Source for door leather strap/handle

[AndreiC]

The leather strap on the door of my ‘70E broke. (It is the one the you use to pull the door closed.) What do you guys recommend to replace it? If your suggestion is for something make-shift, can you please include the dimensions of the strap, since my plane is a bit far from me at the moment and I can’t go and measure my current strap? Thanks!

[PeteMc]

If you want to go the Aviation way.  Just look up some interior shops and ask them if you send them the old one can they replace it.  

Otherwise, if you happened to drive by any car interior shop, you might ask them if they can do it with the same materials.  (I'm not recommending this, of course.  But I've heard rumors that this is probably what most people do.) 

First measure the distance between the screws and take a picture with the pieces still in place.  Then for the local shop, just take in the pieces and they'll figure out the size.  For the aviation interior shop in addition to the measurements of the screws and that picture of the pieces in place, just take another picture or the pieces on a table along side a ruler or tape measure.  

As for me...  Mine broke a few flights before I dropped off the plane for a new interior.  So I was spared the dilemma! 

 

Edited January 26, 2024 by PeteMc

[PT20J]

On my '78 J, I bought a leather belt the right width and just cut it to length and put holes in it for the bolts. It worked great and was stronger than the original. Check women's belts -- they come in a greater variety of sizes and colors.

[Bob E]

Same.   Find a belt with solid leather, not bonded.

[DCarlton]

I bought a perfect leather pull strap off of ETSY several years ago with the tail number embossed.  Fun little touch.  

[Hank]

My door strap is made from seat fabric . . . Looks like it is maybe rolled and sewn together. The interior was redone several years before I bought it in 2007, still going strong. 

But leather is nice, too. I'm playing with some now for other things, may check into replacing the door pull and the strap in front of it.

[Nokomis449]

I can neither confirm nor deny the use of a leather belt from Walmart, but it worked great.  It was to be temporary until something more suitable was found, but it's still there after many years.

[M20F-1968]

Go to your local Thrift Store, buy a solid leather belt, wrap it in a piece of goof leather, hand stitch one edge and you are done.

That way it looks original.  You can find leather punches and leather tools on e-bay.  You will want to get a leather punch that will punch about 4-6 holes in a row.  The needles will be blunt and you will use 2 of them, one from each side with heavy thread.  Look at YouTube videos.

John Breda