Pirep - Gee Bee Aeroproducts Baggage Door Seal

[Z W]

Background - it came up in another thread last year that new factory-style Mooney baggage door seals were hard to source. The Knots 2 U ones sold on Spruce and other places are made of cheap weatherstripping foam, are not factory style, and instead of attaching to the door, they go on the airframe, and therefore get scraped/damaged easily as you load and unload baggage from the plane. I'd been through several of those, with the last one not even lasting two years, when I complained here.

@Gee Bee Aeroproducts stepped up, I believe bought a salvage baggage door, and manufactured a new factory-style seal out of modern high-quality silicone. I think I bought the first one. Shame on me, it took me a few months to get around to getting it on the plane, and a couple more months to post this, but it's there now.

Report: The seal is great. Arrived with enough seal material to make a little more than two of them and a nice clear 2-part epoxy to glue it on. It makes a much tighter fit than the foam seal did, such that I had to lubricate the lock pins to get it to close. At first I was worried it was too tight, but after a little grease on the pins, it closes smoothly and is very snug.

Before, the latch felt like it could pop open in flight if not locked. Now, I still lock it, but there's no way it's coming open unintentionally if I were to forget. I've never had a factory style seal, so I'm not sure, but suspect it's working as intended now. I also never had problems with water intrusion before, but I'm certain it seals better and tighter now. It's been on for a couple of months and has not compressed or loosened much, which is perfect. It's safe and out of the way on the door and I don't expect it to get damaged or need replacing any time soon.

Thanks Guy for making a great new product for our Mooneys.  A few pics below.

 

[Slick Nick]

Nice review. Is it “P” shaped like the stock one? Almost looks like you have it on backwards, with the flat part facing outwards instead of being tucked flush under the trim panel. 

[Z W]

The seal is P-shaped.  The flat part would definitely not fit under my trim panel, which is trimmed way above the seal surface, though I believe my trim panel has been replaced, so I'm not sure how it came from the factory. The way it's in there fits and seals very well. I don't think the door would close if it were reversed - the thick part of the seal would be pushed out into the thinnest parts of the gap between the door and the fuselage.

My parts catalog doesn't show the orientation of the seal. Anybody have a picture of a factory seal installation?

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

We reduced the seal in overall dimensions and reduced the duro to the softest spec .

 

The first article copy of the original was the same dimensions as the B727 nose gear door seals , who copied who ?

 

GB

Thanx for the feedback 

 

I stock mu2 / and tbm door seals 

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Cabin and Baggage same seal

Need something made , just ask

[Marc_B]

@Z W and @Gee Bee Aeroproducts, is this the newer profile of the seal or the older profile...I can't remember but think one was smaller and thicker and one was larger and thinner walled??  Which is the newer/improved?

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

The larger thicker P seal was the same dimensions of the nose gear door seals.

I then reduced the seal size by 25% and thinner wall thickness for a revised seal -1 .

GB

 

Edited Saturday at 08:11 PM by Gee Bee Aeroproducts

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Here is a oem picture 

Bulb outward

The bulb is flattened as its rubber after age, this will not happen in the silicone version.

 

Edited Saturday at 08:13 PM by Gee Bee Aeroproducts

[Z W]

OK then. Mine seals very well installed backwards, and looks like it was meant to go that way to fit into the shape of the fuselage frame. But you should probably install it like the factory did.

Thanks for the photos Guy.

[Slick Nick]

The little lip on the inside i think is designed to keep water out, since it makes a bit of a bend where the door does. The way your seal is installed might allow moisture in behind it. You ssid you had extra seal left over? Might be worth redoing it the proper direction. 

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

I have plenty of seal in stock

Remove all old cement with toluene 

mask both edges of seal

apply clear silicone cement , let dry 

apply clear silicone cement to seal in 3/5 inch increments and dry with hairdryer.

cure 18/24 hours before closure.

Pressuried / inflatable seals always have a rain seal for when the aircraft is static and the seal is not inflated.

This small rain seal 13ft long is over 3k dollars now .

Next time you step into a Boeing or airbus you will notice the rain seal if you are looking.

 

[Andy95W]

@Z W- thanks for the pirep.  How much was the baggage door seal?  Do you intend to do your door as well?

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Cabin

Baggage

325.00 pair with 4oz clear silicone cement 

option

1 Qt toluene 20.00

shipping to be determined 

n77gb@msn.com

[Andy95W]

Thanks Guy.

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Anything, anytime

Transducer bracket 

one week start to finish 

 

[67 m20F chump]

I have used his products on all 3 planes I have owned.  Always excellent quality and by aviation standards great prices too.  

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Need something made , let me know 

 

Caliper Bleed Cap silicone 

We molded 1000 each in Porsche atomic Green 

Red is the basic, similar to the Brembo bleed cap .

I have a new three piston tso caliper coming soon and this is a subassembly