show split washers 0.31 diameter. The stud is 0.25, so that’s a pretty big hole. The flange is only 0.39 diameter. You might want to use the Skybolt 2800s with the .50 flange.

[philiplane]

when you install the sockets into the cowl, apply primer to the back of the sockets and to the seat in the cowl to prevent corrosion. Stainless should never rest against bare aluminum.

[Cayman44]

Wide flange studs are available at Skybolt under  "SK28S3-5".  I needed these for the L/E of the forward belly panel on the M20M.

[A64Pilot]

On 3/17/2023 at 1:04 PM, philiplane said:

when you install the sockets into the cowl, apply primer to the back of the sockets and to the seat in the cowl to prevent corrosion. Stainless should never rest against bare aluminum.

This is true.

A Maule wing is entirely built with SS pop rivets, over time every rivet will have a ring of corrosion around it, and the skin was primered.

Every Camloc on a Thrush crop duster is SS and as the entire fuselage panels are held on by Camlocs there are hundreds. At thrush we used Cad plated receptacles and only the Camloc itself was SS. It’s been that way for a long time and seems to work well.

You can do without the special pliers to remove and install but it’s a pain. You’re holding the Camloc collar with pliers in one hand and pushing in on the screw with a crew driver with the other hand. There is also a special tool for installing the split ring and that you do need.

This guy https://www.browntool.com/Default.aspx?tabid=344&ProductID=260 It’s for the bigger Camlocs, In my opinion the smaller ones it may be best to leave them removable.

Way back in the day Thrush used straight slot not phillips head Cad plated Camlocs. Avoid the non phillips because the regular screwdriver will slip out and put a long scratch in your paint even if you’re careful, the phillips is much less likely to do that.

Oh and of course the length is correct when the screw head is flush with the collar with it fastened down

[jlunseth]

On 3/15/2023 at 10:08 AM, JayMatt said:

I would like to buy all new stainless camloc's for my cowl top and bottom. Anyone have a good idea of how many of which ones? 78' M20J. 

Right now I know I need the STAINLESS PHILLIPS FLUSH WIDE FLANGE SK28S3-4S but I don't remember how many. When I took them out originally, I had little tiny C clips that locked them to the cowl. Anyone know if camlocks come with that standard or what special setup I may need? Also the top ones next to the windshield appear to be larger screw heads than all the side ones. Anyone that knows what they may have bought would be very much appreciated. 

 

EDIT: I would also like to know about what volt sysem I have because it looks like I ordered the 12v LED's for the wing tips but I'm being recommended the 14v for the tail beacon. trying to figure it if I made a previous mistake or am being recommended something wrong. 

12 and 14 volt are the same. 12 volt is the current but it requires a 14 volt potential.

[Pinecone]

19 minutes ago, jlunseth said:

12 and 14 volt are the same. 12 volt is the current but it requires a 14 volt potential.

Not exactly.  
 

The battery is called a 12 volt, as that is the nominal voltage.  The actual voltage varies depending on how charged the battery is.  A fully charged 12-volt battery is 12.8 volts.

The charging system is set to output around 14-volts, as this is required to fully charge the 12-volt battery.

The convention in aviation to call it a 14-volt system, as that is the approximate voltage in flight.   In cars, the same system is called a 12-volt system.

Volts are always potential.  Amps are current.

[DonMuncy]

1 hour ago, A64Pilot said:

Way back in the day Thrush used straight slot not phillips head Cad plated Camlocs. Avoid the non phillips because the regular screwdriver will slip out and put a long scratch in your paint even if you’re careful, the phillips is much less likely to do that.

The advantage of the straight slot camlocs is that you can tell at a glance that they are all fastened securely.

[A64Pilot]

6 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

The advantage of the straight slot camlocs is that you can tell at a glance that they are all fastened securely.

Only if all the receptacles are lined up the same. Never thought about that, if I didn’t put on the panel I check with either a screwdriver or by banging the panel by the Camloc, if it’s not locked it will usually pop loose. But you know if one or even two aren’t locked the way they are on my Mooney it’s not going to harm anything, not saying you shouldn’t care just I think it’s well designed.

I guess a paranoid person could put a witness mark on with a Sharpie, it will clean off easily from SS if they one day consider it not necessary.

How many put a witness mark on their tires / rim? It’s not a bad idea but except for bush planes and Military I never see it.

The first three fasteners on the leading edge on mine are screws.